PHOTO | SARAH FEDELE

North Carolina A&T State University students started an herb garden as a way to learn about how to grow plants and their nutritional benefits.

GREENSBORO – A community herb garden in Greensboro is helping students and community members reconnect with plants and stay healthy by learning how to cook with fresh herbs.

Research shows households participating in a community garden regularly eat more fruits and vegetables than those who do not.

Odile Huchette, horticulture lecturer and director of Reid Greenhouse in the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Design at North Carolina A&T State University, said so far, her students have planted more than 50 different types of herbs, and worked with a chef to learn how to cook with them.

She added herbs are a great way to learn how to use what you can grow to keep your body healthy.

"Because they're such a diverse group, and they have all of these different flavors and smells,” Huchette said. “That makes them very exciting plants to work with. They can be grown in containers in urban spaces, there's no need to have large garden areas.”

The work was supported by a $6,000 American Heart Association community health mini-grant, made possible by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina. The grants are designed to focus on food security, community health education, and hypertension management during the pandemic.

Huchette pointed out the majority of students come from urban areas with little experience with plants and agriculture. She emphasized programs such as community gardens can give young people the skills they need to be agricultural leaders.

“An herb garden can be a great way in that regard, a great way to support experiential learning for them," Huchette said. “It’s actually a much broader way to engage them and connect them with the community.”

She added culinary herbs have a host of benefits, and noted scientists continue to discover compounds in plants that have positive effects on human health.

“With the herbs, we can look at growing them, but also how to use them in cooking, and also understand their nutritional and health benefits,” Huchette said.
Research shows many herbs and spices are loaded with antioxidant properties that may aid in cancer prevention and reduce the risk of developing chronic diseases.

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