Students of the Iowa State University donning casual tees, covered in mud and carefully pulling up weeds as they distinguish between different stages of perennial chives, rhubarb, etc., with their diligently gloved hands might be an unusual sight 20 years ago, but today, a whole new concept of farming has evolved from among the youth in campus.
About two decades back, the lure of multiple small-scale farming groups on the coast pulled shoppers to the markets for their fresh produce and their rich practice of sustainable agriculture. The same was adopted by a group of university students who started cultivating in farms for local consumption. Thus emerged the first 'community-supported-agriculture' (CSA) farm in the area, marking a new trend of sustainable growth in the heartland.
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Student Organisation Farm began in the 90s' as a practical application of sustainability in agriculture. As more and more learners of agronomy enrolled for a dedicated weekly programme, the work got divided, and productive. "I didn't know how passionate I [would] become for physical work," says culinary science major Heidi Engelhardt.
"People want to work in kitchens and they want to work in big cities. And that is important, but it's also important to have that farming aspect. And I think I'm very lucky to have discovered that" adds Heidi as she walks towards the student farm landscaped by basic agricultural tools and farming equipments in the campus.
An agricultural Land using liquid fertilizers. Image source: Wikimedia Commons
The Student Organic Farm, where working is often independent of academic interests, works on the model of CSA. Boxes full of freshly produced soybeans, corns and other plants are sent out to the local community during the ripe growing season. Those among students who work three hours a week are entitled to a discounted subscription price.
"Its' hands-on learning," says agronomy professor Mary Wiedenhoeft, who serves as an academic adviser on the farm. "And so that's why the student organic farm is really unique."
"Not a lot of people in agronomy are going in my direction," says Riley Madole, who has a paid job as the summer farm manager. Riley aims to pursue the work as career after he graduates in December. As he talks about students assisting in dumping of handfuls of weeds into barrows so the compost doesn't grow on farms, he adds, "whether it be straight organic or just reduced pesticide use," its' the kind of work he would love to do.
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Other than growth assistance and weed removal, students learn to grow food, take care of plants, manage a business, work as a team and know how recruitment works. All the same is inclusive of the added benefit of getting to savor the fruits of their labour, literally.
"I went out and harvested some Brussels sprouts and they're now my favorite vegetable," says senior Becca Clay, an agronomy major who joined the farm in her first semester.
Culinary science students express how they assimilated knowledge of their course while working in farms by gaining experience on how to "incorporate fresh herbs into cooking" and other similar tasks. About 40 different fruits, vegetables and herbs are on the list for the present season of growth at the Iowa Student Organisation Farms.
"I really like beets," says meteorology student Kati Togliatti who started eating beets only after she enrolled as a student volunteer in the farm.
-by Maariyah Siddiquee, an intern at NewsGram. Twitter: @MaariyahSid
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