Franklin Permaculture Garden:
The Campus Sustainability Hot Spot
As the premier sustainability hotspot on campus, the Franklin Permaculture Garden has become the place to learn about human-scale ecological solutions for creating a better tomorrow. More than just a garden, this space engages the campus community through educational models ranging from organic food production, to rainwater harvesting, to solar charging stations.
history
First proposed in fall 2009, the Franklin Garden is the largest and flagship garden. It has been designed, implemented, and maintained by UMass students in collaboration with faculty, staff, and local community members. Beginning in 2010, the site was transitioned from a grass lawn into an edible, educational, biodiverse growing space through the addition of over half a million pounds of organic matter – UMass Dining compost, recycled cardboard, and local wood chips – all with the help of thousands of volunteers and local community groups. Today, food is grown using only organic methods, and produce from the garden goes directly to the dining commons and on-campus farmers markets.
What’s New?
Edible Mushroom Cultivation
In collaboration with Fungi Ally we grow edible mushroom species to educate the community about fungi and to provide local gourmet mushrooms to the University Club & Restaurant. Fungi are a crucial part of any functional ecosystem. They help cycle nutrients through the ecosystem, and some can also form symbiotic relationships with plants, called mycorrhizal networks, which allow the plants to take up more nutrients from the soil.
In collaboration with Fungi Ally we grow edible mushroom species to educate the community about fungi and to provide local gourmet mushrooms to the University Club & Restaurant. Fungi are a crucial part of any functional ecosystem. They help cycle nutrients through the ecosystem, and some can also form symbiotic relationships with plants, called mycorrhizal networks, which allow the plants to take up more nutrients from the soil.
Native Pollinator Hotels
We have installed pollinator hotels in the Franklin Garden in collaboration with the Fernald Club, UMass Amherst’s graduate entomology organization. These hotels provide nesting and hibernation habitat on campus for beneficial wild insects and native bees. Insect pollination generates billions of agricultural dollars annually, and is responsible for one out of every three bites of food!
We have installed pollinator hotels in the Franklin Garden in collaboration with the Fernald Club, UMass Amherst’s graduate entomology organization. These hotels provide nesting and hibernation habitat on campus for beneficial wild insects and native bees. Insect pollination generates billions of agricultural dollars annually, and is responsible for one out of every three bites of food!
Solar Charging Station
In collaboration with Hacker Farm 01007, the Franklin Garden has a new solar charging station, which provides a renewable energy source for charging cell phones and similar USB-powered electronics. Solar panels on our water tanks convert sunlight into electricity that is then stored in the battery station at our locally-crafted picnic table. This design follows open-source tutorials that are free for public use. Many of the components are recycled, and all are available at low cost.
In collaboration with Hacker Farm 01007, the Franklin Garden has a new solar charging station, which provides a renewable energy source for charging cell phones and similar USB-powered electronics. Solar panels on our water tanks convert sunlight into electricity that is then stored in the battery station at our locally-crafted picnic table. This design follows open-source tutorials that are free for public use. Many of the components are recycled, and all are available at low cost.