Signal Staff Writer
mgasca@the-signal.com
661-259-1234 x518
Posted: Feb. 7, 2010 9:33 p.m.
A bright red radish emerging from a soil plot caught the attention of The Master’s College student Mike Crawford.
The ripe radish was a tangible indication that Master’s students can “practice what we preach” and literally “give the fruits of our labor,” Crawford said.
Crawford and a group of Master’s College leadership students spent a rainy Saturday morning harvesting their community garden.
They delivered batches of lettuce, garlic, broccoli, beats, spinach and more to the Santa Clarita Valley Food Pantry in Newhall.
The Christian college planted The Master’s Garden in late September. Students share the responsibility of tending to the garden throughout the school year.
The food pantry strives to provide fresh fruit and vegetables for its clients.
The nonprofit organization, which has seen a 33 percent increase in clients over last year, receives loads of canned food donations, but fresh produce is not as easy to come by.
“The goal is to supply (families in need) with fresh produce they can’t have all the time,” said Crawford, the college’s Associated Student Body vice president.
Matt Bugbee, a missionary-in-residence from the Philippines, is overseeing the project.
“We do this in the Philippines,” he said. “We go into the tribal areas where they may not understand about organic farming.”
“It’s something that can be used in an urban area or a Third World country,” he added.
The garden cost the college about $3,000 to get started, but Bugbee believes it will become a self-sustaining effort.
The students huddled inside a campus shack Saturday and stuffed biodegradable pots with soil and seeds. They planted seeds of tomatoes and other seasonal fruits and vegetables for their summer-spring garden.
“I think it’s great they’re trying to open our eyes to the needs of the community,” said Shannon Van Aswegen, 20.
Freshman Kaci Frazer, 18, had a simple response for anyone wondering why the students would spend their rainy mornings packing dirt.
“People need food, so we need to provide food,” she said.
Email Article
Print Article
Sign Up for Our Qwik-e Newsletter
Post A Comment