1. Sustainability
  2. Campus Garden
   

    Campus Garden

    With more than a dozen fruit trees, an apiary for beekeeping, chicken council, herb spiral, an earthen oven, living roof, pond, and composting program, the Campus Garden is a flourishing sanctuary for wildlife and hands-on learning. 

    The Lifelong Learning office supports the activities of students to manage an edible forest garden that follows permaculture principles, supporting ecological vitality while producing food for people. Students cultivate a relationship with the natural world. And they acquire food & lifestyle skills that promote individual health and wellbeing.  

    The garden offers a tranquil, creative space for collaboration with groups such as the Academy of Lifelong Learning, Department of English, Department of Environmental Science and Studies, Compost Club, and the Center for Environment & Society. The satellite Wild Foods Outpost at the River and Field Campus enables students to experience deeper immersion in the natural environment in workdays and seasonal camping trips. Fall and Spring Break trips include camping and traveling across the country. 

    Community partners include the Chestertown Garden Club, Lands End Farm, Lucky Pick Farm, the Bayside HOYAS, ShoreRivers, Mid-Shore Health Improvement Coalition, New Grounds Composting, and the UME Master Gardener program.

    Faculty, staff, and members of our Academy of Lifelong Learning are able to Adopt-a-Plot to keep this vibrant program flourishing! 

    Co-Presidents — Jessica Barr & Maura Collins
    Vice-President — Logan Monteleone
    Outreach Coordinator — Kit Yim
    Head Chicken Chancellor —Jessica Barr
    Deputy Chicken Chancellor — Jazmine Robinson
    Head Apiculturist     — Rachel Beall 
    Deputy Apiculturists — Emma Parker-Watt and Madeleine York
    Ethnobotanist — Theo Heiland

    Since its founding in 2012, the Campus Garden has grown into one of the most active organizations on campus — home to ecological research, internships, and community events and celebrations.  

    ARTICLE I – NAME  

    The name of this club shall be the Washington College Campus Garden, or simply the Campus Garden. 

    ARTICLE II – MISSION 

    Students who work in the Campus Garden are cultivating an edible forest garden by following permaculture design principles. Permaculture enables us to regenerate the land to a functioning ecosystem that also meets human needs. We practice observing the patterns of nature, including how various forms of energy move through our world, so we can work with those forces rather than against them. We also collaborate with the Food Initiative to experiment with modes of food production to maximize nutrient density and address regional food insecurity. The outpost at the River and Field Campus falls under the jurisdiction of the Campus Garden as well, where we are creating a food forest to provide wildlife habitat, edible food sources, and educational opportunities. 

    ARTICLE III – MEMBERSHIP  

    Section 1.  

    Members can join at any time in the year. In order to have voting rights, members must be in the club’s GroupMe. Members are encouraged to attend as many workdays, workshops, or events as they are interested in, though it is not required. It is expected and required that all members recognize the Campus Garden as a safe space, and do not discriminate or violate our diversity and inclusion statement. It is also expected that members adhere to the permaculture ethics of earth care, people care, and fair share.  

    ARTICLE IV- EXECUTIVE BOARD 

    Section 1. 
    The officer positions will include those of President, Vice President, Outreach Coordinator, Outpost Manager, Compost Manager, Ethnobotanist, Apiculturist, Pond Coordinator, and Chicken Chancellor. One person can fill multiple roles, but it is advised that it be no more than two.  

    Section 2. 
    The president shall: 

    • Work with the Campus Garden intern if they are not the intern. 
    • Lead weekly workdays to improve and expand the Campus Garden. 
    • Organize and lead events open to all campus members. 
    • Work closely with the club adviser to develop and implement projects. 
    • Assist with the development of the club budget. 
    • Track club purchases and finances throughout each semester. 
    • Meet with the Financial Controller as needed to make discretionary requests and discuss other budgetary matters. 

    Section 3. 
    The vice president shall: 

    • Assist the president with project and event design and implementation. 
    • Lead workdays in absence of the president. 
    • Assist with the development of the club budget. 

    Section 4. 
    The outpost manager shall: 

    • Direct field activities at the River and Field Campus outpost in conjunction with the president. 
    • Ensure that both sites are provisioned with appropriately maintained tools. 
    • Maximize forest food production. 

    Section 5. 
    The ethnobotanist shall: 

    • Study the functions of the plants living in the Campus Garden. 
    • Update and expand the online database of Campus Garden Plants. 
    • Advocate for more native and permaculture plants to be included in the college campus landscape.  

    Section 6. 
    The compost manager shall: 

    • Coordinate campus composting efforts and facilitate production at the garden. 
    • Direct programming related to organic waste awareness and literacy in the Washington College community. 
    • Communicate with Compost Team and be the main connection between the Campus Garden Club and the Compost Team.  

    Section 7. 
    The apiculturist shall: 

    • Help coordinate beekeeping at the RAFC outpost and the Campus Garden. 
    • Maintain Bee Campus USA certification. 
    • Work with the Center for Environment and Society on pollinator events. 

