Students from the Cherry Hill Alternative School joined the residents and staff at Spring Hills Cherry Hill Assisted Living today to prepare the Spring Hills Community Garden. On Wednesday, May 6, from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., they began the process to harvest tomatoes, cucumber, bell peppers, zucchini, squash, eggplant, watermelon, basil, parsley, mint, thyme, sage and rosemary. All of which will be used in the regular cooking for Spring Hills residents.
This year there will be two additions to the garden. Chef Brian Schleper will be expanding the garden. The roma and grape tomatoes will now be allowed the freedom to grow on the entire fencing of the garden, something they tried to do last year. This year, a fruit tree will be joining the garden. Spring Hills will add either a peach or apple tree to the garden. A fruit tree can take approximately four years to produce fruit and so the goal is to plant a tree that is already a year or two old.
The Community Garden is a part of the Spring Hills’ Signature Touches Program. The farm-to-table approach, which provides nutritionally balanced meals to the residents, keeps everyone Eating Right.