COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL | JULY 22, 2021 | 9A
GARDEN from A1
The garden is managed
by AKHS educator Matt
Hall, who also runs the
Kennedy
Conservation
Corps, a school program
which has for more than
a decade been putting stu-
dents to work in capaci-
ties which prepare them
for their transition into a
post-graduation life.
Gardening is one of the
many skills on the list for
the conservation crew.
This year, the garden is
featuring a new element
– dry farming. Appropri-
ately timed considering
recent drought conditions,
the gardening strategy
makes do without regular
irrigation or precipitation
by relying on the efficient
storage of moisture already
within the soil.
“We planted all the
plants a couple feet apart
so there would be more
moisture in the ground for
them to absorb,” explained
recent AKHS graduate
Devon Gosset. “And that
way they should hopeful-
ly produce and grow as
much as they’re supposed
to without running out of
moisture.”
The method is experi-
mental for the garden, but
could be a regular feature if
it yields results.
Students dug deeply, past
the hardpan (the dense lay-
er of soil below topsoil) to
plant squash and a variety
of tomatoes about a month
ago. The plants were wa-
tered once upon planting,
but not since. The entire
month of June only saw
about an inch of rain.
Most of the squash died
right away, said Hall, but
the tomatoes so far seem to
be bearing well. However,
the experiment’s success in
this “dry run” won’t be ful-
ly measured until this fall.
Next year, Hall wants to
put corn beans and squash
in the dry farm.
While discussing the
dry farming methods be-
tween shallot picking, the
program’s charm is re-
vealed. Hall and the stu-
dents sidetrack from time
to time with questions and
answers about the plants
and their gardening needs,
mixing educational tidbits
into the conversation.
Much of the pedagogy of
the class functions in such
a manner, providing stu-
dents with instant knowl-
edge relevant to tangible
materials in front of them.
Along with teacher who
satisfies their curiosity so
readily, students were ef-
fusive in their appreciation
for the opportunity Hall
has provided and noted
that the experience has
caused real change in their
personal lives.
“It’s really rewarding
work because you can see
what you’ve done,” said
Isabella Dove, who also
recently graduated from
AKHS and has worked on
the crew for years. “And
you can come back and
this whole plant grew be-
cause of you. You can eat
this food off this plant that
you grew.”
As well as garden work,
the crew also does clean-
up and restoration of areas
such as Quamash Prairie.
This year, Hall said, stu-
dents have been working
two days per week in the
program.
The current program
runs for six weeks, but may
extend another week this
year.
The crew is even paid
through the Oregon Youth
Conservation
Corps,
which was established by
the Oregon Legislature in
1987 to provide programs
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And since then, it has
grown even more. The na-
tive plant nursery has been
allowed to expand and sev-
eral more plants have been
added to the inventory.
Hall could hardly put
a finger on exactly how
much its grown.
“Everything’s just gotten
bigger,” he said, taking in
the site.
In August, a new green
house was built next to the
orchard, but has only re-
cently begun to get power
and water utilities. Once
ready, the plant population
will expand once more.
With a garden and stu-
dent crew which have
proven able to adapt
through heat, drought and
pandemic, the program
seems set to impact the
lives of students for years
to come.
“What I like about it is Al
Kennedy chose a student
from every different kind
of background,” said Fenn.
“Everyone here has their
own reason why they’re
here. Mine is, I wanted to
graduate and get credits.
I’m 20 and I didn’t think
that I’d be able to come
back to school. Kennedy
gave me that opportunity
to come back and try that.”
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more productive at home,
too,” said student Niki-
ta Smith. “I used to be so
lazy before I started work-
ing here. … And now I do
more stuff at home. We
garden at home and I pull
the weeds.”
Other students con-
firmed that the program
had imbued them with a
desire to stay active and
spend more time outdoors.
“And on top of that, I
also feel like I’ve been a
little bit more positive
and more motivated to do
things like this. This has
just totally changed my
entire perspective,” said
Gosset.
“It’s a form of group
therapy,” joked student
Hailey Carter.
Several of the crew even
said they were itching to
come back during a recent
week off from the program.
Hall himself has been
overjoyed to have stu-
dents back on site. Last
year, coronavirus restric-
tions severely limited the
amount of workers he
could ask to come out. Hall
had to do much of the gar-
dening himself just after
the garden had increased
by an additional 2,700
square feet that spring.
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to increase educational,
training and employment
opportunities for youth.
When Hall’s program
runs out of its awarded
$21,000 this year, students
will be paid out summer
school funds, he said.
Kennedy Conservation
Corps also worked to clear
areas of the prairie after
the 2019 snowstorm which
brought down a great
number of trees.
“It was just really nice to
see how everything looked
after we cleaned up that
area,” said Gosset.
Students said the jobs
had given them a new-
found appreciation for the
work others do on local
nature and bike paths and
can make nature walks that
much more gratifying.
Crew member Trinitie
Fenn pointed to other ben-
efits.
“Not only are we get-
ting that knowledge, but
we also get [school] credit
while we’re here,” she said.
“We also get the meals
from the school that are
provided – and the boots.”
Students sported their
work boots with a hint of
pride at the mention of
them.
“It’s actually made me
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