Fall Planting Day Brings JSU and Blackburn Students Together in the Learning Garden

Posted on October 2, 2026 by derrion barnes in Archives, Featured, Gateways to a Greener Jackson, Neighborhoods, Uncategorized // 0 Comments

Fall is officially here, and at Jackson State University, that means it is time to get your hands a little dirty.

Students from Jackson State University and Blackburn Middle School came together for Fall Planting Day at the JSU/Blackburn Learning Garden on Friday, October 2. The event gave students an opportunity to step outside the classroom, work alongside one another and help prepare the garden for a new season of growth.

With their hands in the soil, students planted a variety of greens while getting a firsthand look at what it takes to grow and care for fresh produce.

But Fall Planting Day was about more than what went into the ground.

The Learning Garden serves as an outdoor classroom where education, agriculture and community come together. For Blackburn students, the experience offered a chance to learn by doing. For JSU students, it provided an opportunity to engage with younger students and help create a space that can continue serving the community well beyond one afternoon.

There is something special about planting a garden together. You may start with soil, a few plants and a pair of dirty hands, but what grows from it can be much more than food.

Friday’s planting was another step toward making the JSU/Blackburn Learning Garden a place where students can learn, connect and grow together.

And now, the waiting begins.

The greens are in the ground. The students have done their part. With a little water, sunshine and care, the Learning Garden will soon have something new to show for it.