written by Summer Camp 2024 Instructor, Emily Muterspaugh

Looking back on our most recent summer camp season, it felt fitting to reflect on how much we’ve “grown” by speaking with the remarkable Mel Church, IslandWood’s new Garden Staff Instructor! Mel has brought about a myriad of positive changes, and I wanted to learn more about this by discussing her past, present, and future with IslandWood’s garden.

Mel took on her new position a few months ago, starting in the spring of this year. However, she has already worked to leave a positive impact on the garden. When asked about the changes she made, she said, “One big change that I made right away was restoring the five-bin compost system, by adding weeds from the garden and scraps from the kitchen. I also rebuilt many raised beds that were falling apart with the help of students and garden volunteers. These changes have really been impactful on the activities that we do in the garden.” She followed up by explaining how the students loved digging through the compost to find decomposers like roly-poly bugs and worms!

Something that I was especially curious about was the students’ favorite activities in the garden. I was unsurprised to hear that the overarching answer was: “Taste tours!” Taste tours are an incredibly popular feature of the garden, where students are introduced to a variety of plants and herbs that they can sample. This allows them a truly hands-on learning experience, and they can even pick their own edible plants to make tea!

Finally, Mel and I talked about what’s next in store for IslandWood’s garden. She responded by saying: “I’m always excited for the new cohort of graduate students to start, some of them even get a chance to work in the garden. They bring so many new ideas to the table and really become part of the community.” As far as new projects go, Mel explained how she’s working to grow a lot more in the greenhouse this winter with the hopes of having fresh herbs or vegetables to taste in the colder months.

IslandWood wouldn’t be the same without Mel’s inspiring work and leadership, and I can’t wait to see what’s next!