F RAMINGHAM S TATE U NIVERSITY G ARDEN Emily Montville Michelle - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

F RAMINGHAM S TATE U NIVERSITY G ARDEN Emily Montville Michelle Sulprizio Julie Wiechec Brittany Repella Fatma Eren

M ISSION  The Framingham State Community Garden will be established to:  Expand environmental and food education  Provide healthy, organic vegetables for Sodexo Dining Services  Help make our campus a little ‘greener’  Our mission will be to “Start Small and Grow”

FSU G ARDEN AS AN E DUCATIONAL T OOL Recreational Programs and Community Awareness : Improve nutrition education and awareness through the implementation of a community run organic garden Garden signage in the cafeterias will link students to the food source; • allowing students to understand the need for local produce Raise awareness on campus at Earth Day’s Green Festival and • Harvest Week Students learn by doing: tending to the garden allows students to • make the connection to where food comes from

H EALTH E FFECTS  Organic Vegetables No pesticides = Allergies No GM seeds Anti-biotic resistance Cancer  Short Travel Time = MOrE NuTrItiOus fresh vegetables More vitamin C, more antioxidants ↓ Sicknesses

H EALTH E FFECTS  Garden- based education programs cause students/staff to consumed more vegetables in their diet

H EALTH E FFECTS A LOWER BODY MASS INDEX WITH MORE VEGETABLES !!! • Body Mass Index Relationship with Vegetable Consumption among U.S Adults aged ≥ 18 (Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, 2009) 29 28 27 % Proper Vegetable 26 Consumption (3 or more servings) 25 24 23 22 Normal weight Overweight Obese Body Mass Index

D ECREASING V EGETABLE C ONSUMPTION IN M ASSACHUSETTS Table 1: Percentage of Massachusetts Adults aged ≥18 years who consumed vegetables three or more times per day from 2000-2009 (Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, 2009) 30 29.5 29 % MA Adults Vegetable 28.5 Consumption 28 27.5 27 2000 2002 2003 2005 2007 2009 Time Period

D ECREASING “F OOD M ILES ”  Did you know?  “Food miles” is the distance and means of transportation in which food travels from a farm to the place of consumption.  The average amount of miles American food travels is between 1,500 to 2,500 miles.  “Food miles” is nearly the biggest source of green house gas emissions world-wide!

O DE TO O RGANIC  Organic provides a less toxic environment by the keeping the air, soil, and water chemical free.  No pesticide use and no genetically modified crops

O N PAR WITH THE FSU C LIMATE A CTION PLAN 2011…  According to the plan, “…[there is] a strong emphasis on reducing CO 2 emissions and energy use as well as new policies intended for creating a sustainable, healthy, and inspirational environment for the campus community ”  Decrease food miles (i.e. campus garden)  The garden will be in a very visible location allowing for students and faculty to learn and be inspired by the change it brings  The sustainable design will allow for future expansion

CREATING THE FSU COMMUNITY GARDEN  Location  Design  Crop yield  FSU Facilities Dept.  Biology students  The Green Team  Nutrition Internship  Summer Maintenance

L OCATION The site of our garden was carefully chosen based upon the following considerations:  Openness and ample sunlight (6 hours/day)  Minimal amount of trees and shrubs that could potentially shade the crops  Appropriate terrain for easy assembly of the raised beds and easy access for harvesting and performing routine tasks  Conveniently located, allowing students, faculty and staff to observe the crops

L OCATION  The grassy area in front of May Hall!

D ESIGN  Completely sustainable  Organic  Low maintenance  8’ x 4’ x 2’  3 ’ “campus - proof cages  64 cubic ft (32 sq ft)  Built-in cold frame  Cedar Wood  Naturally rot- resistant  Low density- enhanced insulation  Easy to work with

B UILT - IN C OLD F RAME  Ensures survival well after the first frost  Vegetables can be planted earlier  Decrease growing time  Produce larger crop yield  Provides 1-4 ◦ C frost protection  Extends growing season  3 permanent and 2 removable acrylic glass sheets  Mounting clips will be installed onto exposed frames  Removable 8’ x 4’ acrylic glass sheets for each bed will be stored in the green team’s tool shed

D ESIGN : S USTAINABLE I RRIGATION SYSTEM  Food production accounts for one-third of the water use in the U.S.  FSU Climate Action #9: “Decrease Campus Water Use”  Promotes water conservation  Incorporates rainwater collection  Saves energy  Provides sufficient water for plant life  Allows for a low-maintenance bed  Height of the barrel (~3’) creates water pressure

