BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — Earlier in 2022, Adventist Health made a donation of $200,000 to Bakersfield College for the creation of an edible garden on campus. On Thursday, BC celebrated the grand opening of the Edible Education Garden.
The garden will be a designated learning space for students in the culinary arts, nutrition, and agriculture programs at BC. The produce harvested from the garden will also benefit students through BC’s food assistance program.
Executive Director for the Bakersfield College Foundation Cheryl Scott says the garden will also serve as a learning space for the community.
“Students will be coming through here learning about fresh food, learning how they can grow their own fresh produce as children and as they grow up, and then instilling those ideas in their families as they go back home,” said Scott.
The Edible Education Garden at BC will not only be a learning space, but will also provide the Renegade Pantry with fresh produce.
“Fresh food is not easy to come by for them. We are really excited to be able to offer to students in our pantry the opportunity to come through and select produce that was grown right here on campus, and in some cases they will have had a hand in growing it,” said Scott.
Scott says the garden will make a difference for many BC students.
“We have a line of students for our Renegade Pantry every day,” said Scott.
The campus restaurant, the Renegade Room, will also benefit by receiving produce harvested by students.
Scott says that the garden was needed for students to get some hands-on training in agriculture.
“You can’t learn everything you need to know about agriculture by reading it in a book, watching videos, and hearing people talk about it,” said Scott. “You need to have hands-on. That’s what this project is for our students."
