ISU Community Garden begins fifth season

An Indiana State University project is growing a sense of community while helping to fight hunger.

For the past five years, Indiana State has provided land at 217 N. 11th Street for expert and novice gardeners to plant food in plots that are 10 foot by 10 foot, 10 foot by 15 foot or 20 foot by 20 foot. In return, gardeners promise to tend to their plots, plant only annuals and refrain from using pesticides, herbicides and fungicides. Participants are encouraged to donate a portion of the produced raised to the food pantry of their choice.

Returning gardeners will gather from noon to 2 p.m. Saturday, March 31 to learn gardening basics and begin work on their plots. John Rosene, chair of the agriculture department at Ivy Tech Community College-Wabash Valley, and Jim Luzar of the Purdue Extension Office will conduct a workshop on soil preparation at 11 a.m.

Garden plots are available to individuals, families and organizations. Applications are available at http://www.indstate.edu/publicservice/events/garden.aspx  . Newcomers to the community garden will be able to work in their plots Saturday, May 5 from 10 a.m.-noon.

The garden is made possible through a partnership between Indiana State and Apple House, Purdue Extension, Ivy Tech Community College-Wabash Valley, Sisters of Providence, White Violet Center, Catholic Charities of Terre Haute, Downtown Terre Haute Inc., and the city of Terre Haute.

For more information about the Community Garden project or to reserve a plot, contact Indiana State's Center for Community Engagement at 812-237-2334 or via email at donna.isbell@indstate.edu  .

Contact: Nancy Rogers, Center for Community Engagement, (812) 237-2334 or nancyrogers@indstate.edu  

Writer: Paula Meyer, ISU Communications and Marketing, (812) 237-3783 or paula.meyer@indstate.edu