Mariah Parker, Echo Online Staff Writer

The Garden Crew added a new staff member to its team this semester. Patrick Ross has joined the crew and will run it as supervisor.

Ross has nearly 20 years of garden management experience under his belt.

Ross works with WWC senior Sam Perron

Before coming to western North Carolina, he managed a community-supported agriculture project in north central Florida, where his bio-dynamic approach to gardening allowed him to produce crops of outstanding quality.

In August of 2010, Ross was contacted by a member of the Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project about an opening in the garden manager position at Warren Wilson.

“I applied and somehow landed it. It’s still surprising to me,” Ross said.

Ross fell in love with the Warren Wilson garden during his son’s semester stint at Brevard’s Outdoor Academy.

“I was amazed at the beauty of the mountains,” Ross said. “I thought it would be a great place to live.”

When asked about his new post, Ross had only positive things to say.

“I love teaching and I love that the students and so willing to learn and work,” he said. “After being a solitary farmer for so long, it’s going to take some time to learn the ins and outs of working with big groups, but it’s getting better every day.”