Middlebury College Organic Garden
Advisor's Report for 2009
Internships
Through the generous support of alumni-sponsored internships and earned income from
the garden's produce sales, four students participated in the College Organic Garden this
summer as full-time interns (Molly Lohman '09.5, David Dolginow '09.5, Samantha
Parry '12 and Jessie Ebersole '12).
Soil Improvement
The overall goal of the Middlebury College Organic Garden is to produce food in a
sustainable system that improves the fertility of the soil. Soil tests show that we are
moving in that direction. During our 7 summers of vegetable production we increased the
percentage of organic matter in the soil from a less than desirable 3% to our target of 8%.
In that same time period we also raised the Cation Exchange Capacity (a measure of the
soil's ability to retain and supply nutrients for healthy crop growth) from a typical, very
low 6 MEQ/100G for soils like our sandy loam soil to a fertile 23.3 MEQ/100G.
Production Garden
In a summer where the weather switched from near drought to unceasing rain and back
again to near drought the garden produced a bumper crop of vegetables, herbs and
flowers. The garden again expanded to include several new planting areas that were
previously in cover crops. Along with sales of produce to Middlebury College Dining
Services we supplied food to Otter Creek Bakery, American Flatbread, the Middlebury
Natural Foods Co-op, and the Farmer's Diner. The interns also donated several hundred
pounds of crops to the Addison County Food shelf. Our honey harvest was a great
disappointment. Due to experiments Ross Conrad, our beekeeper/mentor is doing to
improve the health of the hive in the long term; our short term production was lowered.
We expect to see production increase over the next few years..
Farm visits
Each summer the interns and I visit a variety of farms. Each focuses on different crops,
finished goods and management systems. This year we visited the Crawford Family Farm
(producers of Vermont Ayr cheese), Golden Russet Farm (organic vegetables and
greenhouse plants), the Elmer Farm (organic vegetables), Champlain Valley Bees and
Queen's (honey and nuclear colonies), Foggy Meadow (sustainably grown vegetables),
The farms at the Intervale in Burlington, Pampoma Farm (vegetables and animals),
Lincoln Peak Winery (run by Middlebury alumni Chris and Michaela Granstrom), Cate
Farm (run by Middlebury alumni Richard Wiswall), Champlain Valley Orchard (fruit and
vegetables), Someday Farm (vegetables, animals and compost) and the organic farm at
Green Mountain College. Thanks to all of these generous farmers who gave so much of
their time to sow us their operations and answer our questions.
The Organic Garden in the News
A photo of the Organic Garden appeared in "Green Campus" a Sierra Club magazine as
part of an article on environmental initiatives in higher education.
Gardeners in the Community
Garden intern David Dolginow helped mobilize the participation of several Middlebury
College students in the Farm to Plate Food Summit in Addison County in early
December. The Vermont Legislature will be funding projects to increase the production
and consumption of locally produced food and the Food Summits (held in 7 regions of
the state) wee called to get input from farmers, food producers, shippers, institutional
buyer and consumers. Director of Dining Service, Matthew Biette also attended.
2008 garden intern alum Corinne Almquist began a "gleaning" program in Addison
County. As a Compton grant recipient Corinne is working throughout the state of
Vermont to help sustain and expand the food gleaning network. She worked with this
year's interns and other students to harvest produce for several Addison County food
shelves from the College garden as well as many farms. Along with 182 pounds of
gleaned vegetables from our garden, this summer's interns raised 250 pounds of
vegetables specifically for the Hope Food Shelf. Countywide, Corinne gleaned over 8000
pound of fruit and vegetables.
Reunion 2009
This reunion marked the third annual tour of the garden for alumni. This year's tour was
attended by over sixty alumni. Garden founders Bennett Konesni and Jean Hamilton
attended, as well as Chris Howell who was head carpenter and leader of the students that
constructed the garden shed. Chris and Bennett spoke to the alumni and led them on a
tour of the garden.
Faculty at the garden
Classes from the English, Religion, Geology, Teacher Ed and Dance departments were
held at the garden in spring and fall of 2009. Three students in Helen Young's Plant
Biology Course participated in a fall semester research project at the garden. They
observed and cataloged fall blooming plants that attracted and sustained pollinators
during the fall. With the help of Professor Young's classes and summer research interns
we now have 4 years of data about insect pollinators and beneficial insects at the garden.
Visitors to the garden in 2008.
High school students from The Dream Program came for a work day at the garden with
their mentor, Middlebury College student John Meyer. Hillel used the garden classroom
for meetings and for their Sukkah to celebrate Sukkot the Jewish festival of the harvest.
In a new approach to orientation, student FYC's came to the garden before fall orientation
for a tour and information they could take back to their dorms. Vermont Farms Tours (a
new business venture started by garden alum Chris Howell) held a get together for its
supporters at the garden.
The Organic Garden as a Resource to other colleges and universities
Each year students and faculty from other colleges and universities inquire about the
Middlebury College Organic Garden. They consistently ask for information that will help
them create or sustain their own college gardens. This year I received inquiries from
North Georgia State University, University of Michigan, Occidental College, Berry
College, St. Lawrence University, University of Iowa, Boston College, Colby Sawyer
College, The College of New Jersey, Concordia College, Eckerd College, Bellermine
College, Colgate University, Simpson College, Allegheny College, Haverford College,
the College of Du Page and Emory and Henry College.
New Projects
7 students led by garden intern Sam Parry traveled to New Hampshire for a workshop on
making stained glass windows for the garden classroom. They created two windows with
beautiful day and night landscapes. They were installed in the classroom during the
summer by the garden interns working with Tim Steele, local volunteer and carpenter
extraordinaire.