Overall Rating Silver - expired
Overall Score 48.92
Liaison Leslie North
Submission Date Aug. 15, 2012
Executive Letter Download

STARS v1.1

Western Kentucky University
ER-T2-2: Organic Garden

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 0.25 / 0.25
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Does the institution have an on-campus garden where students are able to gain organic farming and/or gardening experience?:
Yes

A brief description of the garden:

The student garden focuses on installation of the perennial
components of the garden for future
generations of students. These
installations included 24 high-bush
blueberry plants of several different
cultivars (to ensure cross-pollination), a
collection of strawberry cultivars
(selected so that the plants will produce
all summer), pecan trees that will
someday provide both shade and food,
and preparation for an asparagus patch.
All installations began with soil
testing and proper soil preparation and
amendment and ended with protective
mulching. In an effort to be frugal and
sustainable in the use of resources,
creative solutions were sought, including
incorporation of many “waste”
products from main campus, such as:
• Cardboard, newspaper, and
shredded paper for mulch (providing
superior weed control and moisture
retention to limit irrigation needs);
• Compost made from preconsumer
food scraps provided by
Fresh Food Company, grass
clippings from campus lawns, and
more shredded paper (it provides a
nutrient-rich soil amendment);
• Leaf compost from the Farm (it
provides an excellent, nutritive
groundcover).

There is also a one credit
hour course offered, ICSR 301 – Growing Sustainably in the Student Garden. Instructed by Adjunct Faculty Christian Ryan-Downing . The fruit trees, brambles
and asparagus provided through
funding support from Organic Valley
will be planted, as well as a variety of
other vegetables. Students will sell their
produce on campus at a student
farmer’s market in late spring.


The website URL where information about the garden is available:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
---

The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.