H OW TO G UIDE : Carrots: o Seed-to-table: 52 to 70 days o Sow in spring to harvest in the summer and sow every 3 weeks for continuous harvest o For fall and winter storage: freeze, can, preserve, or pickle

H OW TO G UIDE : Tomatoes: o Seed-to-table: 107-142 days, including 6-8 week seed- germination period o Water heavily but infrequently; water more during heat waves o Harvest when tomatoes have reached mature color o For fall and winter storage: make sauce, salsa or chutney, freeze, dry, can, or preserve

H OW TO G UIDE : Basil: o Seed-to-table: 60-70 days o Continual harvest: pinch flowers off to keep the plant bushy and full o For fall and winter storage: freeze and/or dry and store in an air tight container o Basil flowers attract beneficial insects that ensure crop pollination

C ROP Y IELD Tomatoes  Seeds must be spaced 18 in. apart  In one 8’ x 4’ bed = 10 tomato plants  Average crop yield = 5 pounds per harvest Carrots  Seeds must be spaced 3 in. apart  In one 8’ x 4’ bed = 512 carrots  Average crop yield = 512 carrots per harvest

FSU F ACILITIES  Gather materials  Obtain Equipment  Build raised bed gardens  Construct Irrigation System

BIOL 451: P LANT P HYSIOLOGY P ROFESSOR Z AMPINI  “An introduction to basic processes that regulate plant growth and development” (undergrad. catalog)  Incorporate organic, vegetable seed starting in the greenhouse HH 516  Students will understand and regulate plant growth and development  Use seedlings for comparative photosynthesis  Test soil for ideal environment  Plant seedlings into raised beds

T HE G REEN T EAM  An environmentally conscious club actively involved in Framingham State's Climate Action Plan.  Meetings at 1:30 on Monday in HH Geography Seminar Room!  “We strive to make the campus greener". – Sarah Howe, President

G REEN T EAM R ESPONSIBILITIES  Create garden tending schedule  General garden maintenance  Establish the ‘advising committee’  Harvest during school semester  Transport and clean vegetables  Promote garden at recreational events  Take care of soil  Prepare garden for the winter  Recruit volunteers and new members  Evaluation of Garden  Write end of year report  Future planning of garden expansion

NUTR 496: I NTERNSHIP IN F OOD AND N UTRITION WITH K AREN M C G RAIL , FN P ROFESSOR  Work experience in community nutrition and food service  Application required  May 29, 2012 – August 15, 2012  At least 8 hours a week for 12 weeks over the summer  Internship Description:  General garden maintenance  Harvest/wash vegetables for Sodexho dining services  Create menus for Sodexho dining services  “Major project” to incorporate teaching programs and brochures surrounding FSU Community garden  Proposal for garden expansion

A DDITIONAL S UMMER M AINTENANCE  Classes end spring 2012 on May 10  Classes resume fall 2012 Wednesday September 05  4 weeks paid student position from May 14, 2012 – May 28, 2012 and August 20, 2012- September 4, 2012  Applications sent to Consumer Science Dept.  2 hour training session with president of the Green Team on Monday April 23, 2012  8 hrs/week  10$/hr

U TILIZING THE FSU CROPS FOR SODEXO DINING SERVICES  Carrots: o Basil:  Use at the sauté station • Use on pizza  Use on the salad bar • Use at the sauté station  Use as a side dish • Use in soups  Use in soups • Use as a seasoning • Flavor pesto and sauces  Tomatoes: Use on pizza • Use on burgers and • sandwiches Use on the salad bar • Use in soups •

A CADEMIC P ROGRAMS FOR S PRING 2012 Department Class Professor BIOL 200: Introduction to Biology Stephen A. Dinkelacker Environmental Science (Gen. Ed. Goal 7) Biology BIOL 203 Plants and Society Margaret A. Carroll Biology BIOL 451 Plant Physiology Charlotte Zampini Earth Science EASC 131 Conversations with the Lawrence W. McKenna Earth Emily R. Winer Nutrition Special Topics in Food and Nutrition: Janet Schwartz Food Citizenship NUTR 262 Food, Culture, and Society Nutrition Beth Allison Geography Introduction to Environmental Carl Hakansson Studies

F UTURE E DUCATION P ROGRAMS  BIOL 240 Botanical Diversity  BIOL 250 Horticulture  BIOL 251 Vascular Plant Taxonomy  BIOL 411 Food Microbiology  BIOL 457 Quantitative Plant Ecology  GEOL 233 Environmental Geology for Town and Regional Planning