Environmental Science Class Unveils New Potting Bench

The class hosted an opening event for the potting bench at the barn. The event featured a small tour and a presentation detailing the construction process and the valuable lessons learned through this hands-on project.

“Everything here is pretty much repurposed,“ says Oliver, a senior in the class who was entrenched in the entire process. “We got the basin, very kindly, from Miss Vincent. We got the wood from two big down trees on campus. We forged our own hardware, hooks, and handles in the blacksmithing forge. And all the tools we got from the Bill and Ki Clough Fund for Experiential Learning.”

The class, led by Oliver and Liam ’24, thoughtfully documented each phase of construction. Photos showcase the journey from the initial design stages to milling the lumber and building the frame. This visual diary offers insight into all the work that went into completing this project.

Oliver went on to discuss his hopes for the new feature at the farm.

“I hope people will use it. Our goal with the project was to have a place for all the tools and a central work zone so that anyone who was intimidated could come down and garden. It’s an open closet. You can grab anything you need.”

The potting bench is a testament to the students' dedication and collaborative effort in creating something useful for the community. Science teacher Sarah Kamilewicz also hopes that the new bench will get lots of use. She stressed that it is available to everyone, but to ”please be sure and put the tools back where you found them when you're done.”