Oglethorpe Students Visit Elm Street Gardens

On Saturday, March 31, two vanloads of students from Oglethorpe University, accompanied by the president of the school, Lawrence Schall, his wife Betty Londergan, and Michelle Hall, Vice President of Campus Life, visited Elm Street Gardens.  The students came from the Atlanta campus to see the gardens and learn more about the practice of raising sustainable food and meats. 

Garden managers, Brad and Megan Fowler, led the group on a tour of the garden and hoop houses and shared their knowledge of the philosophy and techniques of growing that apply to the garden.  They also shared a description of the practices they employ on their own farm, Three Centuries Farm, in raising heritage breed pork and chickens.  At lunchtime, Bob and Susan Woodall of Fort Creek Farm spoke about why they have chosen to raise grass fed beef on their property in Hancock County and how they go about doing so.  Their farm is a property that has been in Susan’s family since 1840. 

Robert and Suzy Currey are both graduates of Oglethorpe University.  Robert commented after the visitors left, “It was great to see the interest in and concern for sustainable farming in this diverse group of young people.  All three of our farms, Elm Street Gardens, Three Centuries Farm and Fort Creek Farm are members of Georgia Organics, whose mission is to connect organic food from Georgia farms to Georgia families.  And this interest from Oglethorpe ties in well with our vision of engaging more young people in these practices as well as with our efforts to introduce them to Hancock County.”

Above from left:  Megan Fowler (back to camera), Brad Fowler, Oglethorpe University President Lawrence Schall, Robert Currey, Betty Londergan and Oglethorpe students discuss sustainable growing practices at Elm Street Gardens.  

Right:  The group poses with freshly picked carrots.