Photo by Laura Cobb
The college’s Center for Sustainability is bringing the farm harvest to the city by hosting Harvest Days Sept. 20-27 in an effort to bring awareness to agriculture on campus.
“Some of the most important things are raising awareness that we do have a farm on campus and that we have a sustainable agriculture program that is running the farm and contributing produce to our campus and to our culinary department,” said Kim Criner, sustainability education and engagement coordinator, Center for Sustainability, “To let them know local food is accessible, it’s not out of reach, it’s not too expensive, you can cook with it.”
This is the first time Harvest Days will be a weeklong event. Criner said there was not a major sustainability event in the fall before, but there are fun food opportunities available.
Although this will not be the first campus farm lunch, it has morphed over the years. It started as a three course meal, to a buffet which started last year.
Criner said the buffet will allow more students to participate. It is $5 per trip through the buffet. Though there is an option to take the buffet to go, Criner said they are discouraging using Styrofoam takeaway containers. Reusable containers from home will be accepted, and also Greenies will be available for purchase.
“People could walk up and say, I didn’t know this was going on, I am going to change my lunch plans from Chick-Fil-A to this awesome salad,” said Criner.
The campus farm is highlighted throughout the week’s events, and it truly is the students’ farm. The farm is roughly 2.5 acres on the northwest corner of the main campus.
“The purpose of the farm is two-fold: to provide a hands-on educational experience for the Sustainable Agriculture program and to provide locally grown, chemical-free produce to the specifications of JCCC’s Dining Services and Culinary program,” the campus farm’s website states.
Mike Ryan, outreach manger, Campus Farm, said that the farm program is custom tailored to the students themselves, what things they are interested in and want to learn about. In the future the farm hopes to collaborate with the Native American studies, chemistry, biology, fine arts and solar technology programs.
Ryan said that in the last 10 years he has seen people’s interest in local foods grow and also their vocabulary has expanded from just knowing about tomatoes and cucumbers to now wanting kale.
Criner also echoed that saying students could go from very familiar vegetables at the grocery store to something new.
“Maybe they’re like oh, kohlrabi, I never knew what to do with that, but I know I can stir fry it,” said Criner.
Other events throughout the week include, a campus farm workday, harvest party on the plaza, the campus farm lunch, a cooking demonstration with Chef Aaron Prater, and a meal packaging event, which the college is teaming up with Stop Hunger Now. The farm workday is the only event you need to RSVP, and a free lunch will be served.
All events are open to the public. Criner said she hopes this allows students to look at campus as a place that has more than just classes going on, but also has some cool things like food growing and consciousness about sustainability.
“I’m excited about the farm lunch, excited to see it kind of get bigger,” Criner said. “Especially [since] we had some good produce in the spring, but spring produce doesn’t get plentiful ‘til May, June; whereas September we’ll have bountiful produce and so it should be pretty tasty.”
Contact Lindsay Sax, copy editor, at lsax@jccc.edu.