Gardening for the benefit of others, Mike and Michael Wolfsen share some of the fruits of their labor with a local food bank. The Wolfsens, part of the community garden founding committee, now serve as managers and messengers to the community plot holders. / photo by Nicholas Mitzenmacher

by Jennifer Cuevas
photography by Nicholas Mitzenmacher

The garden overflows with vegetables—tomatoes, watermelon, bell peppers, squash and chilies. Near the garden is a large tree, and its shade is a relief on this blazing hot La Verne day. Sitting under the tree is Michael Wolfsen, who co-manages the La Verne Church of the Brethren garden, named “Peace and Carrots.” Her husband, Mike Wolfsen (his formal name is spelled Michael too) is also in the garden. With a shovel in hand and a barrel nearby, Mike digs with patience and precision into an empty garden patch under the sunny October sky. It is a task he has done many times. The Wolfsens spend at least a few hours a week here, sometimes more in the peak harvest season. It is a labor of love project, and they, along with their fellow gardeners members, are happy to share the fruits—and the veggies—of their labor. “Peace and Carrots” is more than just a symbolic gesture of good will; it literally feeds local people in need. More than 900 pounds in fresh fruits (such as strawberries and watermelon) and vegetables (including varieties of tomatoes, squash and corn) have been donated to a Pomona-based food bank called “The Beta Center,” from the garden’s first year harvest.

About two and a half years ago, the Wolfsens, along with a committee of parishioners, proposed to change an unused grassy lot into a communal garden. The detailed process required Ms. Wolfsen, along with her original nine committee friends, to present twice before the La Verne Church of the Brethren Church Council to discuss the pros and cons of environmental, legal and logistical concerns. The garden program was eventually passed, and the organic garden was born. “We used the old pre-school area that was covered in grass and converted it to the garden area. Even the posts from the fence were recycled from that lot. It really is a ‘green’ space,” says Michael.

There are 28 individual plots in the ground and four raised beds. “The ground plots are 4 X 12, and all of the areas have an automatic drip irrigation system to conserve water,” she says with enthusiasm. The garden does not use pesticides; instead it relies strictly on organic products, such as “Bumper Crop,” to help amend the soil. The original garden committee members (Dot Hess, Deb Jahnke, Bev Rupel, Vern Jahnke, Christine Meek, Barbara Smythe, Tracy Taylor, Mike Wolfsen and Michael Wolfsen, chair; plus new members Anne Lilje and Susan Shibuya) want the garden to be a self sufficient, inspiring community service experience. To help these concepts flourish, gardeners have free access to mulch, compost, tools and literature for reference—plus support from their fellow gardeners and garden committee members. Additionally, there is an area in the corner of the garden, where the public can leave household food scraps, like used coffee grinds, banana peels and egg shells (except for meat), to make compost for the garden. Garden clean up days are open to the public.

The gift that keeps on giving

Part of the garden’s mission is to donate a portion of each harvest to the Beta Center food bank, a project run by Inland Valley Hope Partners. This Pomona-based non-profit organization feeds thousands of local residents monthly. Claudia Yerena, food security manager at Beta Center, accepts donations from the public on the organization’s behalf and has seen first-hand how food can also feed someone’s spirit. “All our clients were very grateful for the hard work put into growing the vegetables. I am extremely grateful to Peace and Carrots for all their donations. Thank you.”

The idea of service is a virtue echoed by the Church of the Brethren. “In our Church, we don’t proselytize. We believe in action and service. The garden helps us fulfill this idea of service and helping one another,” says Mike. Members hope the garden continues to be a vehicle for community service and a way to fulfill the most basic human need—to provide food to function as a human being. “I can’t tolerate the idea of some kid who is out there hungry. We are fortunate enough to be middle class now, but Mike and I both grew up where sometimes you had to eat oatmeal for dinner because there was no food. If a kid goes to school hungry, he can’t learn. Food is important for learning,” says Michael.

Peace and Carrots

Initial news about the garden sparked interest from Church members and local residents. The idea has caught on. The garden’s ground breaking fall harvest 2010 included both novice and experienced gardeners, including a judge, a professor, students, a minister, a graphic designer/writer, a 13-year-old Eagle Scout and children as young as 3. Peace and Carrots publishes a quarterly newsletter, “Gleanings,” and accepts non-church members. Participation costs $40 for one plot, per year (cycle from Jan. 1 – Dec. 31) or $25 for six months. Applications are available in the Church of the Brethren’s office, 2425 E St., and are reviewed by the committee. Upon being assigned a plot, the gardener has up to two weeks to cultivate and plant. The garden patch cannot be left fallow for more than three weeks.

