4
Clackamas Print
Featur
Wednesday, May 9, 2007
Gardens await green thumbsl
Heatherann Price
| The CZacfcamas Print
The Community Gardens
here at Clackamas have been
around since the mid ‘70s.
Previously it was run by
students, but due to a lack of
interest, it is now run by com
munity members. Community
member Kathy Von Striver
and others work as a club to
make sure that the gardens are
still around.
This club does most of the
labor needed to keep the gar
dens running by themselves.
They till most of the
plots every year and
lay irrigation pipes,
as well as clean up
the field.
The plots are
20 feet by 20 feet,
selling at $20 per
year. The $20 cov
ers watering the plot
twice a week in nor
mal weather, and
three times in 90
degree weather.
Planting can start
any time of the year
if one chooses to
till his or her plots.
For others, tilling
happens every May,
depending on the
weather.
Regardless, the
growing season is
______
year-round
if_ one
wants it to be. Jhere
are cold-weather vegetables
that will brave out the winter.
Most people tend to grow
vegetables in their plots,
However, there are some ber-
ries as well.
People from the community
make up the bulk of the crowd
at the gardens. Few students
rent plots.
Many people share a plot to
help cut down on the already-
low amount of maintenance
needed. With the watering
already being done, little to
no work is necessary to keep
things going after the first few
weeks of planting. There is
some minimal weeding and
extra watering at first, then
just harvesting the fruits of
your labor.
For those living in apart
ments, these gardens are a
great alternative to not having
a garden space at all. A nice
alternative to buying organic
foods is to just grow them.
Take a walk down next
to the Home Orchard Club;
take-a look at the Community
Gardens. It is a college service
for the community and stu
dents. For ipore information,
contact Kathy Von Striver at
(503) 655-0637.
Katie Wilson Clackamas PriniBif
The Community Gardens, located behind the Lewel-B1
ling building near the Environmental Learning Center, I
are available to students, staff and the public.
Meditation class offers precious relaxation to students, staffA
Jess Sheppard
The Clackamas Print
Walking into a meditation
classroom is like walking from
a room with a noisy TV into a
quiet meadow.
It is peaceful and relaxed.
The stress of classes, tests,
midterms and grades appear
less important than before.
Worries seem to melt into
water and evaporate. Even if
only for a short while - relief.
The average college student
has to deal with a heavy work
load. Between hours spent in
class and studying for tests,
many also cope with the stress
of a job and the drama of
family life. It’s hard to will
ingly give up just an hour of
precious time, but Clackamas’
meditation class is worth every
minute.
Registration is not required
Chartwells
Featuring
Daily
Chef's
Specials
Sizzling Chicken Salad
w/20 oz Bottled Soda
Limited Time Offer
to join this hour of relaxation
every Wednesday at noon,
and neither is weekly atten
dance. Instead, Room 257, in
McLoughlin, is open to all stu
dents, staff and faculty mem
bers who wish to spend an
hour in peace and quiet.
. Quite possibly the best
part about the class is that
it’s completely free, which is
already a relief for the many
students whose financial aid is
stretched as it is.
The ses
sions are co-
facilitated
by Margaret
Mallet and
Joel Lampert,
who are both
part of the
Counseling
Department at
Clackamas.
Mallet has
been doing
meditation
for
three
years
now
and started
the
course
to offer help
to struggling
students.
Lampert
is a gradu
ate student,
now working
at Clackamas
as an intern MALLET
counselor.
In meditation, the empha
sis is primarily on breathing;
being in the moment and thus
in control of the mind. Another
technique used is Progressive
Muscle Relaxation, where the
individual tenses his or her
body as tight as possible and
then relaxes. Extra attention
is paid to the feeling of relax -
This is a great exercise for L
anyone involved in physical I’
activity. It also makes a terrific fa
addition for people involved r~
in activities like Yoga, Tai (JhiL
and martial arts.
lel
Other meditation techniques,L
such as walking meditation, i3|
visualization, mantras and B
observation of thoughts, arelj]
also taught. The last 10 to 151
minutes of the class are spentLf
listening to relaxing music andL
reviewingL
the lessons ,
covered that (
day-
Hh
There is r
always the r,
question:
Does medi
tating actu
ally makaa r
Ln ‘
difference^ |
T hie i
answer is
yes. People
who med
iate on a reg
ular basis are
more aware,
have lower
heart rales
and breathe
much more
efficiently.
Some theo
ries go so
far as | to
suggest that ’
deep meditation over long
periods of. time will actually
alter a person’s brain chemis
try, changing how they thifc, }
as well as how they view the
world and themselves.
glasses will continue until
the tenth week of the term.
Those who are genuinely inter
ested have only their stress and
worries to lose.