Midsummer Update

It’s midsummer and the garden is booming. It has been hot and muggy here in the Pioneer Valley, nice weather for our squash and potatoes. The acorn squash and pumpkins are bursting out of our half-acre space. Last week we ‘hilled’ the potatoes, so they can grow more abundantly underground. We have also been harvesting the herbs as they come to the end of their cycle.

Garden Science:

While we’ve been growing vegetables, we have also been conducting some research regarding different organic soil amendments. Half of our garden is amended with organic fertilizer and the other half with compost from a local dairy farm. We have been collecting data through sampling soil as well as identifying weed and insect species from both soil types.

Last week we sent another batch of soil samples to the UMASS Amherst soils lab for testing. We also had another round of weed identification facilitated by professor Martha Hoopes and ES major Erin Coates. This week we completed some more insect identification with the generous help of professor Stan Rachootin. We collected insects using sweep nets, and then put the insects under the microscope for identification.

Cultivating Connections:

A big thank you goes out to the folks at Dartmouth Organic Farm and Middlebury College Organic Garden. We had wonderful visits with them last week, even in the pouring rain! Each student garden/farm project we have visited over the last few weeks has been unique and inspiring. We hope to continue connections with these projects through student gardening initiatives.

Last weekend two of our interns (Ally and Sarah) attended the 33rd annual Northeast Organic Farmers and Gardeners Summer Conference. (See www.NOFA.org). It was held just down the road at Hampshire College. Ally and Sarah were busy getting the word out about the new Mount Holyoke Student Garden and learned more about what’s going on in the larger organic foods movement.

Looking Ahead:

As we settle into the last half of our growing season we are looking ahead to the fall when the new semester starts and we will be harvesting our vegetables for Mt. Holyoke’s Dining Services. The garden will be incorporated into this year’s Eco-Orientation event for new students. We are also planning several events to highlight the garden as well as larger issues associated with sustainable food. Stay tuned for more news on the Mount Holyoke Garden Society’s Cultivating Connections fall events series!