Today is ABC Wednesday and L is for land. Above, we see Guilford College’s resident farmer, Korey Erb, in one of the school’s greenhouses.  Korey was showing us all the green leafy vegetables that are thriving in the greenhouse. Two rows over, lettuce and tomatoes are growing side by side as they are compatible crops. The greenhouse itself is a high tunnel or hoophouse construction. It is an unheated and is very helpful in extending the growing season.  Beside the greenhouse, Guilford College also has an outdoor garden, known as the Production Garden.

The Guilford College Production Garden provides food for Guilford College and helps lower the school’s carbon footprint. Since its beginning, in 1837, stewardship– the planning and managing of resources– has been at the core of Guilford College. Production Garden is one great step in the direction of self sufficiency.

According to Korey, the goal of the garden is to “create an on-campus, large-scale garden that’s financially self-sufficient, productive, [that] can serve as an educational tool and community builder, and is sustainable.” Erb goes on to explain,  “sustainable farming is all about building the soil, growing the soil and reaping the benefits from that. It’s a little tricky, and requires tons of patience early on. But in the long run it’s healthier for the ecosystem, you’re going to get better products out of the soil, and you’re naturally replenishing the nutrients that the crops take out of the soil” (reference here). 

Greensboro is lucky to have Guilford College in its back yard, and Guilford College is lucky to have the Production Garden and all of the wonderful people like Korey who work tirelessly to build community and to nurture the land. L is for land and love of land, the cause is sustainable agriculture and lowering the carbon footprint!