Fall is in the air, and the Garden Club is in full swing.

On Friday, October 6, Hershey High School hosted the Second Annual Community Day. During this morning of specialized activities, many students participated in fall gardening in the art courtyard near the LGI.  

HHS Family and Consumer Science teacher, Natalie White, supervised the garden on Community Day. White assisted students with weeding and trimming plants and emphasized the need to tidy up the garden now before it is mulched in the spring. White is a passionate gardener.

“I garden all the time at home,” White said.

HHS senior, Lindsay Abel, is the president of Garden Club. Abel is excited about the club’s efforts this year, and she is working hard with the other officers to organize opportunities to reach out to the community. “Our goal is to expand the garden as much as we can,” Abel said.

Last school year, the Garden Club focused primarily on planning and fundraising. This summer the garden flourished and over 400 pounds of produce were harvested. Most of it was donated to local charities such as Gemma’s Angels which provides fresh produce for the less fortunate.

Additionally, the Garden Club is planning to start donating some of their produce to the “Cocoa Packs” program at the middle school. This initiative supplies take-home meals for students in the district who need them.

Abel is hopeful that the club will expand its membership this year. Meetings are typically held on Wednesdays after school in Mr. Barber’s room, and everyone from novice to expert gardeners are welcome. This fall the club is planning to harvest pumpkins, brussel sprouts, strawberries, broccoli, cauliflower, tomatoes, sweet basil, rosemary, buttercrunch, herbs, spinach, parsley, eggplant, peppers, corn, and cherry tomatoes.
The autumn gardening session attracted many students. HHS junior, Evie Gentile, helped pull weeds on Community Day. Gentile said, “Gardening makes me feel in touch with the Earth.”