城市农业在SAC生根发芽

The greenhouse between the Chance Academic Center and the Nursing & Allied Heath complex is alive and bursting with activity. Plastic trays are filled with thousands of plants just beginning to bloom. 在温室里走来走去, 阿富恩特斯, 农场及花园协调员, 和塞西尔·帕里什, 城市农场经理, 都是William R. 下沉生态中心, tend to the blossoming plants – marigolds, zinnias, 西红柿, 观赏卷心菜等等.

In a few weeks, many of the plants will soon be relocated around campus and the 下沉生态中心. Then new seedlings will take their place in the greenhouse to begin the next crop of herbs, 蔬菜, 和鲜花.   

In many ways the flourishing greenhouse is a good example of the new-found energy in the 下沉生态中心 urban farming program. Fuentes and Parrish are working together to expand the range of benefits the program has to offer.

One of the main projects for the new year will be to landscape the campus with native plants that are both drought resistant but can withstand heavy rains as well. 除了本地植物, pollinator plants will be grown to attract bees, 蝴蝶和其他昆虫.

The garden in back of the 下沉生态中心 parking lot will be redesigned to increase food production. 在秋天, fresh produce will be made available to the Student Advocacy Center along with classes on how to cook the 蔬菜.  

与其他机构合作

The program has started working with other organizations on several projects. “We are going into partnership with the 圣安东尼奥 Housing Authority on a couple of acres on the East side that we want to turn into an educational urban farm space for the city,帕里什说. The space will be used to teach others how to garden so they can raise food for themselves.

The space will also be used to raise plants for papermaking and dyes for the Southwest School of Art. The urban farming project will supply the plant-based art material and the School of Art will sponsor art classes at the 下沉生态中心.

And they are also working with The Human Path, a survival and sustainability school, to grow medicinal plants for their classes as well.

教育为核心

At the heart of all of these projects is a mission to educate. Fuentes and Parrish intend to hold classes throughout the year to teach community members how to garden. Examples of different gardening techniques will be display at 下沉生态中心.

They also want to get the SAC campus actively involved.

“We want to work with students on campus. We want to get their interest and maybe transform their lives and partner with them anyway we can,帕里什说. 目前, the 下沉生态中心 has work study opportunities for students who want to learn more about farming and gardening. The center is also inviting students to consider doing service learning projects and research projects based on urban farming.

“We want to inspire people to eat healthier and to get connected to the earth and the environment they are in,富恩特斯补充道.

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