Ethos of the Garden

This is what we came up with last semester:

Ethos of the Garden
The Sewanee Organic Garden believes that the following values and farming practices be upheld and maintained throughout the garden's existence:
• Only non-genetically modified seeds and seedlings shall be planted.
• Pesticides and harmful industrial fertilizers shall not be used.
• The use of electrical and gas powered tools and machinery shall be kept to a minimum if used at all.
• Use recycled, scavenged, and prior materials as opposed to purchasing new ones.
• Transportation to and from the garden should be done only by means of walking and bicycling unless transporting heavy materials.


The Sewanee Organic Garden, through the implementation of the prior guidelines, hopes to achieve the following goals:
• The involvement of the community, student-body, faculty, and staff of Sewanee.
• A commitment to education and enlightenment of sustainable agricultural standards.
• The continual refinement of our gardening techniques in hopes of making them more ecologically sensitive.
• The initiation and sustainment of a community garden program in which any Sewanee community member who wants a garden is provided with the tools, manual labor, and passion to ensure that their garden is a success.
• Work with the local farmer's market and Aramark to provide the Sewanee community with locally and or student-grown foodstuffs.
• The implementation of any and all Sewanee gardens as a necessary learning tool into academic curriculum of the University.
• Encourage and provide the means for tours of local farms, agricultural communities, and conferences and workshops focused on sustainable practices.


I want to add:
To support local nurseries and stores as much as possible and using recycled and reused materials to avoid shopping at chain stores

To buy heirloom and unusual types of seeds from non-GM seed sellers and avoid buying from chain stores

To collect and save seeds from our own successful plants

To experiment and demonstrate different types of green manures and mulching techniques