Although there is a sense of independence, the idea of collective support is key. “One of the great things about gardening in community is it allows you the support of other gardeners—not that they do the gardening for you, but there is always somebody who can help. Some have more expertise in something you may want to grow and can share tips,” says Janet Ober, associate minister of the La Verne Church of the Brethren, also a recent gardener.

Tools of the trade are available in the garden tool shed—free mulch, compost and literature—to help gardeners maximize harvests. Besides bringing a green thumb, participants must bring the actual seeds to plant and other amenities, such as a pair of gloves.

“We’re still pretty new to it. But the way Michael and Michael set things up, you get a lot of support, a lot of help, and the watering is all automated. It’s about as easy as gardening can get for novices like us,” says Chuck Duffie, a local graphic designer and writer, who participates with his wife and two children. His youngest daughter Nara was inspired first by the garden concept and encouraged her family to join. “I heard about the garden early on, when Michael introduced it to the Church Board, but I didn’t reserve a space at that time. When my youngest daughter Nara saw the garden herself—saw everything growing right there behind the Church—she felt very strongly about being a part of that. So she was the one who led us to the garden,” says Duffie. He and his family were motivated so much, that they started a home garden too; now 100 percent of their Peace and Carrots harvest goes to the Beta Center.

Ober is new to gardening as well and decided to try it out last spring. “You don’t have to be an expert gardener to be a part of this garden.” Starting in April, she planted a variety of tomatoes, corn, watermelon and bell peppers. “It’s fun and inspiring. And you can see who had luck with some foods more than others. Like this year, others planted corn, but I was the only one who had edible corn so other gardeners asked me what I did different to help them next time. You see others’ successes and draw inspiration.”

Even while it is cold, gardens can overflow with fresh vegetables. “In California, in the winter, you can grow ‘cool’ vegetables that do well in cool weather,” says Michael. According to the popular garden website, Burpee®, some of the types of veggies that do well in La Verne’s winter gardens include broccoli, Brussels sprouts, carrots, Kale, celery, collards, beets, peas, Chinese pea pods, fava beans, lettuce, radishes and basil.

Creativity flourishes in the garden

For Sean Bernard, University of La Verne associate professor of writing, the idea of the garden was the perfect concept to bridge food literature with creative writing. In spring 2009, he utilized the garden as a tool to inspire his students to write about food. “Students had to go out twice a semester to help in the garden,” says Bernard. “We planted spinach, tomatoes, strawberries, peas, cilantro, garlic, beats, radishes and other food with success.” It is a course he plans to offer again. “You decide what to plant. And when you plant your own food, you discover that it’s insanely better. Tomatoes off the vine are fantastic. I don’t think that it necessarily tastes better because it’s organic, but because it’s fresh.”

Peace and Carrots is more than just planting fruits and vegetables in the garden. Participation in the garden space cultivates a sense of unity in community and continues to be a powerful public service project that extends self-sustaining goodwill, far beyond the borders of 4 X 12 patches of land.

To learn more about the Peace and Carrots garden initiative, visit the office of Church of the Brethren in La Verne at 2425 E St., (909) 593-1887 or visit www.lavernecob.org.

Also see the companion piece, “Planting is not just for the pros: Seven steps to create a vegetable garden.”

Gardening is a family affair for Chuck Duffie and daughters Nara, 7, and Hanako, 9. The Duffies, who contribute their vegetables to the Beta Center food bank, say their cherry tomatoes were their main summer harvest. / photo by Nicholas Mitzenmacher

Sean Bernard, ULV associate professor of writing, nurtures the writing growth of his students along with his bean plants in the Peace and Carrots garden. His creative writing students work in a vegetable plot and then engage in inspired writing focused on food literature. / photo by Nicholas Mitzenmacher

Following the donor brick entrance path, gardeners at the Church of the Brethren are reminded of early sponsors who sold personalized bricks to launch the project. The bricks were placed in the pathway located in the community garden’s main entrance. / photo by Nicholas Mitzenmacher

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Planting a vegetable garden is a simple way to eat fresh. If you do not have a patch of dirt—no problem. Vegetable and herb gardens are easy to grow in containers. Here is how to get started.

