The Reed Community Garden is Back in Bloom
As we sit in front of Garden House, sunlight filters through the overhanging tree branches and onto the picnic table. The quiet songs of small birds in the canyon and the loud assertions of crows echo overhead. Sounds from the road in the distance are reminiscent of rushing water. Small bee-shaped insects hum and zip around us, on their way to enjoy the fallen, slightly rotted apple next to our table or a poppy from the garden. A hummingbird shoots past to enjoy some nectar from the Scarlet Runner beans twining a trellis in front of the shed. In the garden, giant Walking Stick kale emerges from the beds like prehistoric trees. Smooth, crisp lettuce grows in the shade of prickly pickling cucumbers. Massive slicing tomatoes weigh down their distinctly scented vines. Purple, yellow, and orange flowers raise their heads to the sun, inviting our friendly neighborhood bumble bees in to pollinate them.
Our names are Ashley and Maggie, and we have been so lucky to work here all summer as the ‘24-‘25 garden and orchard stewards, taking care of both the Reed Community Garden and the Reed Centennial Orchard. We are both entering our senior year at Reed (as a Neuroscience and ES Biology major, respectively), and we both grew up in Michigan. We were drawn to being stewards because of our love for gardening, engaging our community, and also the opportunity to be a part of the growing sustainability community at Reed. Both the garden and orchard are a part of this program, led by Sustainability Coordinator staff, Rachel Willis.
This article is here to tell you more about the resources that the Office of Sustainability provides–primarily within our community garden and orchard–their benefits, and how you can get involved.
The Reed Community Garden is located right outside of Garden House, bordering SE 28th Ave. on the northwest side of campus. In the garden, you can find a large variety of fruits and vegetables– from tomatoes to pumpkins to raspberries– depending on the season. We maintain most of the beds throughout the year, but there is also a community bed where anyone can plant! Importantly, everyone is welcome to enjoy the garden’s bounty! That could mean hanging out in the garden, harvesting fruits, veggies, herbs and flowers from any of the beds, planting in the community bed, coming to an event, etc.
We also care for the Reed Centennial Orchard, which is located on the opposite side of campus (through the canyon, bordering the end of SE 37th Ave). The orchard is home to a pollinator garden and various fruit trees. During this time of year, you can pick apples, plums, pears, and figs. Chokecherries, which are good for making pies and canning, can even be picked in the summertime. The orchard is also home to several benches and a picnic table, which makes it a great place to sit and relax in nature or have a picnic with friends.
Involvement in the Reed community garden can take many forms. Students are always welcome in both the garden and orchard to harvest, plant in the community bed, and weed if you are feeling up to it. If you would like to work in the dirt with good company, work parties are held once a month, and are always announced on Sustainability’s Instagram, @sustainablereed, or you can subscribe to the garden newsletter by sending an email to maggiemiklas@reed.edu. This fall, the Sustainability Office, Mellon Environmental Humanities initiative, and Residence Life are also launching the new Sustainability and Environmental Justice (SEJ) Community at the Garden House to support opportunities for experiential learning. Esmé Kaplan-Kinsey, a recent graduate of Reed, will be the first SEJ Scholar, putting sustainability education into practice to deepen our understanding of the collective work demanded in the face of the climate crisis. Do not hesitate to reach out to them at esmekaplankinsey@reed.edu if you are interested in getting involved! And down the line, students drawn to the garden and the community it creates can also apply as upperclassmen to live in Garden House, become garden stewards, or be on the Sustainability Leadership team.
There are also other resources to help support a more sustainable and environmentally conscious lifestyle while at Reed. The garden has a community compost bin, which you are welcome to use (just please take note of the posted composting guidelines). Additionally, fresh produce is frequently delivered from the garden to the Reed College Pantry (RCP), where you can get all sorts of food and other goods completely for free, supported by the SEEDS office.
The Swap Shop is also a campus favorite. At the Swap Shop, students can donate old clothes and other items and/or shop free of charge. Both the RCP and Swap Shop are in the basement of the Gray Campus Center (GCC).
We have been caring for the garden all summer and cannot wait for fall events such as pumpkin carving in the garden’s pumpkin patch and apple cider pressing in the orchard. Also, keep an eye out for free produce stands outside the GCC. Additionally, there will be a garden welcome party for anyone interested in the garden, orchard, or sustainability at Reed in general, free produce, etc. on Friday, September 6 from 2:00pm- 3:30pm. One of us will be outside of Trillium at 2:00pm to lead anyone over who hasn’t been to the garden yet. We are looking forward to welcoming a new batch of green thumbs this year! Questions? Contact us garden stewards: maggiemiklas@reed.edu and aschlipp@reed.edu. For more information on sustainability at Reed, check out the Sustainable Reed zine or www.reed.edu/sustainability/.