On a September 30, Williston’s Gardening Club gathered for its first meeting of the school year and to partake in the fall harvest. Students got to work right away, and dug up garlic and potatoes along with picking ripe tomatoes.

Students planted the crops planted before summer break, and the plants spent the warmer months growing a large bounty for us. Even where little growth remained visible above ground, potatoes and garlic were ready beneath the soil. Tomatoes are still ripening on the vines even as the weather begins to cool off some, while flowers planted in the spring continue to bring vibrant colors to the garden.

Bean pods will remain on the plants until fully dry, when students can collect the beans and save seeds for future planting. Some harvested garlic will also be saved for replanting later this fall, and seeds from selected tomatoes will be saved for next year. Most of the produce the Gardening Club collect goes to SAGE Dining, connecting the garden with meals enjoyed by our school community. With a large harvest of potatoes, the Club was able to work with another group on campus, Williston Serves, to make a donation to the Easthampton Community Center.

The afternoon was a chance for the garden’s guardians to reconnect and begin another year of caring for this shared space. Our community garden gives students opportunities to work together, learn through experience, and see where our food comes from.

As the weather cools, club members will continue harvesting and preparing the beds for winter. Empty beds will be planted with cover crops to protect the soil until spring. There is still plenty to discover, and we look forward to another year of growing and learning together!