Step 1

Check how much sun is available and select vegetables or plants that are appropriate for the amount of light in the planting location, “If you have dirt and sun, you can probably have a garden,” says Cinthya Guillen, master gardener and program coordinator of Seedscapes, a hands-on program that teaches affordable housing residents how to design, build and maintain water and energy conserving gardens. Guillen recommends scouting the proposed garden area first before planting. “Ideally, you want to have full sun,” says Guillen. “For example, plants like squash and tomatoes need full sun; whereas some leafy greens may do OK in partial sunlight, but full sunlight is optimal.”

Photo by Nicholas Mitzenmacher

Step 2

Choose a container for the type of vegetable you will plant. If you plant in a container, it must have drainage. Ask the local nursery what plants work well with containers for a successful harvest.

Step 3

Test your dirt or purchase potting soil with nutrients like nitrogen and worms that help vegetables flourish. “Local labs will test the dirt, or you can go to a nursery to ask how to amend the soil. If you plant in containers, ask what kind of potting soil will work well with your plants,” says Guillen.

Step 4

Remove weeds from the proposed planting area. “Before you plant in the ground, be sure to take out all the weeds and grass first, as this will invade the garden,” says Michael Wolfsen, Peace and Carrots Garden co-manager. If you choose to plant in the ground, you can create a border with large rocks, bricks or recycle something you may already have in your home. “Next, you need to dig in the dirt. We like to double-dig,” says Ms. Wolfsen. “That means you dig shovel deep all around the plot one time and put that dirt aside. Then dig shovel deep again and put that dirt on the side. We normally amend the dirt with an organic product called ‘Bumper Crop,’ which helps add nitrogen.” If you are a container gardener, you can purchase a bag of potting soil at your local nursery for about $10. Ms. Wolfsen recommends organic soil to ensure no harmful additives have been added to the dirt, which can ultimately be ingested through the food.

Photo by Nicholas Mitzenmacher

Step 5

Ask what to plant in your available space. “Before planting, be aware of the root space,” says Guillen. “Onions or leafy greens work well in container pots, whereas some tomatoes have root systems of three feet or more, and you want to have enough space for the plant to reach its potential.” Ask your nursery master gardener what to plant, how far apart to plant each vegetable and tell whether you are planting in dirt or containers. Most seeds cost less than $5 an envelope, which can also save you a bundle in grocery costs.

Step 6

Irrigation: Water is the next critical component of gardening. Ms. Wolfsen recommends a drip system to conserve water. “If you have a water hose, soak the ground well the first few times when you first plant, so the water sinks deep into the dirt, then cover the area with mulch. After that, you can water the area once or twice a week.”

Step 7

See your food grow, eat and enjoy! “When you have an organic garden, you can eat well and have better nutrition for not a lot of money,” says Ms. Wolfsen.

Also see the companion piece, “Feeding a community.”

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“Inhale/Exhale,” University of La Verne’s first major public art piece, commands attention night or day in the new Muriel Pollia Sculpture Garden. Artist Phillip K. Smith, III is the designer behind the 54 foot structure. / photo by Courtney Droke

by Jennifer Cuevas
photography by Courtney Droke

It is 6 a.m., and five workers in hard-hats wait patiently near a gigantic yellow crane, a few jumbo mustard-colored trucks and a large blue forklift. Two parking entrances nearest the University of La Verne’s Wilson Library are blocked off. Campus security has surrounded the location with caution tape.

As sun rays begin to peek through the sky, the Sara and Michael Abraham Student Center building’s copper-like panels and rows of spotless glass sparkle with luster. One cannot help but feel that something significant is about to happen. Curious passersby—local walkers, ULV students preparing for class, faculty and staff—gather to see what the commotion is about on campus.

Chip West, executive director campus center and capital planning, paces back and forth. He is the person responsible for the success of the installation of La Verne’s newest landmark—a giant sculpture titled, “Inhale/Exhale” by Phillip K. Smith, III. This is also history in the making. It is the University’s first major public art piece. And the installation orchestration demands military precision. “Oh my God, I’m getting gray hair just standing here! You know, there’s no manual to do this,” West says anxiously.

Just then, “it” appears in sight—an 18-wheeler big-rig loaded with a 54 foot piece of art near the proposed installation spot. The driver sits patiently and waits for the word to move the massive structure closer to the crane. This involves driving at an extremely slow speed and guidance from the artist himself, to avoid scratching the fiberglass sculpture as it threads its way through protected branches of the historic Oak tree, which presides grandly near the whole affair.

