Peter Caty/the Mirror

Tomatoes. Peppers.  Kale.  Typically, you would have to head to the produce section of the local grocery store to find these items.

For Fairfield students, however, these foods will be grown on campus and can be experienced in Barone Dining Hall this school year.

Hiding behind the Dolan School of Business is a new vegetable and herb garden in which a variety of items are currently growing.

Most of the vegetables and herbs were planted in June, with hopes that they will be harvested this fall.

“We’re focusing on things we can harvest in the fall, such as winter squash,” said Jennifer L. Klug, Ph.D., associate professor of biology.

The garden began to take form this past June in an effort to help the sustainability plan. The garden will be educational for biology and environmental studies students and will provide food for the student dining hall and area food pantries.

Although largely unnoticed, the garden’s benefits will be seen in the Barone dining hall.  While the garden cannot possibility provide enough food for all the students, it can contribute to a healthier cafeteria.

Professor Klug talked about specifically how the garden will add to the dining hall.

“On Thursday nights, we plan to have ‘Garden Night’ when goods that are grown in the garden are featured on the menu,” she said.

The garden may be a part of the education for some students, but many students are unaware of its existence.

“I’m a junior and I’ve been following the university’s ‘going green’ initiative, but I had not heard of the garden that was erected this summer,” said Bryan Wrabel ’12.

The garden is situated on a hill between the Dolan School of Business and the PepsiCo Theatre.  It will continue to be an opportunity for student research and a local food supply for the dining hall.

Fairfield joins schools nationwide, including the University of Buffalo, St. Mary’s in California, and multiple universities in Oregon, that have vegetable gardens on campus to promote healthier eating and a sustainable environment.

“I hope that the garden helps students to think about how our food is grown and distributed.  I hope they learn to enjoy and value eating vegetables grown on campus,” said Klug.

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