By Holly Simpson
Gardening and an interest in horticulture and agriculture have always been a part of Haverford College and a Quaker education, and a remnant of this tradition can be seen in the gardens near the Facilities Management Complex.
The gardens began as Victory Gardens in the 1930s in response to a need to supplement the diets of faculty, staff, and students during World War II, and continued to flourish after the war. The remaining gardens are now rented during the summer to interested faculty, staff, and surrounding community members.
While there were over 80 plots at the height of gardening on campus in the 1950s, the number has declined over the years due to expansion of the college and changes in land use. The construction of the Koshland Integrated Natural Sciences Center in 2000 forced the Facilities Management Complex to move to its current location, which in turn led to the removal of most of the gardens which used to extend over that area. The remaining 18 plots are located behind the Facilities Management Complex and Featherbed Field and can be seen from the Nature Trail; however, further expansion of the college may lead to the removal of these as well.
Each year the Arboretum Manager is responsible for determining the number of plots available for rental and preparing the land for planting. Plots are offered first to previous renters and then to others for a fee, reconsidered each year, of about $60. The gardens remain open from May 1 to Nov. 15, during which time gardeners grow a variety of vegetables and flowers in their plots. The gardens then stay in place year round, fortifying the soil and allowing animals to forage for leftovers. While some members of the faculty and staff still rent plots, the majority of the gardeners are members of Haverford’s surrounding community. The Arboretum and Grounds staff also use one plot for trials, testing the growth potential of various plants they may introduce to campus.
Assistant Director of the Arboretum Bill Astifan explained that the plots give surrounding community members a sense of stewardship in the college. He described those who rent the plots now as a unique, knowledgeable, and dedicated community with lots of stories, some of whom have been gardening on campus for 35 years. Astifan said that while the gardeners know the plots may not last much longer, they are happy with their current situation.
“Right now they are happy to be there year to year," he said.
The tradition of gardening on campus is also reemerging among the student body. There is now a Haverford College Apartments (HCA) Garden, and students can take a class in which they work in the garden for PE credit. Manager of Grounds Claudia Kent explained that the class is open to all students, even if most end up being residents in the apartments who can then use the vegetables in their kitchens. Hopefully, she said, the program will expand over time. The development of the HCA garden, along with the maintenance of the former Victory Gardens, bode well for keeping gardens a part of life on Haverford’s campus.
This article is © 2008 The Bi-College News. The material on this page is free for personal or educational use, but may not be reproduced, reprinted, republished, redistributed, or otherwise transmitted to a third party without the express written permission of The Bi-College News, 370 Lancaster Ave, Haverford, PA 19041.
Editor's note: Articles that appear in the Last Word section are works of satire.
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