Scanner – Dominican Hospital Employee Newsletter
In 2003, a patch of hard, clay soil at Dominican Hospital was transformed into a small organic garden.
Now, thanks to the Dominican Hospital Foundation and seven years later, Dominican’s Joanne Wheeler Memorial Garden provides thousands of pounds of produce a year for the hospital cafeteria.
Powered solely by volunteer efforts, the garden’s production (more than 4,100 pounds of various produce in 2009) resulted in a food purchase savings of $10,200 over the past year.
The 2007 season provided the second-largest crop in the history of the garden with over 3,000 pounds. That saved the hospital around d $4,700. The first three years of garden operations the savings to Dominican Hospital averaged $3,100 per year. The combined saving has been $16,600 over seven years.
The garden is 7,350 square feet, larger than some long-standing community gardens. There are 40 raised redwood planters of various lengths, made with lumber donated by Bogard Construction. It’s also home to a dedicated green- house donated by a Systemusa, a local greenhouse construction firm in Watsonville.
The garden is also home to several thousand worms in the form of a worm composting system.
Thanks to the generous donation from the Wheeler Endowment, the garden is adorned with a gazebo with a fountain, a perfect spot for reflection. This peaceful area with a garden view is frequented by hospital staff, visitors and the public.
The Garden Keeps Giving
The garden has been in the spotlight since its creation, and has been a frequent draw for media outlets across the nation. It has been presented at workshops as an innovative idea and a viable concept for hospitals across the nation.
Locally, Soquel High School has sponsored a class that allows disabled students to visit and work in the garden while receiving instruction. Additionally, UCSC students have worked there to earn community service school credits.
Dominican Hospital has been instrumental in sharing knowledge with other CHW hospitals, which has prompted other facilities to start smaller gardens. Even the garden worms have participated in the sharing spirit; recently some Dominican worms were shared with the St. Joseph’s in Stockton. CHW also featured the garden in a recent Annual Report.
The garden has also been highlighted on several occasions by KSC0, a local radio station.
The Wheeler garden has been recognized by U.C. Davis for the quality of operations and innovation.
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