Recipient Organization
MICHIGAN STATE UNIV
(N/A)
EAST LANSING,MI 48824
Performing Department
(N/A)
Non Technical Summary
Michigan State University, Department of Horticulture. A seven-acre, student operated farm emphasizing year-round food production in unheated high tunnels for winter harvesting has been developed by undergraduate students working with staff and faculty. The primary goal of this project is to develop laboratory exercises and opportunities within current classes and curricula in Horticulture, Crop and Soil Sciences, Agricultural and Natural Resources Education and Communication Systems, Entomology and other departments to facilitate use of the Student Organic Farm for experiential learning related to intensive, year-round, organic food production and local marketing.
Animal Health Component
100%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
(N/A)
Applied
100%
Developmental
(N/A)
Goals / Objectives
Michigan State University, Department of Horticulture. A seven-acre, student operated farm emphasizing year-round food production in unheated high tunnels for winter harvesting has been developed by undergraduate students working with staff and faculty. The primary goal of this project is to develop laboratory exercises and opportunities within current classes and curricula in Horticulture, Crop and Soil Sciences, Agricultural and Natural Resources Education and Communication Systems, Entomology and other departments to facilitate use of the Student Organic Farm for experiential learning related to intensive, year-round, organic food production and local marketing. The objectives of the project are to have students and faculty: 1) engage in year-round, small-scale organic food production (soil/sow/grow/harvest/store) in a Northern community farm setting; 2) develop and apply sustainable, profitable models to market local food and a healthy lifestyle; 3) engage in
experiential research and teaching in an interdisciplinary community farm setting; and 4) together with community members integrate economic, agronomic, environmental and social aspects of a farming enterprise. The consequences and outcomes include students experiencing first hand the risks and rewards of organic, local food production. Some students will experience production techniques as farm employees or volunteers and upon graduation will begin to meet the high demand for farmers with organic farming skills. A greater number of students will learn fundamental organic and sustainable agriculture production principles, where food comes from, and why it is important to support local farmers and food production. Instructors will have increased opportunity to provide students with experiential learning and greater exposure to the curriculum beyond their class. We will document the number of courses, students and faculty that visit the farm each year and the impact of experiencing 1)
the season extension and storage techniques for year-round food availability and 2) a farming system based on locally available nutrient sources and organic pest and disease management practices. The year-round farm operation and program integration will be a model for other learning communities.
Project Methods
A project coordinator working with the principle investigators will contact instructors of a wide variety of agriculture production and other courses and provide information about the seven-acre Student Organic Farm. Instructors will be offered the opportunity to apply for financial support of planned laboratory experiences to occur at the farm. The project coordinator will work with each instructor to identify learning objectives and timing of class visits, and will also work with the farm manager and faculty advisor to schedule activities and necessary supplies. We will document and assess the number of faculty and students visiting the farm and their experiences and learning. Students will have the opportunity to return to the farm outside of class activities. For the second year, we will continue to work with instructors from year one and additional instructors to increase farm visits. We will continue to assess the impact on student's perceptions regarding
agriculture, farming and food. The need for modification of existing courses or development of new courses will be assessed. We will begin extending the model to other university or outreach farms. The operation of the farm provides much of the content that we want students to experience. Depending on the class, it may be a specific production component such as soil health, organic matter, and the soil food web. Or it may be the big picture integration of how each production or marketing piece contributes to the whole. Unlike a summer season crop production farm, we have year-round production and direct marketing that can be experienced throughout the academic year. The farm management system is primarily organic and biointensive with emphasis on sustainability, biodiversity, high-density plantings and crop rotations. By the fourth year, the farm will be self-sustaining through the sale of subscription memberships in a community supported agriculture (CSA) arrangement that will bring
people to the farm to see where and how their food is produced. Other unique aspects of the student farm will include 1) three, 16 week sessions to allow alignment with the summer, fall and spring semesters; 2) fall and spring planting, production and harvesting of cool season vegetables and leafy greens using polyethylene covered high tunnel greenhouses; 3) multidisciplinary focus around the themes of food and sustainability; and 4) opportunities for self directed learning and research. The farm site will be open to the community and people of all ages to provide opportunities for students to teach. The system developed will be suitable for adoption by other universities.