Participants spent the rest of the morning at Parkland Community Garden, where cohort members were joined by four community gardeners for a live soil sampling demonstration. 

 Participants then practiced sampling from garden beds, producing labeled samples that were later submitted for free lab analysis benefiting the community gardeners. 

The session concluded with Dr. Alhagie Cham leading a composting demonstration using the garden’s compost tumbler.

One participant shared, “I really, really loved getting INTO the community! Being able to meet Miss Mary and work in her garden, educating her / ourselves on the process of soil testing, discussing composting, all things outdoors, and truly represented community in my opinion. Being able to see that when there is a desire, there is almost always a path forward. I cannot wait to see what else we will be able to accomplish in our time as a collective.”

To evaluate the workshop’s impact, participants completed a pre- and post-assessment. Results showed a significant increase in knowledge and confidence, particularly in key areas such as compost use, soil structure, drainage, and sustainable vegetable production. Every participant demonstrated improvement, with the greatest gains in soil management decision-making, identifying soil compaction, and applying knowledge to food production.

These results suggest that even a single workshop can significantly boost readiness for sustainable production among emerging urban growers, marking a strong start to KSU’s Urban Growers Program.”