GODFREY – Students from Lewis and Clark Community College’s YouthBuild program responded to a need for raised garden beds at Jerseyville’s Cheney Mansion, home of the Jersey County Historical Society.
The garden beds and surrounding fence, which were constructed from reclaimed wood, will be used to grow heirloom produce in order to demonstrate life in a pioneer kitchen.
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YouthBuild Construction Trainer Greg Echols expressed his pride in the work the students did and the respect they showed to their peers and everyone involved with the project.
“I am incredibly proud of these students and their hard work on this project,” Echols said. “They have been putting in the work to learn about the tongue-and-groove construction method and we were all very happy to be part of putting the final project together at Cheney Mansion.”
According to Jersey County Historical Society Vice-President Beth McGlasson, the students’ efforts will help the historical society capture the kitchen garden, an essential element of everyday pioneer life.
“We are so excited to see our pioneer garden take shape,” she said. “We couldn’t have done it without Greg and the YouthBuild students. Our complex, with its one-room school, church, and log cabins, provides a glimpse of life in the 1880s.”
Jersey County Historical Society volunteer Jim Droste enjoys working with the students.
“When I came to the Scott Bibb Center to mentor these students, they all had great attitudes and a strong desire to learn,” he said. “It just makes me happy to see this future generation of students wanting to learn these skills.”
Sherrie Droste, a Jersey County Historical Society board member, explains how the garden will be used for purposes beyond the kitchen.
“By growing heirloom vegetables and flowers; plants used for dyes, medicines, and laundry; and others, we will be able to offer a hands-on, accurate portrayal of early life on the Illinois prairies,” she said.
The Jersey County Historical Society is located at 601 North State Street, Jerseyville. You can visit their website at www.jerseycountyhistory.org.
To learn more about YouthBuild, contact L&C Adult Education Director of Pathway Resource Development Sabrina Davis at (618) 468-4141 or sdavis@lc.edu. On the web, visit www.lc.edu/youthbuild.
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