Food & community
Sharing what grows, carefully
Two future ideas build on the garden: sharing harvests with established food programs, and letting students help choose what grows in one section. Neither exists today, and both would need the university's written permission first.
A possible garden-to-community harvest program
Part of what grows in the edible garden could go to established campus or community food programs, such as a campus food-security program or a local food partner. Produce would only go to partners who have agreed to accept it, on their terms.
A later idea, not in the plan PDF: the edible garden could grow a wide mix of vegetables, herbs and fruit such as berries. After soil tests, the harvest could also go to a shared food and water hub, if one opens nearby. Such a hub would have shared fridges and freezers, a water refill point and a named food-safety lead. Nothing would be wasted: produce no one claims in time would go back into the garden's compost.
The orchard is part of the plan's long-term phase and would depend on site permission, soil and utility studies, funding and upkeep (see Long-Term Possibilities).
1. Soil first
- The Mountaintop is a former industrial research site, so soil would be tested before any food is grown, as the plan requires.
- If results rule out growing in the ground, food would grow only in raised beds filled with clean, documented soil.
- Test results and decisions could be published here, if the university agrees.
2. Safe handling
- A written food-safety protocol, agreed with each partner and university staff, before any produce leaves the garden.
- Hand washing, clean food-grade containers and potable water for rinsing.
- Short time from harvest to hand-off, with shade or cool storage.
- A harvest log: date, crop, weight, who handled it and where it went.
- Integrated pest management, and only permitted treatments on food crops.
3. Honest expectations
- As illustrated, the pilot's edible garden would have ≈1,150 sq ft of planting beds: six accessible raised beds of about 4 × 12 ft (about 290 sq ft) and five longer beds (about 860 sq ft). In-ground beds could grow food only if soil results allow it, so harvests might come from the raised beds alone. That is small.
- Harvests would be seasonal, mostly summer to autumn, and the first year is usually the leanest.
- Weather, deer, insects and gaps in summer volunteering can all cut yields.
- Any donations would supplement a partner's supply, never replace it. We would report weights actually harvested rather than promise amounts.
How it could start
- The university gives written permission for the pilot, and the soil is tested before any food is grown.
- The garden grows food for learning only, and a food-safety protocol is written with university staff.
- An established food partner agrees to accept produce and sets its requirements, and the university agrees to the partner.
- A small trial runs for one season, with every harvest logged.
- The trial is reviewed with the partner before anything continues.
Future idea: students help choose crops
One designated section of the garden, such as a single raised bed, could be planted with a crop chosen by Lehigh students. Organizers would prepare a short list of suitable options, verified students would vote, and the result would guide, not dictate, what is planted.
Every vote would be subject to:
- planting seasons, so only crops that can be planted at that time are on the ballot;
- the land available in the designated section;
- maintenance capacity, so volunteers can actually care for the crop;
- safety, which rules out toxic look-alikes and crops needing risky treatments;
- crop suitability for the site's soil, sun, deer pressure and climate;
- a final decision by the garden's organizers.
There is no live voting on this site. Voting would need university authorization, a way to verify students that the university authorizes, a privacy review and an accessible ballot. This website has no accounts and does not collect votes.
Preview only: voting is not open
Community
Beyond food, the garden would be a place for volunteer days, outdoor classes and quiet time. See the volunteer vision for how people might take part if the garden goes ahead.