Author Archive
Spider Webs and Agricultural Acts
I started my morning in the Dining Services Garden today before the sun was even ready to stretch his rays to warm the chilly air. The morning chill seems to have moved in early this year, making my worn wool sweater a necessity. The spider webs are prolific, like tinsel and glittering ornaments on the tomato branches as I picked plumb fruit. The geese are flying south just as everyone is flocking back to Blacksburg for the start of another semester. I continue to move through the garden rows, filling crate after crate with veggies, my smile growing as I know that more of my VT community will be eating from this well loved garden.
Poet, writer, and agrarian, Wendell Berry writes: “I begin with the proposition that eating is an agricultural act. Eating ends the annual dream of the food economy that begins with planting and birth”. An agricultural act—how often does one think of eating in these terms? All humans are involved in agriculture, whether directly or indirectly. The web of choices that we are faced with everyday when we sit down at the table impacts how our land and communities are shaped.
I am inviting each of you to be part of this agricultural act in a deeper way. Come plant, harvest, with us. Come connect with a piece of your food system, and your community. Find out how to volunteer in the garden and help us feed our VT community our Facebook page: The Dining Services Garden at Kentland Farm Volunteer Program.
To read the rest of Wendell Berry’s Essay The Pleasures of Eating
More Potatoes! Planting at the Garden
We need your help to get all of our potatoes in! So if you like mashed potatoes, roasted potatoes, scalloped potatoes or potato salad come help us and our no-till transplanter get all these spuds in the ground.
We will not be able to provide van transportation out to the garden but if you have a car come on down! We need folk mostly between 1-3 to help us run the transplanter. But if you can come earlier in the day that is helpful too! If we make it through the potatoes that we will also plant broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage.
Please RSVP to this event via the Facebook event or email Chelsea Graves our Garden Education Coordinator at cbgraves@vt.edu. This event is some what weather dependent so please check the facebook page to confirm that we are still planting before heading down or call Chelsea at 571-271-8004.
Below are directions to the garden, carpooling is encouraged, please coordinate with your fellow volunteers.
Getting here can be a bit tricky so this our Garden Education Coordinator’s Chelsea cell number in case you get lost 571-271-8004. If you are unable to attend at the last minute please call Chelsea. Give yourself about 20 minutes to get there from campus.
-Take Prices Fork Road going away from campus.
- Continue for about 3 miles, make a right on McCoy Road.
-Continue for about 3 miles, make a left on Whitehorne Road at the sign for Kentland Farm.
-Take the first entrance to the farm on the right (just before the official entrance at the office building).
-Follow the dirt/gravel road to the garden plots. Park near other cars at the shade trees.
-The Dining Services Garden at Kentland Farm will be near the entrance on the right near all of the first buildings you see.
Thanks so much for the help in advance!
Friday Mornings in the Garden
Hey Folks!
Meet in the lobby of New Hall West Friday morning (April 27) to catch a ride down to the Garden. We will leave at 9:30 and be back by 12:30. Please wear clothes that you don’t mind getting a bit grubby and bring a water bottle.
This Friday we will be planting onions and potatoes, mulching and weeding in the Education Garden and harvesting asparagus. So come on down!
PLEASE RSVP for this event via our Facebook event or email our Garden Education Coordinator Chelsea Graves at cbgraves@vt.edu. If you RSVP and then are unable to attend please let Chelsea know so she won’t wait on you. Space is limited if you need a ride in the van. If you want to drive yourself that’s wonderful but please let Chelsea know so she can plan enough work to keep everyone busy!
Below are directions to the garden, carpooling is encouraged, please coordinate with your fellow volunteers. Give yourself about 20 minutes to get to the garden from campus.
-Take Prices Fork Road going away from campus.
– Continue for about 3 miles, make a right on McCoy Road.
-Continue for about 3 miles, make a left on Whitehorne Road at the sign for Kentland Farm.
-Take the first entrance to the farm on the right (just before the official entrance at the office building).
-Follow the dirt/gravel road to the garden plots. Park near other cars at the shade trees.
-The Dining Services Garden at Kentland Farm will be near the entrance on the right near all of the first buildings you see.
Getting here can be a bit tricky so this our Garden Education Coordinator’s Chelsea cell number in case you get lost 571-271-8004.
Friday Mornings in the Garden
Hey Folks!
Meet in the lobby of New Hall West tomorrow morning (Friday April 13) to catch a ride down to the Garden. We will leave at 9:30 and be back by 12:30. Please wear clothes that you don’t mind getting a bit grubby and a water bottle.
This Friday we will be weeding garlic, laying landscape fabric, cutting back herbs, and planting onions in the Education Garden. So come on down!
PLEASE RSVP for this event via our Facebook event or email our Garden Education Coordinator Chelsea Graves at cbgraves@vt.edu. If you RSVP and then are unable to attend please let Chelsea know so she won’t wait on you. Space is limited if you need a ride in the van. If you want to drive yourself that’s wonderful but please let Chelsea know so she can plan enough work to keep everyone busy!
Below are directions to the garden, carpooling is encouraged, please coordinate with your fellow volunteers. Give yourself about 20 minutes to get to the garden from campus.
-Take Prices Fork Road going away from campus.
– Continue for about 3 miles, make a right on McCoy Road.
-Continue for about 3 miles, make a left on Whitehorne Road at the sign for Kentland Farm.
-Take the first entrance to the farm on the right (just before the official entrance at the office building).
-Follow the dirt/gravel road to the garden plots. Park near other cars at the shade trees.
-The Dining Services Garden at Kentland Farm will be near the entrance on the right near all of the first buildings you see.
Getting here can be a bit tricky so this our Garden Education Coordinator’s Chelsea cell number in case you get lost 571-271-8004.
Come Help Plant Onions at the Dining Services Garden!
Come to the garden on Saturday April 14th to plant onions with us.We will be planting from 9:30-1:30. Come for as much or a little of shift as you are able. Wear clothes you don’t mind getting grubby, sunscreen and bring a water bottle. Also, pack a bag lunch if you want to hang out after planting and share a meal.
PLEASE RSVP for this event via our Facebook event or email our Garden Education Coordinator Chelsea Graves at cbgraves.edu
Below are directions to the garden, carpooling is encouraged, please coordinate with your fellow volunteers. Give yourself about 20 minutes to get to the garden from campus.
-Take Prices Fork Road going away from campus.
- Continue for about 3 miles, make a right on McCoy Road.
-Continue for about 3 miles, make a left on Whitehorne Road at the sign for Kentland Farm.
-Take the first entrance to the farm on the right (just before the official entrance at the office building).
-Follow the dirt/gravel road to the garden plots. Park near other cars at the shade trees.
-The Dining Services Garden at Kentland Farm will be near the entrance on the right near all of the first buildings you see.
Getting here can be a bit tricky so this our Garden Education Coordinator’s Chelsea cell number in case you get lost 571-271-8004.
Friday Mornings in the Garden
Hey Folks!
Every Friday morning this April come roll up your sleeves and help out in the Dining Services Garden. Meet in the lobby of New Hall West to catch a ride down to the garden. We will leave at 9:30 and be back by 12:30. Please wear clothes that you don’t mind getting a bit grubby and a water bottle. This Friday April 6th we will be weeding garlic, laying landscape fabric, cutting back herbs, and sowing beets, turnips, and chard in the Education Garden. So come on down!
PLEASE RSVP via our Facebook page or email our Garden Education Coordinator Chelsea Graves at cbgraves@vt.edu.
Space is limited if you need a ride in the van. If you want to drive yourself that’s wonderful but please let Chelsea know so she can plan enough work to keep everyone busy!