After the one-piece sculpture, boxed in the wooden crate, is moved closer to the crane (much like a surgeon making precise, deliberate incisions), the crane operator consults his team and confirms, move-by-move, the coming process, which will get “Inhale/Exhale” to its permanent home in the heart of the ULV campus. The crane operator delicately but confidently lifts the sculpture from its spot in a vertical fashion, straight into the sky. It is remarkable and suspenseful to watch.

Suspended, “Inhale/Exhale” is taller than the surrounding buildings. The crowd emits ’’Ahhs” as they witness the dynamic structure dangling in mid-air. It is a daunting task to lower the sculpture to its waiting foundation. The actual process takes two tries, and every witness cheers when it connects.

This sculpture not only marks the campus’ first major public art piece, but it officially puts the city of La Verne on the map for high-end public art in the County of Los Angeles. “Inhale/Exhale” now adorns the west entrance of the student center with its sister sculpture “Clarity” in the Muriel Pollia Public Square Sculpture Garden. The sculptures are both the work of Indio-based artist Phillip K. Smith, III through a special commission by the Muriel Pollia Foundation, in partnership with ULV.

The man behind the sculptures

Artist Phillip K. Smith, III is at the pulse of modern art and architecture and has been doing so for nearly two decades. The son of an interior designer and developer, Smith has always been passionate about modern design and art and blends them seamlessly in his own creations. After graduating from Rhode Island School of Design in 1996 with bachelors’ degrees in both fine arts and architecture, Smith worked for more than a decade on the east coast at architectural firms. Smith eventually returned to his beloved desert oasis where he was raised, and started a private firm, “The Art Office” in the city of Indio in 2000, which combines both work for public art commissions and architectural designs.

“I was living on the east coast for 10 years but grew up in the desert. The desert has a very interesting quality of light. The color palate forms in relation to the horizon line and has a general sense of openness and freedom. Also built into this landscape is its rawness. When you are in the desert and are in the middle, there are things in the environment that are beacons within the desert landscape. Those are some inspirations for me,” Smith says. With his firm’s start, he worked primarily on architectural projects and completed art commissions on the side. But that has recently changed. “I would say the bulk of my work, up to 75 percent, is now public art, while the other 25 percent is on architectural design.”

The Muriel Pollia Sculpture Garden consists of two sculptures, “Clarity” and “Inhale/Exhale,” and marks a dynamic focal point in the heart of the University. It was made possible through the generous support of the Muriel Pollia Foundation, which donated $250,000 toward the commission and associated expenses.

Jay Rodriguez, ULV trustee emeritus and chairman of the board of the Muriel Pollia Foundation, explains that the process took approximately two years. “I would say that as a member of the board of trustees, I was at a planning meeting—the kind that makes us look to the future. As a ULV trustee emeritus, I wanted to do something in conjunction with the new student center,” says Rodriguez.

Dr. Muriel Pollia was an arts humanitarian and philanthropist. Since the Muriel Pollia Foundation is dedicated to supporting artistic and humanitarian projects, the opportunity to bring public art to the La Verne community fulfilled its mission. “Between Steve [Morgan] and me, we came up with the idea of putting together a sculpture garden. We made up the framework for it, and I went to the board of the Muriel Pollia Foundation to propose it. They [Jerry Luedders, president and Michael Keegan, vice president] approved the donation of $250,000 to pay for it,” says Rodriguez. But that was only the beginning.

The Foundation wanted the sculptures to be associated with the new campus center. The University accepted requests through review committee of Ruth Trotter, professor of Art; Jay Rodriguez, chairman of the Muriel Pollia Foundation; David Flaten, professor of theater arts; Jon Leaver, assistant professor of art history; Nancy Walker, associate professor of education; Dave Koch, then director of ULV facilities; Denise Guitterez, ULV manager of grant and foundation support; and Lynee Sanute, a student representative. In its first review of submitted public art prospects, the selection committee found no winners.

Then, after reviewing the Palm Desert Public Art Registry, Trotter discovered Smith, who had completed public art projects in the Southern California area. “His work is contemporary and informed by architecture. And, he had created several other successful public art pieces around the country,” says Trotter. She and Rodriguez visited Smith at his studio and asked him to submit sketches for a potential public art piece on campus. He quickly got to work.

“I guess I would say I referred to this process as the brewing process. I went to the University’s website and took photos all over campus and the city one day. I lived the life of a student on campus to get a real feel for the place,” says Smith. After this submerging process, he delved into the creative process.

