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connecticut college

sprout! timeline

2004 to present

Spring 2004

  • organic garden idea conceived by Alaya Morning '06. "I was inspired specifically by the student farm model at Middlebury College and saw no reason why Connecticut College couldn't maintain a similar project. My hope was that it would soon become a highly productive vegetable garden and the center of a new 'garden/local food system education' programming on campus."
  • Alaya Morning's first conversations with Glenn Dreyer, Arboretum Director about the project. He offers general support and suggests that Alaya speak with Jim Luce
  • the end of the semester stops the progress

Fall 2004

  • Alaya holds initial conversations with Jim Luce; garden site is selected
  • Holly Camerota MAT '98, P'08 of College Relations, contacts us about her interest in the project; she is huge supporter throughout, helping to photograph and publicize the garden's progress
  • students spend a day clearing the brush from what is now the garden site (present are: Sara Jayanthi '07, Mel Mylchreest '04, Scott Peterson '06, Maria Dewees '07, Kate Hatch '07, Matt Turcotte '02; Cornelius Hardenbergh '07 was there to take pictures)

Winter Break 2004-05

  • Jim Luce and team remove any trees, boulders, etc. that might inhibit the garden

Spring 2005

  • Ben Tressler '05, Anne Lind '06, and Anna Meyer '07 come onboard in a big way
  • organic mushroom compost is added rototillers are rented, and the soil is prepared for the 2005 growing season
  • deer fencing is donated by Glenn Dreyer and the Arboretum office
  • Sprout! (the student organization) is born: the name is conceived, and the constitution written in the 360 apt. 3 living room. Alaya Morning '06, Ben Tressler '05, Anne Lind '06, and Anna Meyer '07 composed the constitution and are listed as founding members and registered with the Student Government Association as an official student club.
  • garden is planted
  • Ben Tressler '05 organizes a luncheon in honor of the lecture on sustainability by Vandana Shiva, Honorary Doctor of Science, brought to campus by the departments of Gender & Women's Studies and Economics. Food provided from local organic farmers is prepared by the College's own Dining Services staff. Proceeds go to fund the garden.

Summer 2005

  • Glenn Dreyer agrees to include garden management tasks as a portion of the 2005 Summer Sustainability Intern job description
  • Ben Tressler '05 is chosen as the 2005 summer sustainability intern and oversees the garden's first growing season with help from students, faculty, and staff on campus during the summer

Fall 2005

  • Anne Lind '06, and Anna Meyer '07 take on leadership of the project while Alaya Morning is abroad in Brazil
  • first Sproutfest held to share produce with faculty, staff, students; tours given of the garden

Spring 2006

  • Michael "Misha" Johnson '08 and Cara Donovan '08 begin to take on leadership as Anne and Alaya prepare to graduate from Conn.

Summer 2006

  • Elizabeth Parillo '07 the 2006 Summer Sustainability Intern, takes on the job of overseeing the 2006 growing season. Holly Camerota and other volunteers continue to water the garden in the intense summer heat when Elizabeth injures her back and leaves campus.

Fall 2006 and on:

  • now a Connecticut College alumna, Alaya is proud and inspired every time she reads a new update from the Sprout! mailing list!
  • Sproutfest gives tours of the garden
  • the garden is expanded

Spring 2007

  • Cara Donovan '07 takes over the reins for SPROUT activities for the garden as Misha Johnson, is abroad in Costa Rica.

Summer 2008

  • Misha Johnson'08 is the first full-time summer garden manager.

Fall 2008

  • Eric Dooley-Feldman '09 takes over the reins for SPROUT and the number of SPROUT tribe members swells to 25+!

Summer 2009

  • Two garden managers are on board, Nathalie Theys and Eli Mangold!

Fall 2009

  • Hosted a SproutFest dinner for professors and provided a completely sustainable lunch at Renewable Energy Club's Brumalia festival.

"I can't tell you how grateful I am to see that others have continued to grow this project. And really excel at it. Each semester the students are more effective than the last. It is a beautiful thing!" — Alaya Morning '06, founding member of SPROUT!

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