The following is a guest post by Courtney Hall Gagnon
Walker Jones Educational Campus
On April 27th, volunteers from DC Ecowomen enjoyed a sunny Saturday morning of volunteering at The Farm at Walker Jones. Walker Jones, an educational campus located at the corner of New Jersey and K Streets, was transformed in 2010 into an oasis of urban agriculture.
Between the green roof on the school and the farm on the ground, the farm produces over 3,000 pounds of food annually that for local neighborhood residents, students, and DC Central Kitchen. Eight beehives also occupy the farm and the green roof on the educational centers. DC HoneyBees, a local nonprofit, set up and maintains the hives.
Nineteen DC Ecowomen shared the farm space with several other volunteers during a Servathon. The main task of the day was weeding the herb and tea garden and open space that will eventually become home for more food grown at the farm. Working together in the perfect spring weather of DC provided plenty of opportunities for networking, and good conversation to pass the time.
Tea Tree Bud
The tea garden might have been the most surprising section of the farm. Tea trees are an unusual sight, even on an urban farm. Their leaves will be ready for harvest next year by students and they will make their own varieties of green and black tea using ingredients grown only on the farm.
During lunch, volunteers had a mini book club discussing six articles that focused on eating and growing local food versus the more typical supermarket diet. This led to an interesting and educational discussion about alternatives for growing food in the often tight living quarters of the city.
David Hilmy, the Farm Lead Teacher, gave volunteers plenty of clear instruction and spent time during lunch explaining the many functions of the agricultural activity at Walker Jones Educational Campus. He’s the physical education teacher at Walker Jones, but also a trained botanist, and has taken on the agriculture activities at his school as part of his curriculum. His enthusiasm for his students, teaching, and the farm was evident, and it is clear how much the farm could benefit from his management.
If you are interested in volunteering with the Farm at Walker Jones, contact him at david.hilmy@dc.gov.
Volunteers gathered for a lunchtime Q&A