Students can learn about the importance of medicinal plants at Penn State Fayette, where the garden includes a medicine wheel and additional crops with cultural significance.
An event celebrating the opening of the Penn State Berks campus garden included signs and presentations from student groups, and offered introductions to the world of gardening. That included tables to highlight the importance of pollinators like bees and butterflies.
Many of the student gardens at the Commonwealth Campuses offer the produce through farm stands and food pantries. The effort brings healthy food options to areas where people may not regularly have access to them, or might not have the resources to buy them. Students and community members alike benefit from the programs, which are open to the public.
Beyond tending to plants and vegetables, students can intern or volunteer with the campus gardens to learn about a variety of disciplines and conduct research. The spaces offer an opportunity for hands-on, experiential learning.
During her time with the garden at Penn State Beaver, student Cody Lewis has found a love for flowers. She's learned to dry them, and helped prep for classes to make paint pigments from them.
A member of the Hershey Community Garden cuts flat leaf Italian parsley at the garden located on the campus of Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center. The garden brings community members together to share tips and tricks, as well as grow their own produce.
