Gardening
The glory of gardening: hands in the dirt, head in the sun, heart with nature. To nurture a garden is to feed not just on the body, but the soul.
-Alfred Austin
Gardening is one of the favorite pastimes of many Davis citizens and a perfect hobby to pick up in this highly agrarian area. By growing your own food, you can both cut down on the fossil fuels burnt to transport the produce you would normally find in the grocery store, as well as reduce the amount of pesticides used on the food you eat. This leads to food that is healthier for you and the environment. There are plenty of reasons to start gardening; so what are your options in Davis? There are two main on-campus options open to all, as well as some choices for certain building tenants, and a few other gardens about town. Take a peek at our Lowdown (aka the “Four P’s”) and we’re sure you’ll find an option that’s perfect for you!
Problem
Today there is a grocery store on nearly every corner in the United States. Fruits and vegetables are available for purchase, marketed to the average consumer as “fresh.” While the fruits and vegetables may seem fresh, imagine when you have a craving to enjoy a healthy array of vegetables instead of getting in your car and buying them, walking into your own backyard or biking to your local community garden plot and gathering your very own vegetables growing under the sun.
Solution
Get the lowdown on where to garden in Davis!
Websites
National Gardening Association: http://www.garden.org/
National Garden Bureau: http://www.ngb.org/image_center/index.cfm
UC Davis Arboretum: http://arboretum.ucdavis.edu/
So, whether this is your first time gardening or you’re a gardening aficionado, there are plenty of gardening options for you here, in Davis. The Experimental Gardens is a great place to learn as they offer gardening tips and advice, but anywhere you go, you are sure to find friendly neighbors willing to give you some pointers. If you want to get even more help you can look online or join the in depth gardening class we have on campus – Plant Science (PLS) 5. If you do not have the time or resources to start a garden, consider growing small herbs, fruits, and/or vegetables in your backyard, on your patio, or by a window. The therapeutic art of gardening is not just beneficial to your health but also to our Earth’s health as well. Happy Gardening!
This entry was posted on Wednesday, June 1st, 2011 at 8:04 pm and is filed under Handbook. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.