FAQ’s: All about the CCF&G
How old is the CCF&G?
The Carolina Community Farm & Garden began in 2007 as student box
plots. Since then, it has undergone many developments. One of the biggest
changes came in 2013, with the addition of our greenhouse. In 2015, the
CCF&G came under new management and has since undergone many
transformations related to educational programming. We began practicing
hugelkülture, keyhole gardening, rain water harvesting for drinking, and
added a dye garden, a tranquility garden with a labyrinth and hammocks,
a medicinal herb garden and constructed USC’s first hydroponics system in
the greenhouse.
Is the CCF&G all organic?
All practices and plants on our farm are within the guidelines set by the
USDA as certified organic. Although at the moment we are not officially
stamped “certified,” we are in the process of collecting all history and
documentation for the farm to have the necessary recorded information
for an inspector to deem us certified organic. We do NOT use pesticides and
we do NOT use fertilizers. Pest prevention methods include companion
planting and homemade essential oil sprays. Our only fertilizer is our rich
compost and compost tea!
Can I buy produce from the farm?
Absolutely! You are welcome to stop by M-F 9am-5pm, and request a
specific crop from the garden and we’ll pull it out of the ground and hand it
over. You’re also welcome to pick-your-own under supervision of the farm
manager, assistant farm manager, or a garden guide on duty - no
exceptions. Alternatively, you can purchase a bounty bucket for $5, full of
mixed produce of the week. We have a convenient seasonal availability and
pricing chart for you here: Seasonal availability and pricing chart link
How can I obtain a student box plot?
On our farm, you have the unique opportunity to maintain your own
garden plot! This is a great chance to learn about square foot gardening
and what it takes to grow a healthy crop and harvest your own food.
Having a garden plot is a large responsibility, and we want to make sure
you understand what you’re digging yourself into (catch the pun?). Thus,
we allot students land through an application process. You can find the
link here, including all maintenance requirements to comply with the
CCF&G standards and USDA Organic Certification Standards:
Maintenance agreement + application here
What’s in the greenhouse and what purpose does it serve?
We have a student-built hydroponics system, log mushroom cultures, and
plants of all ages in our greenhouse. In the hydroponics system, we grow a
variety of tender lettuces, producing an average of 70 heads per week.
Mushroom logs are cultivated beneath the greenhouse tables, for shitake
and oyster mushroom varieties. Primarily, the greenhouse is used to
cultivate young seedlings from seed, where conditions are optimal with
daily watering, low wind, and mild temperatures. It is very useful in our
winter season, when we can begin starting our spring plants indoors so
that they can go into the ground as seedlings after the last frost. Planting
seedlings rather than direct seed increases the success rate of the plant
surviving and maturing.
What the heck is hugelkülture and how do you pronounce it?
Hugelkülture, pronounced “hoo-gul-kul-ture,” literally means “hill culture”
in the German language. These long mounds consist of old logs, covered by
upside-down sod, compost, topsoil, and mulch. The decomposition of the
logs and sod over time gives the perfect release of nitrogen over time for
plant uptake, while also retaining an enormous amount of moisture. These
beds do not need to be fertilized and are rarely watered!
What is keyhole gardening?
Keyhole gardening is the permaculture practice of designing beds that are
highly accessible, with the greatest ease. From a bird’s eye view, the
traditional keyhole design looks, in fact, like a keyhole, where the gardener
can slide up the lock and stand in the center hole, accessing all parts of the
round garden bed. Furthermore, our keyhole garden bed was built at a
height specifically to allow people in wheelchairs and with back issues or
other physical disabilities to garden with ease. Take a look at an image
search of keyhole garden beds and be amazed!
How does the rainwater harvesting system work?
For a detailed description, follow this link to the system’s website:
http://uscdrinksrain.blogspot.com
What is a dye garden?
Check out our Faculty member, Mari Stuart, and her blog entry on the dye
garden, here:
http://gatherandgrow.org/2015/02/14/starting-a-dye-garden/
Mari is the head of these beds on our farm that are devoted to plants used
for dyeing textiles and fibers, naturally. Many of us think about where our
food comes from, but few consider the origin of our clothing. Synthetic dyes
are extremely responsible for polluting the majority of our freshwater
resources, and this dye garden will aid in a greater sense of awareness.
Do you make beer with the hops?
We sure as heck aim to! The hops plants will produce cones for the first
time in summer 2016, and we plan to sell those cones to local breweries
such as River Rat. Take a look at their site to learn about the process. Hops
can also be used in topical creams and ointments for medicinal purposes.
We plan to integrate it into Gamecocks Biosoap. Additionally, the cones can
be steeped for a sleepy time tea!