Student Farmers Greet The Spring

Student Farmers outside the 2015 Student Farm Special Topics Fair

The Student Farm began with 2 Stockbridge undergraduate students growing kale for Earthfoods Café on a ¼ acre at the Agricultural Learning Center; today, the program boasts 15 Student Farmers from a number of majors growing over 30 crops on 7 acres of production.

Our UMass Student Farmers have been dedicated to researching, planning, and getting to know their markets (that’s us!) all throughout the Spring 2015 semester.  

From starting seeds to meeting with customers, they've accomplished quite a bit in just one semester! They've worked backwards from customers’ needs to define necessary crop yields, placed orders, and even sold some awesome transplants to the Amherst community at farmers’ markets in the area (including the UMass Spring Student Farmers’ Market!).

They've explored their varied interests, ranging from environmental justice, to the remediation of soil through fungi, to the art of saving seeds, and shared them with UMass students, staff, and faculty at the Student Farm Special Topics Fair. They've invited us to sign up for their 100 person CSA offering 20 pounds of vegetables each week during the Fall 2015 Semester for under $400 ($325 for students; $375 for faculty/staff)!

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Now that the sun is finally shining, the Student Farmers are eager to tend to all of these yummy crops they have been working so hard to grow:

- beans - beets - bok choy - broccoli - brussel sprouts - cabbage - carrots - cauliflower - corn - edamame - eggplant  - flowers - kale - leeks - lettuce - onion - parsnips - peppers - potato -pumpkin -radish
- salad mix - scallions - spinach - squash -sweet potato - swiss chard - tomatillo - tomato - turnips

UMass Dining is proud to serve Student Farm produce at Hampshire Dining Commons. Look for Student Farm Signage next to dishes at Hamp in the Fall 2015 Semester and dig your forks into some of this Certified Organic produce grown by your fellow students!

The UMass Healthy and Sustainable Food System’s Sustainability Highlight on the Student Farm is coming Fall 2015 to the Hampshire Dining Commons! Check out the slideshow for a chance to get to know your Student Farmers! 

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Thinking about a buying a CSA? Go to http://stockbridge.cns.umass.edu/csa-membership for information and purchasing.

Can’t get enough? Check out what the Student Farm is selling weekly at the Fall 2015 Student Farmers’ Market on Goodell Lawn every Friday from 12 pm to 4 pm. For updates go to https://www.facebook.com/UMassFarmersMarket.

Want to volunteer or visit? Contact the UMass Student Farm at  studentfarm.enterprise@gmail.com.

Interested in becoming a Student Farmer? Visit https://stockbridge.cns.umass.edu/student-farm for more information.