Allergy Associates of La Crosse was looking for innovative ways to improve employee wellness, and we decided that a straw bale garden would be a beneficial way to teach employees about gardening and healthy eating. In May 2016, a straw bale garden was set up on a patio behind our offices, and we’ve continued this wellness activity every year since.
It’s not only beneficial for our employees. At our clinic, we treat life-threatening food allergies safely and effectively with sublingual immunotherapy, or allergy drops. For those eliminating foods from their diet due to food allergies, it’s important to add in the nutrients that they are abruptly missing. Creating an organic straw bale garden could be a great way for those with food allergies to grow foods with the nutritional elements they need.
You can find pictures and videos of every step of the process on our Straw Bale Gardening Pinterest board. Find updates on our conditioning, planting, and growing seasons!
Our registered dietitian nutritionist, Emily Melby, explains what has and hasn’t worked well for our Organic Straw Bale Garden.