“I gathered all the images, information, sense of space and atmosphere and let that brew. I thought about how that applies to my own look, and I began to sketch. I sketched on trace paper and made iterations then brought it into the computer and created computer models,” says Smith.

Two spaces on campus called to him as potential art locations: a triangular piece of grass near Miller Hall, where the buildings are tall and sunlight peeks through the Oak trees for his largest piece, “Inhale/Exhale,” and just 20 feet away near the patio of “Barbara’s Place” café, for the “Clarity” sculpture.

The concepts

“Inhale/Exhale” is a dynamic structure that calls the attention of anyone who steps near it. It is 54 feet in height and caterpillar-like, with undulating lines and reflection from different viewpoints. It is a vertical piece that is red-orange in color and glossy. “It looks like a giant Twizzler licorice,” says junior public relations student Grady Thomas. It is constructed from fiberglass, and there are four separate parts of the entire sculpture, which is based on a triangular geometry.

“When I look at this piece, it has an incredible amount of movement—almost like someone taking a breath and lungs moving in and out. That’s why I named it what I did,” says Smith. “And with the glossy, undulating service, not only will you see your refection in it, but you will look up. I hope that [“Inhale/Exhale”] will inspire people to look up to the sky to their hopes and dreams. At the same time, I wanted it to work like a thumb-print to the new center of campus,” he expresses.

The second commissioned sculpture is entitled “Clarity” that stands smaller in stature (12 feet), but is equally commanding. It is shiny copper in color and made of powder-coated steel. What is immediately obvious about “Clarity” is its formal transformation from the top to the bottom of the piece. Clarity, holds two straight, organized lines, from the base to the middle and the top down to the middle. The straight sections begin to bend, and that is where the artist is truly questioning the concept of clarity.

“Can that center jumble piece be understood without the lower portions? It’s kind of like leaving high school. You think you know what your path is. You get exposed to new ideas—pushed in ways that are unexpected. Why am I living here? Five years later, you are down the road, focused. And you realized all those things in your path that you questioned, are just as clear as you need,” says Smith.

The Muriel Pollia Sculpture Garden marks the beginning of a new era for the school. “It’s wonderful to have dynamic art on campus. ”Inhale/Exhale” is a piece of art that not only marks the future but honors the past. Its orange, citrus color captures the traditions and the spirit of the University of La Verne’s colors [orange and green], and, at the same time, reflects a bit of history with the citrus farms that once were prominent in this community,” says ULV President Steve Morgan. Maxtla Benavides, senior communications major, agrees. “I think it’s pretty awesome. It brings a whole other vibe and culture to campus that didn’t exist before, appealing to a new generation.”

Trotter says the sculptures clearly reach the objectives selection committee objectives. “They are permanent, of high-quality and something that cannot be ignored. The sculptures reflect the livingness of public art and not the deadness of a monument. I am very pleased with the two pieces, and I feel that Phil Smith did an excellent job. The sculptures are vibrant, contemporary, striking and create a dynamism in that space that produces a lively energy and sense of activity as people engage and walk through and around the plaza and between buildings. They create a ‘center’ of campus. I think they are beautiful. Their abstract forms combine organic and man-made forms in a way that, literally, reflects the campus itself.”

What is the legacy that these public art pieces will leave on campus? Smith says, with a huge smile, “That La Verne and the University are invested in art and creativity for future generations.”

The installation started at 6 a.m. on Sept. 29, with the opening of the wood crate. / photo by Courtney Droke

The crane pulls the sculpture high into the air. / photo by Courtney Droke

Like a pendulum dangling, “Inhale/Exhale” soars to new heights with the help of the crane operator. / photo by Courtney Droke

Guided to a safe landing by unseen men in hard hats, “Inhale/Exhale” instantly became a focal point on the University of La Verne campus. / photo by Courtney Droke

It is lowered slowly to its permanent home at the southeast corner of Miller Hall. / photo by Courtney Droke

photo by Courtney Droke

"Inhale/Exhale" was dedicated Oct. 19. / photo by Courtney Droke

Featured speakers at the Oct. 19 University of La Verne dedication ceremony, ULV President Steve Morgan, artist Phillip K. Smith III and city of La Verne Mayor Don Kendrick reflect on “Inhale/Exhale’s” future impact on the campus. / photo by Courtney Droke

One of a kind art merits one of a kind improvised installation in the Muriel Pollia Sculpture Garden. Phillip K. Smith III, artist (red shirt), guides University of La Verne installers toward proper positioning of “Clarity” at the northwest end of the Campus Center. / photo by Courtney Droke

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