Students Collaborate with the Hudson Valley Seed Library
The Millbrook garden has become a scientific lab for our environmental science students, as they work with the Hudson Valley Seed Library to test and report on seed quality.
“This project is exciting because it connects us in so many ways within our campus community and beyond. On campus we are collaborating with students in our Gardening and Science Assistant community service groups, and they help us care for the seeds. Off campus, we are not only working with the Hudson Valley Seed Library, but we are also collecting real data, which reaches into areas such as the local economy, seed diversity, and seed stewardship,” said Ava Goodale ’01, who teaches environmental science.
Students are working with seeds that are not yet available to the public to determine if they are of high enough quality to be released to the market for sale. They have decided what data to collect based on their research of other seed trials, and they are working to gather data to submit to the Hudson Valley Seed Library. The project will culminate with students providing recommendations on which seeds should be offered to the public. Students will also work with the Hudson Valley Seed Library to write seed catalogue descriptions for any seeds chosen for release.
“We are fortunate to have so many natural resources on campus to support learning, and our garden is one such example. It is always exciting to engage students in utilizing our campus as an extension of the classroom,” said Goodale.
We are following our students' progress and they prepare to present their findings to the Hudson Valley Seed Library. Stay tuned for updates on their results.
