Category:University of Wisconsin - Madison
From Campus Growers
F.H. King Students for Sustainable Agriculture
UW-Madison Student Run Farm
To pursue our mission, F.H. King operates a one acre farm located on campus in Eagle Heights community. We follow organic practices, yet do not currently grow on certified organic land. Although F.H. King has two paid garden directors, we rely heavily on our members and volunteers to tend the garden. During the growing season, volunteers plant, weed, and harvest over seventy different varieties of produce. Over seventy-five percent of our produce is then donated back to students on campus. In 2008, this amounted to over 20,000 pounds of organic produce!
To distribute our produce, F.H. King sets up a small farm stand in the middle of campus. Here, we hold “Harvest Handouts,” where we ‘hand out’ our produce. During this time we also get the chance to inform students of how their food is grown and also who grew it. Harvest Handouts also serves as a venue to provide students with tips on how to cook with vegetables such as kohlrabi, which might be unfamiliar to students.
In 2008, F.H. King started a demonstration CSA with ten shares. This was UW-Madison’s first student run CSA. It ran for twenty weeks and generated a small return with which we put right back into purchasing supplies for our farm. During 2009, F.H. King plans on increasing production to twenty shares. This year we have also established a relationship with the local community, Eagle Heights, to sell these shares in hopes to mitigate food insecurities in our neighborhood.
When we’re not out on the land, F.H. King members and volunteers dedicate their time to planning and facilitating hands-on workshops. Workshops and lectures focus on sustainable growing practices, food preparation, cooking and storage as well as how to run a successful garden. Past topics have included cover-cropping, season extension, canning, raw foods preparation, brewing, and cheese making.
By Casey Bilyeu, Administrative Director for F.H. King Students for Sustainable Agriculture
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Pages in category "University of Wisconsin - Madison"
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