DSU Gardening Club plants Giving Garden

June 8, 2022

A plot in the Madison Community Garden will help the DSU Cooking and Gardening Club supply potatoes for the DSU Food Bank and the Madison Food Bank this fall. This is part of a giving garden, a concept in which groups or individuals grow food for those in their community.

The idea came from faculty member Dr. Wendy Simmermon, who planted her own giving garden at her home last year. With extra seed potatoes and space in her garden, she was able to harvest and donate 200+ pounds of potatoes to the Sioux Falls food giveaway program last fall.

She approached Dr. Tom Halverson, the advisor of the Cooking and Gardening Club, about whether the club would be interested in participating in a giving garden, said Daniel Eager, Founder and President of the DSU Cooking and Gardening Club.

Besides being good for Dakota State and the community, it was good for the club members to become involved.

“I wanted a long-term gardening project to help facilitate member engagement and it has thus far provided such,” Eager said.

Simmermon collaborated with Shannon Vostad, College of BIS Program Assistant, to get the garden started. As a Madison resident Vostad was able to request and register for the plot for the Cooking and Gardening Club.

“The Cooking and Gardening Club paid for the lot, shared the event with their members, and helped plant the potatoes,” Simmermon said. “We will take turns weeding, watering, and tending to the garden over the summer.”

“This fall, we will harvest the potatoes and give half to the Madison Food Bank and half to the DSU Food Bank,” she added. “We will try to coordinate it with the DSU Day of Service.”