LSU football players may find themselves practicing near flowers and fruit as early as next semester if the University’s Hill Farm Community Garden plants new roots behind the Landscape Services Building on Skip Bertman Drive.
Assistant director of Facility Services Dennis Mitchell said plans are in motion to turn the field behind the Landscape Services Building into a place where students can grow fruits, vegetables and other plants in a community garden.
The location and plans for the new Hill Farm Community garden location still needs approval by Facility Services, but Mitchell said they will begin to draw up ideas this week for what the space could look like.
The space was selected as a recommendation for the community garden because of its proximity to restrooms and sheds to keep tools, as well as the area’s ability to be fenced in.
“Cultivating land can happen anywhere on campus as long as it’s in a space that makes sense,” Mitchell said. “We hope to have a plan together soon.”
The Hill Farm Community Garden was one of the oldest community gardens in the state until the gardeners lost their space near the UREC to a University construction project a year ago. The community garden area was located near the University Lakes and allowed for growing plants and horticulture research since the ’20s, according to the LSU AgCenter website.
The garden allowed students who live in apartments and residence halls to garden and learn to grow vegetables. The club also donates healthy food to the St. Vincent de Paul charity.
Mitchell said Facility Services is discussing the community garden space with the UREC and the College of Agriculture, which have both expressed interest in using it for student programs.
The new location will be filled with small, individual plots of land for the club’s members — about 40 each semester — said Michael Cheatham, a graduate student and president of the club.
Anyone can join the club, and there are members from all areas of study, Cheatham said in October. Each member will have a 4-foot-by-5-foot plot in which to cultivate their plants.
The group knew about the construction project planned for its old garden, but it didn’t know when it would have to leave.
“We got the notice that they were building, and it was like, ‘Hey, we’re starting construction next week, so be sure to harvest whatever you have,’” Cheatham said.
The new spot is located away from central campus, more than a mile from the former location. Avid gardeners may have to arrange for different transportation to the garden.
Renewable natural resources graduate student and garden club member Catherine Reuter said she thinks the location new space might affect the success of the garden.
“Any place we can get is good,” Reuter said. ‘But I think it will probably restrict those who end up using it.”
She said she knows of other universities with gardens that thrive despite having locations on the outskirts of campus.
Environmental Engineer student handles plants at the horticulture center Wednesday September 24, 2014.
