Room To Grow

WESLACO — Students at the South Texas College Mid-Valley Campus will have more room to utilize their green thumbs thanks to a recent land donation by an STC professor.

Rey Anzaldua, an STC business computer systems assistant professor, offered the Mid-Valley Campus Biology Club a 40-foot by 40-foot plot when he heard that the group needed more room to expand its projects. “He told me to do what I need to do to educate our kids,” said STC biology instructor Deborah Villalon. “This is the biggest thing we have ever done, it’s exciting and a challenge.”

The extra land will allow the biology club to add to the four garden beds containing medicinal plants and herbs as well as the previously-established Zen garden that students have tended since the idea was launched four years ago.

Now that the club has additional space to cultivate, group members are busy hashing out ideas regarding its use.

“One is going to be donating food to the Food Bank of the Rio Grande Valley,” Villalon said. “We have a lack of funding for our club, so it would be exciting to maybe sell what we grow at the farmers market.”

With the new larger plot located away from the school premises, Villalon said the community can get involved, and in return enjoy the fruits of their hard work. Villalon hopes that once things get under way, local residents will come out and help keep the garden going.

“The students will start the garden but the community members will come in and help,” She said. “Eventually once we get the community involved we will offer donations to the community for helping out.”

Villalon said the group is working with organic seeds, and that the first crop will include a variety of tomatoes, broccoli, peas, dill, cilantro and corn.

For more information on how to help with the club’s new organic garden, contact Villalon at 956-973-7638 or at dvillalon@southtexascollege.edu.