Planting Seeds

Mar 19, 2009



FOR MORE INFORMATION:
SABRINA WHITING, Dining Services marketing supervisor
218-299-4423
AMY KELLY, Media Relations director
(218) 299-3642

    MEDIA OPPORTUNITY: PLANTING SEEDS OF CHANGE AT CONCORDIA
   
    Seeds of change will be sprouting up at Concordia College this summer thanks to a partnership between the biology department and Dining Services. Beginning this spring, biology students will plant and care for herbs in the campus greenhouse. When the herbs are ready to be harvested, they will be transferred to Dining Services for use in recipes. Planting will begin at 9:30 a.m., Friday, March 13 in the campus greenhouse, south of Jones Science Center and the media is invited see these great beginnings.   
    Sage, cilantro, parsley, basil, chives, oregano, dill, thyme and rosemary are a few of the herbs that will be grown in the greenhouse. Currently, Dining Services utilizes fresh herbs that are brought on-site by an outside provider. Anderson Commons, Concordia’s all-you-care-to-eat facility, uses on average 11 pounds of fresh basil alone each month. The herbs in the greenhouse will grow year round.
    “Growing fresh herbs on campus is another great step toward sustainability. We try to incorporate local foods whenever possible and there is nothing more local than herbs grown in our own backyard,” said Janet Paul Rice, associate director of Dining Services. Growing herbs on campus is a step towards a campus garden, which is one of the goals in the campus roadmap to sustainability, which focuses on sustainable food, water, waste, transportation and green buildings.
    “There aren't a lot of greenhouses around Fargo-Moorhead and it isn’t clear how practical planting a campus garden might be in this radically northern climate. Planting the herbs is a great way to gain some practical experience,” said Steward Herman, associate professor of religion. Herman and Greg Hoch, associate professor of biology, came up with the idea of growing herbs in the campus greenhouse.
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09-067

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