MUD AND SPUDS

PALMER — Chris Wetzler digs potatoes.

The 43-year-old retired Air National Guardsman was one of a handful of energetic Mat-Su College students and faculty to spend a soggy Friday afternoon harvesting a plot of organic spuds.

“I support my college come rain or shine,” said Wetzler, who is also the college’s student ambassador. “I’m kind-of like the mailman, I just do it.”

In cooperation with the University of Alaska Fairbanks, Mat-Su College parlayed a $25,000 grant and $25,000 in matching funds into a summer farm project. Prior to Friday, volunteer students had already harvested cauliflower, celery, leeks, cabbage, kale, beets and broccoli, said Karen Backlund, career development coordinator for the college. The broccoli was also a hit with wandering moose.

Cultivated as a community service project, all produce from the organic farm goes to Valley food banks and senior centers, Backlund said.

“The main thing the grantor wanted us to do pertained to sustainability,” she said. “We’ve been donating the veggies we’ve harvested for the past couple of months.”’

In addition to capitalizing on the educational benefits of running the organic farm, Backlund said the long-term objective is to help develop useful cu rriculum for the college.

“The goals are several-fold,” she said. “One is to do a test run of using organic methods in gardening so that next year when we offer gardening classes we can prepare for integrating service learning into that curriculum. Also, to provide fresh food to venues that need it is another goal.”

The harvest is one example of the college’s commitment to service learning, she said.

A press release from the college describes service learning as a method of teaching that combines an academic classroom curriculum with meaningful service by students in projects that take place throughout the community. This method integrates meaningful community service with instruction and reflection to enrich and extend the learning experience, teach civic responsibility and engagement.

Volunteers slogged through rain and mud to harvest about 30 boxes of potatoes, Backlund said, adding there was a wide variety to pick. In addition to more mainstream varieties, the Mat-Su farm also grew shepody, magic molly, candy cane and scary blue potatoes.

Harvesting the tasty tubers was a welcome change from classroom work, said Wetzler, who is studying computer information and office systems.

“We grow potatoes in our garden here, but we’re kind-of novices at it,” he said of his home garden. “(Friday) was the first time I’ve done it on a scale like that.”

The rain and mud did little to dampen the mood, he said.

“Yeah, it was muddy, but fun,” Wetzler said. “I got to use my potato fork. I own a potato fork and didn’t really know I owned one. It looks like a hay fork, but with skinny tines. I’m all excited now. Now I can be an official Idahoan.”

Contact Greg Johnson at greg.johnson@frontiersman.com or 352-2269.