Colgate University’s Community Garden has been a unique outlet for students and Hamilton community members to engage with agriculture and the environment, since the garden’s founding in 2009. Beth Roy, the garden’s manager, believes that the garden’s mission is to provide education on agriculture and food production for the local community.
“The mission of the garden is to serve as a fun and experiential educational space that welcomes people of all ages and backgrounds to share a curiosity of local food production, a place for community interaction, and a desire to participate in small-scale agriculture,” Roy said.
The garden came into existence because of a Colgate environmental studies research project in 2009, along with the generosity of the Class of 2010 and the student group Green Thumbs.
“It was so well received that the class of 2010 decided to give the ‘seed money’ for the garden as their class gift,” Roy said.
The garden was first located on College Street next to the Newell Apartments in 2010. Due to continued flooding, the garden was moved to the area behind what is now Good Nature Brewing in 2014. When that property changed ownership, the garden was moved once again to its current location at 1737 Route 12B between the brewery and Townhouse Apartments.
The Community Garden is managed by Colgate’s Office of Sustainability. It spans just a couple of acres and grows a variety of vegetables, fruits, herbs and flowers. The produce is split between Dining Services, Chapel House, the Hamilton Food Cupboard and Colgate’s on-campus food pantrys for students. The remaining is sold weekly throughout the summer and fall at student-run farm stands on campus.
The garden is maintained by a team of people including Roy, the garden manager, along with Colgate students and volunteers.
“The garden is maintained by the garden manager, two academic year garden interns, four to five summer interns, the Office of Sustainability’s academic year interns and hundreds of volunteers each year,” Roy said.
Senior Charlie Tourbaf spent the summer after his sophomore year working in the garden.
“I basically worked to get the garden up and running. So I weeded everything, we mulched and put in fertilizer, did all the seeding and installed water pipes to water the plants,” Tourbaf said. “We also hosted community events for the public. I remember we did something with kids, with an LGBTQ group and we did some stuff with Indigenous communities.”
In addition to these events, the garden hosts story time gatherings for local children in the summer, mural painting activities, movie and bonfire nights and an annual Fall Harvest Festival.
Sophomore Brendan Werries, who has worked with Colgate’s Office of Sustainability, encouraged Colgate students to get involved with the Community Garden because it can fulfill a required physical education credit.
“The garden offers a PE course in the spring and fall semesters where students can fulfill a PE credit by helping out at the garden,” Werries said.
The garden can provide a refreshing and invigorating experience for Colgate students.
“It is truly a break from the norm for most Colgate students, and many people walk away from their time at the garden renewed and invigorated,” Roy said. “It is a valuable space to learn about reconnecting with the earth, respecting our surroundings and understanding how our choices can affect our health and well-being.”
Students can get involved by attending open volunteer hours, which can be found on the Office of Sustainability’s newsletter.
