Student Gardening Club Grows Vegetables On University Land

Located in the heart of Liberty Mountain, the Gardening Club maintains two acres of land to grow vegetation and build community. 

Club president James Grimes started the club almost two years ago as a freshman to cultivate a horticulture learning ground. 

After gaining gardening knowledge through first-hand experience on his grandfather’s farm, Grimes had a desire to create a garden “in the name of Jesus Christ” to take students out of monotonous daily routines and give them a new experience. 

“Gardening in the name of Jesus” is certainly at the center of the club, as members were able to grow and donate around 90 pounds of vegetation to the Blue Ridge Food Bank.  

This is the first season the club has been able to produce anything as Grimes spent the first year “jumping through hoops to get the land” while also scraping together $40,000 for a hoop house.

“I started the club about two years ago, and this season was our first season growing,” Grimes said. “The first year we were planning everything out and getting permission to use the land.” 

Gardening is no cheap hobby, but the school and faculty members have donated many resources to the club. The club receives $10,000-$20,000 worth of manure free from the Equestrian Center. Dr. Chrisman , a law professor, donated a Craftsman riding lawn mower, and a local Ryobi dealer donated brand new weed eaters and a mister to the club. 

As a Student Government Association (SGA) club, it receives an allowance to buy materials, but in the future, the club hopes to have graduate students research at the garden club in order to receive grant funding.

The club consists of about 85 members that meet alternatively on Thursdays and Fridays from 4-6 p.m. Currently, 20 students use the club as a way to earn CSER through projects around the garden like designing and building irrigation systems and transforming the old Craftsman lawnmower into a four-wheeler.  

Currently, Grimes estimates a harvest of about 500-600 pounds of vegetation from what is currently growing. However, on such new land he said it is not likely to keep, since he doesn’t know what insects prowl the garden awaiting a feast. The club is also experimenting with different  irrigation systems. 

The garden recently had its own Exodus plague. Local grasshoppers ate the entire field of growing okra down to their stems. Faulty sprinkling systems also caused the club to lose three quarters of the vegetation that was growing before spring break.

While the club has had a slow start, the foundation is strong. Grimes never wants the club to be reliant on its president but instead hopes he can educate enough current members to pass on the knowledge and keep the garden in efficient shape after he graduates. 

“You learn as you go,” Grimes said. “Even a year at the Gardening Club, you’ll learn something to take back.” 

Grimes and the club members work hard to keep the club fully sustainable and running even over summer. Currently the club is gardening a variety of vegetables like onions, corn, potatoes, melons and cabbage. The club has designed an irrigation system with a timer to water the garden over the break with hopes to have it grown by the end of the summer. 

While the club is only in its beginning stages, the club welcomes everyone with or without gardening experience to come and learn the basics and secondaries of gardening. Students can visit their Instagram @lugardeningclub.

compere is a feature reporter.