The Wagram Community Garden in Scotland County had its start this past spring with a kickoff event on May 15th. Now as the gardening season begins to wind to an end, garden plots have opened up. Some of the gardeners who had a plot this past spring and summer have planted a fall garden as well and are staying put for another season -- some are moving on. This means that several of the 20' x 20' garden plots are opening up and are available to rent. (Contact the garden coordinator if you are interested in a plot.) Over the past year most of the 24 garden plots have been worked by Wagram residents on their own time. Several group workdays were also held to bring community members together to work in the garden and teach them things like correct planting techniques and how and why to plant a cover crop before winter.
In addition to the successful Wagram Community Garden, an exciting new project is in the works at Scotland High School in Laurinburg. An approximately 90x30 foot high tunnel (a metal structure covered in plastic that acts like a greenhouse) has been donated to the school by a local farmer and will be reconstructed next to the football field before Thanksgiving to grow food in. The goal is to incorporate agricultural training back into the school's curriculum and to make the connection for students between "farm and fork" - in other words to teach them about where their food comes from and about the beneficial nutrition associated with fresh fruits and vegetables.
On October 8, 2010 a group of people from Scotland County including Melissa Tomas (Wagram Garden coordinator), Sharon English (Scotland County extension agent), Chef Dibble (chef and teacher at Scotland County High School's culinary program), Amanda Dixon (the district grant writer), Fred Thomas (in charge of curriculum development), and Joe and Joanna Barnhill (Farm Bureau), visited NC A&T University's research farm. The group examined a high tunnel and were impressed when learning from extension staff about the tremendous production capabilities possible when the land and plants are cultivated and cared for. Each took home some samples of the organically grown produce including tomatoes, lettuce, kale, swiss chard, and bok choy. Sharon English later wrote in an email "I wish you all could have heard the conversations on the way home! I thought everyone was excited before the visit, however the visit energized everyone even more."
With the help of school faculty, local extension staff, and A&T State University extension staff, students will grow food almost year round in the high tunnel. Some of the food will end up on the menu of the high school's Bagpiper Restaurant, the only known restaurant in the state that houses a culinary program, is open to the public, and is self sustaining. The students will learn entreprenuerial skills as produce and money shifts between the garden and the restaurant and may have the option of developing their own business like a market stand where they can sell fresh produce.
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