CHAPEL HILL -- Until a new community garden sprouted on the outskirts of UNC-Chapel Hill this year, housekeeper Barry Womble rarely bought zucchini or squash. Now, he snags some for free each week.
"It's so expensive," said Womble, one of 421 full-time housekeepers who, collectively, represent the lowest-paid work force on campus. "We have so much processed food now, to have natural food is real nice."
That's the point of this new 8,000-square-foot garden tucked away on Wilson Street on the western edge of campus. Since it opened in March, the garden has become a go-to source of fresh, organic fruits and vegetables for housekeepers and other low-paid university workers. Housekeepers are an oft-unseen crew that labors, in shifts, around the clock to keep the campus presentable.
"We're reaching largely people who can't afford to buy it," said Claire Lorch, who runs the garden part time with a salary paid through grants. "A lot of people have to make choices, and they're not always the healthiest."
Womble is among dozens of housekeepers who occasionally swing by the garden for twice-a-week food distributions. The fruits and veggies are doled out by the bag; a similar bagful of organic goodies from Whole Foods would run about $16, Lorch said after performing her own price comparison.
Housekeepers have long been considered the under-appreciated backbone of the university. The minimum full-time salary is $25,000, and few make much more, reports Bill Burston, director of housekeeping services.
The free produce is a small new perk of the job, he said.
"Something's better than nothing," Burston said. "They're not getting any pay raises for a couple years now, so this is something."
The food is also occasionally distributed to workers in the grounds departments and other divisions on campus. It's up to them to figure out what to do with a white bush squash, a light-colored, squat vegetable that looks a little like a flying saucer. It's not a vegetable in heavy rotation for most casual gardeners.
"A lot of people have never seen it or heard of it," Lorch said. "We're really interested in planting what people want to eat but maybe can't find here."
It's just a garden for now, but Lorch would like it to double as a working laboratory. She envisions gardening classes and sharing cooking tips. Already, she distributes recipes with some of the more unusual vegetables.
Like kohlrabi, a sweet, bulbous cross between turnip and cabbage.
"It's pretty ugly, but it's pretty good," Lorch said. "Most people are willing to give it a try."
