Fostering a successful community environment is no easy feat, but when it’s achieved, those involved will have the desire to come gather in the space every time they have the opportunity. That’s been the success of the Grove Community Garden at UO. The space is a student-led community garden that allows students to get their hands dirty — so to speak — and learn how to sow and grow fruits and vegetables.
Becca Daughtery is a third-year at the UO and a current Grove Garden coordinator. In her role, she’s made an effort to make the garden as inclusive as possible, welcoming students with all different kinds of experiences with gardening. A big part of the position for her is being as supportive and hands-on as her peers need her to be.
“I will be there for every step of the way, holding their hand from sowing the seeds to harvesting their plants,” Daughtery said. “Or if they feel more confident, I can just be there for the occasional question about fertilizer and then just let them do their thing.”
The Grove Community Garden serves as more than just a place to grow your veggies by hosting events for the broader Eugene community and student population, not strictly limiting access to students with garden plots. The Grove Community Garden offers one of the few opportunities specifically designated for students in Eugene where they have the opportunity to grow their own food, helping students combat food insecurity and practice food appreciation.
Hosting work parties in the garden welcomes individuals who want to learn more about the garden and are seeking ways to be involved with their community. Though there were work parties held every other Saturday in the winter term, the program had some volunteer opportunities over the summer as well.
One instance, in particular, stood out to Megan Schneider, the program coordinator at the Student Sustainability Center. She remembers the end of the summer of 2022 when several UO law students came out to volunteer due to their academic term beginning earlier than the rest of the student population.
“They were coming out every week, Wednesday mornings, to volunteer, and one of them just loved to weed. And he was so efficient and good and just worked really hard every time he came out,” Schneider said.
She said she remembered this student expressing gratitude to be able to do physical work outside, using the rest of the sunny weather to spend time with his peers in a setting outside of the classroom.
Daughtery recalled one instance in which she left pleasantly surprised about the use of the garden despite the fact there were no formal events planned that day. She mentioned there were two different student clubs present, individuals playing guitar, some laying in hammocks and others gardening together.
“It was such a simple moment in terms of just people connecting and being in the space together, but I think it also added an essence of life to [the garden], like this is what it’s here for,” Daughterty said. “I just thought [it] was really beautiful to see people just engage and commune.”
The Grove Community Garden is located on the outskirts of campus on Moss Street, near East 19th Avenue. The location is a mostly residential area, prompting many curious community members to engage with the garden. While community members are welcome to use the space as a gathering area and are more than welcome to pick plums from the several plum trees in the garden, the planting plots are reserved for students.
When Daughterty has had to regretfully inform community members that the plots are reserved for students, she typically points them to the other community gardens around the Eugene area and to Food for Lane County. She welcomes them to still use the garden as a place to relax and gather.
Above all, it’s the goal of the garden to connect students with an inclusive, community environment where it’s okay for them to make mistakes and try new things, Daughterty said. It’s her hope that students will be able to utilize the space to build skills that are transferable to their own gardens later in life.
In the cold Winter months, there is not much growing at the Grove Community Garden, but with Spring around the corner, Eugenians can expect a lush garden in the coming months. The Grove Garden is a student-run, community space created to bring those together who have a passion for gardening. (Emerald/Ian Enger)
