FGCU Trails and Food Forest Field Trip

Lauren Jump-

I enjoyed the FGCU campus field trip.  The nature trail was nice but the food forest is what I appreciated the most.  I hope I can find an available time to volunteer at the Food Forest.  The ice making facility was not as interesting as I had imagined.
Hey Popeye:  Moringa has much more iron than spinach and more impressive attributes than olive oil.  How do you like that Popeye?  




Above from:
<http://miracletrees.org/>



Alex Maclean-

Okay, so the field trip to me was a bit boring, but I did like some of the plants that we got to  touch,smell, and eat. At first it was a bit odd, eating the plants right from the garden. The plant that stuck with me the most was the American Beauty Berry,  the bright purple berries are pretty.







Calvin Thornton-

I enjoyed the field trip. If the food forest is nearly as self-sufficient as we’re made to believe, it’s a wonder that this type of agriculture has not become more popular. I’m not quite convinced that it is completely self sufficient as some of the fruits are wrapped in plastic and we’re currently waiting for a replacement tree form the place it was purchased in pine island (I’m forced to wonder what the carbon footprint is for that tree). I am impressed that the university is 18% reliant on solar energy for it’s power and the cooling power used for inside temperature is generated by producing ice in off-peak hours. It’s a much more efficient system.


Isha Abreu-

I was very shocked by the results of my ecological footprint quiz.   5.7 planet earths  would be needed to provide enough resources if everyone lived like me.  I learned that by eating fewer animal based foods, as well as purchasing products  that use less packaging, would reduce my results by about one planet earth.  That little assignment was a real eye opener and has had an immediate effect on how I live my life day to day. I have recently starting going to farmers markets and now I am recycling in my own home. It does not seem like much now, but I know I will adopt more new ways to be more earth friendly.







Anna Dyson-

I greatly enjoyed getting out of the classroom and taking a walk around campus. The Food Forest was fun and interesting, but it was hard to hear everything that was being said. I'm sure if the group of students was smaller the Food Forest walk-through would have been more educational. My favorite plant in the Food Forest were the sweet potatoes. They do well in the Florida environment, are easy to take care of, and (best of all) taste way better than any other kind of potato. After the field trip I started buying from the local farmers markets every Sunday. So far i have bought: sweet potatoes, tomatoes, pears, brussel sprouts, and honey. Its cheaper, fresher, and helps out the local economy. Now that's a win-win for everyone!