    Section 8. 
    The outreach coordinator shall: 

    • Connect garden programming with educational opportunities, including local schools and the Farmers’ Market. 
    • Guide the development of community gardens. 
    • Make connections with other clubs and explore ways to collaborate with other college organizations.  

    Section 9. 
    The pond coordinator shall: 

    • Observe and assess the health of the pond 
    • Plan and advocate for the maintenance of the pond 
    • Lead pond maintenance work days and oversee pond projects 

    Section 10.  
    The chicken chancellor shall: 

    • Lead activities and workshops concerning the chickens 
    • Organize the chicken council to ensure the chickens’ basic needs are met.  
    • Ensure that thorough once monthly health checks are done on each individual chicken.  
    • Voice when chicken supplies are low and make sure that there is always enough food 

    Section 11.  
    Position appointments will be made each year. Students can volunteer for positions and a vote will be held as needed, usually in March.   

    ARTICLE V – MEETINGS 

    There shall be a workday in the Campus Garden at least once a week, with more offerings based on the availability of the officers. These may be held in the Campus Garden or the greenhouse, depending on weather conditions. Members are encouraged to attend at least three meetings throughout the semester. 

    ARTICLE VI – BYLAW ADMENDMENTS 

    These bylaws may be amended at any time to suit the needs of the Campus Garden community. Members are encouraged to read and submit suggestions, which should be taken into account by the executive board. In order to amend articles, all executive members excluding ethnobotanists, apiculturists, pond coordinator, and chicken chancellor, must review the amendments and come to a consensus on the change. Once the change has been agreed upon and made, it must be announced to members, who will then approve the amendments. If there is a concern about the amendment/s, the executive board will have to meet again to address the concern. The amendments will go out to the members again for approval.  

    ARTICLE VII – INCLUSION AND DIVERSITY STATEMENTS 

    PERMACULTURE ETHICS AND PRINCIPLES 

    The Campus Garden strives to adhere to permaculture ethics and principles, which heavily applies to how we treat others and the environment. We encourage members to learn from these principles, whilst acknowledging and recognizing that these ethics and principles were long practiced by indigenous peoples before our current culture and society. To learn more about the specifics of the permaculture ethics and principles, you can visit https://permacultureprinciples.com/permaculture-principles/ . 

    NON-DISCRIMINATORY CLAUSE 

     In compliance with Title IX; the Campus Garden Club agrees to adhere to all policies and procedures of the College and all local, state, and federal laws. Members will become acquainted with policies and procedures in the Official Student Handbook and other policies and procedures provided by the College. This organization is a viable, functioning organization, composed of at least six full time undergraduate students and we do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, religion, age, veteran status, gender identity or expression, or sexual orientation.  

    Wild Foods Outpost

    May Day Celebration

    Making Campus Syrup

    Vinegar, Beeswax, Sunchoke Pie

    Kinpira Gobo with Sunchokes

    German Club Collaborative Event

    Baking in the Earth Oven

    Healing Properties of Plants

    Sweet Taste of WAC

    Bay-Wise Certification

    Casey Time Beautification

    Apiary Inspection

    Learning from Nature

    Inspired by Permaculture

    Garden Location

    The Campus Garden is located behind 508 Washington Ave. From campus, drive past the baseball field and park just past the rainbow fence.

    Photo collage of students working in the campus garden

    Compost Drop Off Location

    Please contribute food scraps and pizza boxes to our compost collection bay accessible from road that goes behind the Western Shore dorms.

    FWS Garden Program

    Students in the Federal Work Study program are eligible to get paid for working in the Campus Garden. Contact Shane Brill to learn about the opportunity.

    Garden Mission

    Achieving food security through ecological design.

    Vision

    The Campus Garden reconnects people with historical foodways and explores future food resources that support environmental resilience. Students inspire healthy communities through the practice of permaculture and the multidisciplinary study of the environment.

    GOALS

    Animals

    Create nectaries for beneficial insects, pollinator corridors, and habitat for bats, birds, reptiles, and amphibians; explore the inclusion of livestock in closed-loop systems.  

    Vibe

    Grow an edible classroom and wildlife sanctuary that conveys a sense of tranquility, environmental renewal, and cultural reinvention.

    Structures

    Showcase low-impact, sustainable technology using natural and salvaged materials for cooking, food processing, teaching and learning spaces, and recreation.

    Stormwater

    Capture runoff from impervious services through the use of rain gardens, swales, ponds, cisterns, and soil infiltration techniques.

    Fertility/Waste

    Build soil by producing mulches and fertilizers through composted food waste and vegetation; cycle nutrients.

    Food

    Establish a mosaic of annual and perennial crop production infused with wild edibles in a multilayered forest garden; demonstrate educational models of useful nutrient-dense polycultures that thrive in the local foodshed; involve students in cooking, food processing, and preservation techniques.

    Yields

    Provide cutting-edge student learning and leadership opportunities in regenerative food production; host campus and community outreach workshops in gardening, cooking, wildcrafting, and natural building skills; develop fiscal self-sufficiency; create online profiles for useful plants featuring student-driven research; inspire permaculture sites across the region; redistribute surplus produce to community organizations in need.