Campus to table: Local, organic produce for UCF students

The National Restaurant Association named locally-sourced produce, environmental sustainability and more vegetable based meals in the top ten food trends of 2014. These trends are not lost on University of Central Florida (UCF) students as more are reaping the benefits of the Arboretum community garden and growing their own food at home.

The UCF Arboretum’s community garden takes up about 1 acre of the nearly 82 acre arboretum. About half of the garden area is allocated for vegetables, and the other half is fruit trees. All of the food from the garden goes directly to students, either to volunteers or through the Knight’s Pantry on campus. The arboretum donates approximately 100 pounds of produce a month to the pantry, totaling more than 150 pounds donated in the month of March. This means that students who are struggling to pay for food can incorporate fresh, local and organic vegetables into their diet, instead of just eating the canned and packaged food that is also readily available at Knight’s Pantry.

The garden is entirely maintained by volunteers, and students who volunteer get to bring home some of the food. “If you work the land, you get to reap some of the benefits” Jacques Werleigh, garden manager and leadership liason at the arboretum, said. Volunteers also get other incentives after meeting different goals, such as organic shirts, water bottles and tote bags, but students get to bring home produce each day that they volunteer. Any leftover food is composted and used to grow more vegetables.

The produce available at Knight’s Pantry also offers a particular benefit to vegans and vegetarians on campus. Melanie Arcic gets fresh greens, such as mustard greens, from the pantry because there aren’t many suitable options on campus for her lifestyle. Otherwise, she brings boxed lunches to school with her.

This summer, the arboretum will begin to offer workshops on urban agriculture, so students can learn more about how to grow food in limited spaces and on porches and balconies. Werleigh said that growing food is basic, and that it is a core component of our strength as a species.

“People like to say they don’t have a ‘green thumb’ but I say, ‘no, you’ve just forgotten.’” Werleigh said.

The arboretum garden is organic, which means that growing foods while they are in season is particularly important.

“You can’t have tomatoes year round,” Werleigh said. However, learning about the diversity within food creates a more rich and complete diet. When tomatoes are not in season, tomatillos – a similar food – are readily available. Most people are not aware that there are many different types of spinach since they only see the variety sold in grocery stores, Werleigh said. Three different varieties of spinach are currently in season at the community garden, along with beans, eggplant, peppers, squash and snap peas.

Werleigh also gave advice for common urban agriculture issues.

“Regardless of where you are, you can grow stuff,” he said. In spaces with limited sunlight, herbs and lettuce will thrive. On a balcony, vining plants – such as pole beans, some herbs and Malabar spinach – grow well. He also said that this type of gardening can supplement store bought foods in a way that is healthy and sustainable. 

For students interested in local and sustainable food, Werleigh said that eating locally, supporting local businesses that use organic products and getting involved in food-related public policy are all very important. Food policy issues are the most crucial, he said, particularly laws and rules regarding how food is grown, transported and delivered.

Werleigh said that he wishes more of the local and organic ethic will continue to spread to the UCF area as it has in parts of downtown Orlando and Winter Park where Dandelion Café and the new East End Market are thriving.

The community garden holds volunteer sessions each weekday, and can arrange for weekend volunteer sessions with advance notice and a group of five or more.