Mark Van Horn, the long-time director of the well-known student farm at UC Davis, will present at the Sustainable Agriculture Working Group (SAWG) spring seminar on Friday, February 13 from 12:20-1:10pm in room 101 ASI. His presentation will include lessons learned from the UC Davis student farm. A Q&A session will follow, from 1:30-2:30 in 118 ASI (across the hall).
Mark Van Horn is director of the UC Davis Student Farm, a program of the Agricultural Sustainability Institute (ASI), and a lecturer in the Department of Plant Sciences.
As director of the 20 acre Student Farm, he has guided the growth and development of a program dedicated to experiential learning in agriculture, sustainability, the environment, food, nutrition, education and allied areas for over 25 years. The Farm provides diverse hands-on learning opportunities to students from many majors and graduate groups. Students participate through internships and formal courses, as volunteers and student employees, and by conducting individual research or special projects. The program also serves both children and youth with educational programs and supports teachers and others who teach these populations in schools and other venues.
Van Horn’s teaching activities have included courses on sustainable agriculture, agricultural ecosystems, and organic farming and he mentors dozens of interns and graduate student researchers each year. He has played key roles in the development of UC Davis’ major in sustainable agriculture and food systems.
His publications focus on various aspects of sustainable and organic farming and sustainable agriculture education. Van Horn has several years of experience farming in California and the Midwest and MS degrees in plant breeding (University of Minnesota) and pest management (UC Davis).
UC Davis Market Garden
UC Davis Student Farm