My turn: Students dig in for community garden

One of my favorite photos from the early years of Eastern New Mexico University shows a couple of young men clinging to a plow being pulled by two energetic (or possibly runaway) horses, tearing past what is now the Administration Building.

How fitting that nearly 80 years later the newest student organization at ENMU proposes to do a somewhat tamer version of the same idea as they break ground for a community garden.

Advisor Nicole East is recent addition to ENMU's Campus Life Office. She said when she arrived in March she tossed around the idea of a university community garden, and quickly found a group of enthusiastic students who wanted to dig in dirt with her.

The 100-by-180 foot plot is located near the West Campus housing, and if all goes well, it will soon be sprouting the makings of a cornucopia of fresh produce to be shared by the club members. If the harvest is abundant, they plan to sell the excess to make the garden self-supporting.

Nicole says what her students lack in expertise, they make up for in desire to learn. They would welcome gifts of plants, seeds, tools, manure and maybe even good old-fashioned advice. If you've got any of those to spare, contact her at [email protected] or 562-2242.

Betty Williamson loves the smell of freshly-turned earth. You may reach her at [email protected]