Assessing feasibility

1. A garden for the Transylvania CommunityFollow-up afterthe first exploratory meeting, held 9/30/08(notes: version 10/05/08)

2. Assessing feasibility • Stages in assessment of feasibility: • we assess strength of faculty / staff interest & commitment (we start this at the 9/30 meeting) • if we think we have sufficient interest & commitment to proceed we meet with Darrell Banks • we meet with President Shearer to provide him a progress report and to sketch the proposal for his assessment • if President Shearer considers the proposal has sufficient merit and feasibility to proceed, then we will work on a formal proposal

3. Components of the Project –thus far • Integration of Garden into Campus life – Curricular • courses might have a gardening component: e.g. courses relating to health promotion, the culture of human-nature relations, etc • garden work might supply an activity course credit (¼) May Term, perhaps fall • UNIV1111 might draw students into the garden work • HRT might use food from the garden for a Fall barbecue • Education Program may develop links with K-12 gardening projects • All courses involved would contain some element of reading about the social, • cultural and physical benefits of community gardens. • Eva Csuhai is considering the development of a one-time, full credit service • course for May 2009 dedicated to researching all issues around the garden • (chemistry, biology, environment, anthropology, politics, cooking, psychology, • sustainability, etc.); this course could also be the venue for physically starting • up operations with interdisciplinary student involvement

4. Components of the Project –thus far • Integration of Garden into Campus life – Co-curricular • A program such as FUP could introduce students to the idea & practice of community gardening; GSA might find value in sponsoring gardening activities, as might Greek organizations (especially as food will be grown with community distribution in mind) • Linking the garden to Service Learning projects – again, as food will be grown with community distribution in mind) • Having the garden serve as a vehicle for outreach activities – having it the focus of Summer Camp activities for children in the northside neighborhoods and through Lexington Parks and Recreation (with Transy students serving either as camp counselors, or as outreach coordinators, toward organized school and neighborhood camps); having a connection with Learning for Life [College for Living??]) • In general, the garden can be conceived of as contributing to the emerging • campus – and city-wide –culture of sustainability.

5. Resources available & needed –within the institution • Land (needed). Preliminary thinking: we might explore the possibility of land behind Poole. The plot would need access to water... • A start-up grant (needed). To potentially provide fencing & basic equipment – e.g., shed, tools, composting bins, etc. (Physical plant may be able to supply some equipment, tools?) The grant might also support a mini-conference held on a Saturday morning to which we invite local experts to talk with all interested faculty and staff. • Composting (available, perhaps). Food Service may be able to supply food waste? (sustainability effort, towards students in cafeteria) • Enhancing the space (available, perhaps). The art program might develop student projects that could help decorate / develop the space.

6. Resources available & needed –outside the institution • In general, we need to develop a local (TU) knowledge base that would allow us • to keep the garden successful, year after year. We would need to contact • people in Lexington and the surrounding region devoted to growing • gardens organically, to learn more about soil, crops, and pest control. And • we would need to develop mechanisms for passing along this knowledge. • Local organizations exist to assist in developing a garden. E.g., the “Bluegrass Partnership for a Green Community” - http://www.uky.edu/sustainability/greencities/index.htm • “Sustainlex.org” links up local community gardens; London Ferrell Community Garden, 251 E 3rd St, involves people willing to help • Organizations such as Campus Compact might supply funding for outreach and service learning projects (see www.compact.org/ ); esp. info re. Community Outreach Partnership Centers (COPC) • Universities & colleges around the country have developed gardens (e.g., Middlebury). Learning from their experience will help • Sustainlex.org has literature and websites that can serve as resources: esp.American Community Garden Association http://communitygarden.org/learn/starting-a-community-garden.php; the list supplies web addresses for urban gardening organizations in New York, Philadelphia, Boston, etc.

7. Management • A small committee of faculty and staff rotating on and off (serving perhaps for 2 years) would have responsibility for ensuring the garden is tended and that students are engaged through courses and extra-curricular activities (including any coordinating or mentoring of Summer Camp activities) • This committee would maintain an activities log, a book/calendar ensuring accountability of all involved. • As the most intense moment of the growing season happens during the summer, the committee would be responsible for ensuring that the garden was well-tended during the summer. Student help may be found through service projects (for students living on campus over the summer, e.g., the Summer Camps) or through applying for grant money (Kenan-Jones) • Biology and chemistry programs might develop appropriate research projects which could then add another layer of care for the garden) • We anticipate that interested faculty and staff here during the summer will enjoy keeping the garden flourishing.