Community Volunteering

Debrief
Frederick & Ophelia Tate Ogier Gardens
Health Zone 2
Courtney Pfalzer
Total Hours: 16 hours 24 Minutes

Agency Background
The UNF Ogier Gardens are part of the
Healthy Osprey Initiative and its mission
statement is, Nourishing Bodies, Minds and
Spirits.
The Ogier Gardens program is used to
educate others on the importance of
sustainable agriculture and nutrition. Students
are allowed to participate in the first-hand
cultivation of several unique and organic
fruits, vegetables, herbs, and sprouts.
The preceptor of this agency is Kevin
Anderson, the coordinator of the Ogier
Gardens. Mr. Anderson has been with this
agency since September 2013. He has studied
sustainable agriculture at Warren Wilson
College, received his BA in ecological
agriculture and community development at
the Evergeen State College, and is currently
studying for a Masters Degree in public health
at the University of North Florida. Mr.
Anderson has also obtained a certificate in
ecological horticulture from UC Santa Cruz
Extension.

Working in the Gardens

Over the duration of my

volunteer experience, I
was presented with a
multitude of different
roles and responsibilities.
Weeding, cutting up
banana trees to make
compost, planting
various herbs and
vegetables, harvesting
crops, and watering
plants throughout the
gardens are just a few of
the tasks I performed at
this agency.

Highs and Lows

Highs: My favorite day of volunteering was,

interestingly, my last one. After many weeks
spent weeding and watering plants, we
were finally able to start sowing seeds
outside. We planted eggplants, tomatoes,
and oregano. We were also graced by the
unexpected appearance of a garden snake in
a stack of mulch. He was very friendly and
many of the students working in the gardens
took the opportunity to hold and photograph
him. Getting to use a machete for the first
time was another experience I really enjoyed
during my stint at the gardens.
Lows: Because the Ogier Gardens are
located outside, we were often at the mercy
of the elements around us. Whenever the
weather took a turn for the worse, the
agency would be forced to close. Some of
the tasks I was assigned to while working at
the gardens were rather redundant as well.
When I first started volunteering, I was
under the impression that the position I
signed up for would be a lot more involved in
agricultural production. Instead, a large
portion of my time at this agency was spent
pulling out dollar weeds. I simply wish there
was a little more variety in the role I was
assigned.

Interview with the Preceptor

Why did you choose this agency to work in? What is your favorite part of your job?
Kevin Anderson: I, by chance, got a job at a garden center in high school and became
interested in growing foods without chemicals. I also became interested partly because my
father was involved with agent orange, which is an herbicide that has been linked to
cancer, and died when I was young. I enjoy teaching and sharing information on
sustainable agriculture and farming.
What is one of the most important skills you have developed in your time working with this agency?
Kevin Anderson: To be honest, I had quite a lot of skills when I first came to this position,
but its been awesome to have more resources to put my ideas into action. Being able to
manage an entire agro-eco center is very different from what I was involved with before,
because I did not have access to as many resources.
What is an important quality you think a young professional needs to be successful and why?
Kevin Anderson: Having a positive attitude about learning and overall, just being
responsible, are positive traits that are necessary for being successful.
What is the greatest health/nutrition need you see in the population you work with?
Kevin Anderson: At UNF, we actually survey the students regularly and we find that their
top needs and concerns in health are nutrition, mental health, and overweight/obesity;
those are the three top concerns that have been confided several times through surveys we
have done with thousands of students. With the gardens, I feel that I am making a positive
contribution to solving those problems and creating a harmonious place people can connect
with nature. The food we produce can also help people with their nutrition and the actual,
physical work of gardening can help people with concerns on being overweight or obese.

Interview with a Participant

I interviewed Audriana, one of the students employed at the
Ogier Gardens
How has this program/agency/services helped you and
your family? (How has this made a difference in your
life?)
Audriana: Its helped me because I am learning
how to do something that is going to benefit me for
the rest of my life. Its very therapeutic for me to
be outside and working with the dirt and I enjoy
the people here as well. This is the first group on
campus that Ive really been a part of, since I didnt
really get involved last year. For my family, I get to
bring them home produce for the holidays; its a
free gift that I can give to them. I made an
awesome beet salad with the mizuna and mache we
grow out here too over spring break, and my aunt
and uncle really liked it.
What are some health topics you are still uncertain about
and would like more education or activities to enforce?
Audriana: I want to learn how to balance being a
college student while living a healthy lifestyle.
Thats a struggle for all students.
What do you feel is the greatest health-related need for
you and your family at this time?
Audriana: My mother suffers from chronic pain and
I think that she would really benefit from some of
the natural medicines we grow out here in the
gardens. For example, turmeric is said to help with
inflammation. As for me, I still dont know yet.

Conclusion
During my time at this agency, I learned the importance of maintaining
sustainable agriculture through community involvement and teamwork. It
is the combined effort of staff and students that allows the Ogier Gardens
to continue to thrive and benefit the campus.
I was surprised by how much time and effort went into the maintenance of
the gardens. Prior to volunteering at this agency, I had only a minimal
amount of experience in gardening. The sheer amount of work that
involved tasks such as weeding, watering, digging, and chopping genuinely
shocked me. On many occasions I would leave the gardens feeling tired
and sore, but nonetheless accomplished.
The topic of sustainable foods has now peaked my interest. It is definitely
a form of agriculture that would benefit this country due to the vast
amounts of wasted resources conventional farming generates each year. I
am also interested in establishing more locally grown, organic gardens. I
believe this can help improve the health of a community by providing ready
access to fresh produce, offering opportunities to get more physically
active through gardening, and teaching children the importance of
nutrition.