Our Multi-cultural community garden

For those who don’t know me my name is Hildegard Tollefsen. Following my graduation with a degree in Environmental Science I have been working at St Martin de Porres School. As director of environmental education and outreach I have been spearheading this community garden project. I believe it will have a great impact on the school and surrounding community’s populations for many reasons. The garden will be modeled off the Rosewood Community Orchard and the Chestnut Community Farm. The garden will feature 2 African heritage beds, 2 Hispanic heritage beds, 2 Vietnamese heritage beds, and 1-2 pollinator beds. The emphasis on cultural heritage reflects the diverse populations in our community. It will foster appreciation for the community’s different cultures and encourage inter community relations. The garden will serve the school’s educational needs functioning as a living classroom where students engage in STEM activities such as insect identification, testing soil quality, studying plant-pollinator interactions, and exploring how sustainable agriculture practices support both ecosystem and human health. Beyond serving the school the garden will serve the local community providing fresh produce which will be available directly through the garden and through the church’s soup kitchen. The garden will be a community gathering space which the community currently does not have. Even if you can only donate $5-10 the number of donors also counts. So no matter how much you can contribute all support will be greatly appreciated!