Our College believes that there are vital life lessons in nature, which has driven us to develop a fantastic agriculture program. The object lesson of the garden teaches students so much about their life, the life of others and the care that Christ gives them and all of his creation. They learn the laws of nature, to be patient and careful, to pay attention to detail, to be consistent and to be diligent in labor. They also learn that just as weeds can hinder the growth of a plant, there are some things in our lives that can hinder our development that we need to get rid of. One of the founders of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church, Ellen White, sums up the benefits beautifully.
“In cultivating carefulness, patience, attention to detail, obedience to law, it imparts a most essential training. The constant contact with the mystery of life and the loveliness of nature, as well as the tenderness called forth in ministering to these beautiful objects of God’s creation, tends to quicken the mind and refine and elevate the character; and the lessons taught prepare the worker to deal more successfully with other minds.” (Education, pg. 112)