Students hope garden plants seeds to inspire local change

EAST COUNTY — University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee’s teachers and students are sowing seeds.

The school is leading an initiative it hopes will grow into more than the garden rooted in front of the USF Culinary Innovation Lab on Lakewood Ranch Main Street.

Last week, under the advisement of designer and landscape fanatic Mike Miller, USF’s College of Hospitality and Technology Leadership students, their instructor Chef Joe Askren and other volunteers planted a 7-foot-by-35-foot garden beside Main Street.

“People will start seeing an abundance of vegetables grown right here in Lakewood Ranch,” Miller said.

Miller also works on the Pine Avenue community garden on Anna Maria Island, which USF faculty members used as an example for its new environmental venture.

Hospitality students and their instructors dug, spread soil, installed plants, buried seeds and tended to their new garden. Echo Farms, Gulf Coast Farms and Sweetgrass Farms provided the ingredients.

Observer Media Group is the presenting sponsor of the garden.

Askren sees the garden as a catalyst for sustainability. He hopes the herbs and plants will develop into a community, state and global initiative to eat local and create sustainability for communities by growing food rather than just purchasing from big grocers.

“We’re teaching invaluable lessons that will benefit the community later, Askren said.

To keep the garden from becoming a short cut for pedestrians, the space will feature plaques with explanations of the garden and what’s growing in it, along with small signs to deter observers from trampling the students’ plants.

Students will also use the produce as ingredients in meals they cook during class for assignments and for community events, such as Music on Main.

In the spring, the cooking lab will open its doors to local elementary, middle and high schools to educate students on the garden and the ingredients it grows.

Garden Components
• Bouquet dill

• Broccoli

• Chinese spinach

• Collared greens

• Ethiopian kale

• Garlic chives

• Italian parsley

• Japanese eggplant

• Katuk

• Lemon grass

• Moringa

• Mustard greens

• Okinawa spinach

• Oregano

• Roselle

• Rosemary

• Seminole pumpkin seeds