Colton Welch receives Lake Country Garden Club Scholarship

by Merry K. Seablom – 

Driving up the driveway of the Welch home it is immediately obvious that a love of nature and the environment is paramount in their lives.  Fountains in both ponds aerate for algae and to push any flotation to the edges.  A small garden is fenced and inside the fencing grow tall, healthy tomatoes, zucchini and eggplant along with mint and basil.  On the side deck is one of Colton Welch’s newer projects, several banana trees already sprouting young plants at their base.  The landscape is beautiful with rolling fields and green, green grass, but none of that growing under Colton’s feet.

A lifelong resident of Honeoye, Colton’s great grandparents were the first of his family to settle in this area.  Since then four generations have enjoyed the beauty of Richmond Mills.  His grandparents, Hilda and Wayne Schultz still live close by the home where Colton and his parents, Jody and Rick Welch live now and where his three brothers and sister all grew up.

Colton attended Honeoye Central School, and was most interested in science, especially biology.  As a senior he attended the New Vision Medical Program, a BOCES offering, where he became aware of many maladies which are brought on by the patient’s lack of preventive nutritional knowledge.  This led to his interest in a holistic approach to prevention of many medical conditions and how to get fresh greens and local vegetables to the table all year long.  One of the field trips of the program was to the Geneva Research Station of Cornell University which further peaked his interest in how to grow vegetables all year long and how to make this feasible for the average person.  His emphasis now is on hydroponic greenhouse growing using available spaces on rooftops, abandoned warehouses and in Colton’s case, the basement.

So far, Colton uses hydroponics, along with LED lights and greenhouse tents in the basement to begin the garden process and growth of the banana trees, tomatoes, peppers, herbs, zucchini and eggplant.  His knowledge has allowed him to change the spectrum of the LED lights to correspond to the changes in natural light as the sun progresses through seasons, thus getting the plants ready for planting outside.

Colton and his cousin, who will continue his study of computer science while in college, have an impressive goal.  Together they hope to automate the hydroponic system so that it is possible to “change the way people think of obtaining food. Now, they pick up food at the grocery store, but with our plan they can watch their food grow and pick when ready, knowing where it comes from.  We eat too few leafy greens and more meat than necessary.  Looking at the dinner plate for a plant based diet, ½ should be greens and vegetables, ¼ fruit, and ¼ meat and breads”.

Colton also participated in lacrosse and soccer while at Honeoye and worked as a snowboard instructor at Bristol Ski slopes.  He enjoys mountain biking and has trails around their home.  In his spare time he likes to sit on the side porch and play the guitar a bit while enjoying nature. He presently does some landscaping work and lawn mowing along with working for the Honeoye based business “The Firm” which specializes in setting up, dismantling, and moving business offices.

Plans for the future include attending Morrisville for his Associates Degree, and transferring to Cornell University to continue to study horticulture and possibly engineering to learn more about the ins and outs of greenhouse structure.  Eventually Colton hopes to aid in changing “the vicious cycle of consuming unnatural, unhealthy foods which can lead to disease, substituting healthier, home grown diets”.  We hope to “change every aspect of growth to harvest at times (seasons) when fruits and vegetables are not available locally.  We need harmony and balance in caring for the environment vs. people’s needs” Colton summarized.

An ambitious endeavor for a young man with clear vision for a future of caring for the earth… and mankind.  Lake Country Garden Club wishes Colton success in his endeavors.