Birds, insects provide peaceful escape for students

The gardening season for warm crops has started at the Hilltop Garden and Nature Center with a deafening noise of the estimated 3 million cicadas within the garden's grounds. \nThe warblers and bluebirds feast on the insects and then fly over the mounted vegetable beds in their quest for seeds. The volunteers continue to compost the beds without allowing the heat and humidity to deter them. This is a typical day in late May at the Hilltop, 2301 E. 10th St.\nThe nature center, an organic gardening program jointly administered by IU and Bloomington, celebrated its 56th anniversary this year. The center is open to all University students and members of the public during its public hours -- Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 1 to 5 p.m. and Tuesday and Thursday, 1 to 8 p.m. Students can volunteer at the garden, rent a plot and grow their own flowers and vegetables or buy plants.\nSenior Phillip Oser has worked at Hilltop for two seasons. What brings him back, he said, "is the joy of seeing the fruits of my labor blossom and then harvesting all those delicious herbs and vegetables. Besides that, I get to work with so many fun people." \nSenior Stephanie Solomon, the Youth Gardening Coordinator at Hilltop, said she agrees. \n"You get to meet such a wonderful inter-generational community of people here," she said. \nHilltop makes a concerted effort to promote a diversity of people at the center. A section of the community gardens is reserved for agencies like Stone Belt, Mother Hubbard's Cupboard and Bloomington Hospital.\nThe delight of the children at Stone Belt inspired Rosemary Hart, a Bloomington resident, to become a dedicated volunteer at Hilltop. \n"I began bringing my own child for nature walks and have since then worked on numerous flower shows with local celebrities," Hart said.\n"This place is like an oasis," said Nathan Denn, the programming coordinator at Hilltop, as he examined a cicada. "Isn't it so interesting that these insects spend 17 years of their life eating tree roots and then come out once only to mate and die?" \nDenn said he is entranced not only by the cicadas, but also by the entire ambiance at Hilltop. "It is so soothing … it brings peace and relaxation in your life. And the best thing is that every student at IU can come here not only to garden but also for a picnic or a nature walk," Denn said.\nBoth Oser and Solomon find the work itself very pleasurable and fulfilling. \n"As students, we spend so much of our time writing papers, staring at computers or memorizing technical stuff," Solomon said. "It is so therapeutic to work here with the best soils in Bloomington and just relax."\nShe said she believes that organic gardening at Hilltop is one of the most effective ways of contributing toward ecological sustainability. \n"You can shop for organic products from a store, but at Hilltop your produce is not only organic but also local, which is as sustainable as you can get," Solomon said. "The vegetables are not only free of the chemicals and genetic modifications but also the wastefulness of long-distance transportation." \nSolomon said she believes gardening is one of the most action-oriented methods that makes you ecologically conscious while you are having fun. \n"Even children enjoy growing their sunflowers, cucumbers and tomatoes as they simultaneously learn more about water conservation and healthy soil," Solomon said.\nJim Rogers, director of the Hilltop Center, said he believes the volunteers share a symbiotic relationship with Hilltop. \n"The gratification and relaxation is inherent in such an activity for the volunteers. And a unique center like Hilltop always needs more volunteers because we depend upon them for our sustainability." \nFor more information on volunteering or visiting Hilltop, call 855-2799 or e-mail hilltop@indiana.edu.\n-- Contact staff writer Sheeba Madan at smadan@indiana.edu.