SEMO's Charles Hutson Greenhouse hummed with activity on September 16, 2023, during the annual Mummums and Pawpaws Fall Fest. Hundreds of mums, pumpkins, and other colorful and exotic species lined pathways, shelves, and carts for people to admire and purchase.
The Pawpaw was also on display. Pawpaws are an important but largely underappreciated North American fruit. A BBC Travel article explains how the fruit is used and why it's not common in modern American households.
According to a 2022 National Geographic article, the pawpaw is the largest native tree fruit and was a staple of the pre-Columbian diet. The event showcased the plants students grew and gave the community a glimpse into the hard work agriculture students put in throughout the year.
According to greenhouse manager Melissa Holmes, the greenhouse is the largest student-run production greenhouse in the nation. "It's not so much the square footage, although we do have a good amount of square footage. It's because we're open as a full retail store all year," Holmes said. "The students do customer service, all of the growing, watering, fertilization, propagation, sowing, and up-potting. You name it, they do it here."
Read more at southeastarrow.com