Jewish Family Service of Central New Jersey’s Garden Renovation

Rebecca Benfield

Co-Presenters: Jade Stetson, John Fink, Carlos Hernandez Ramos, Dereck Ayerh, Emilia Aris, Jeant Javier, Jordan Newland, Kate Contreras, Miles Morris, Ramiyah Lugo

College: Hennings College of Science Mathematics and Technology

Major: BA.EARTHSCI

Faculty Research Mentor: Shebitz, Daniela  

Abstract:

Jewish Family Service of Central New Jersey offers community members a local food pantry that provides fresh produce grown on-site in raised bed gardens. The organization has struggled with balancing community needs with their limited volunteer staff and knowledge of crop growing. This community-engaged learning senior project involves a team of students in Environmental Science, collaborating with Architecture and Design students in Michael Graves School of Public Architecture of Kean University to redesign the preexisting garden beds. This project’s goal is to restructure the already existing garden into one more easily accessible for the volunteer gardeners at the food pantry by resizing the garden beds, planting companion crops, making plant care instruction guides, and developing soil and irrigation recommendations. After conducting initial site assessments and discussions with the client, the researchers found inefficient irrigation systems, poor placement and sizing of garden beds, and issues with specific crops including insect and fungal outbreaks. The group connected with other local community gardens to gain insight into their challenges, approaches, and suggestions based on their experiences running public vegetable gardens. The students found that the best garden design for the JFS site involved 8 smaller raised beds in place with companion groups of crops in each bed suggested. The implementation of sustainable garden beds, crops, and irrigation systems will bring in community engagement that will provide environmental awareness and a connection to nature as well as providing fresh food for the local communities for years to come.