Building Community on the Student Farm
One of the three pillars of the Dr. Keiko Miwa Ross Student Farm is “rooted in community.” This phrase represents a large part of the culture on the farm as students, faculty, and community members join together to work towards shared goals. In this blog post I would like to share a little about how I have engaged in community building at the Student Farm.
Recently at the Student Farm we built our 6th and final high tunnel, a structure primarily used for season extension. As an intern, I had the opportunity to participate in the building. Starting early in the morning and working until the afternoon, the volunteers worked as a team to accomplish this goal. As we were chatting, building pieces, and securing the foundation, I felt that I was part of something very meaningful. I was working with my community to build a structure that I will soon work in to produce high-quality, nutritious food for our community. I also was pushed out of my comfort zone and tried tasks that I’ve never done before. This was at times daunting as I was climbing up a tall ladder, but with a fellow intern spotting me and mentors to give directions, I was able to accomplish my task and grow because of it. This experience let me learn firsthand the meaning of “rooted in community.” The Student Farm also builds community through our engagement with the other organizations that are a part of the Sustainable Food Systems Network.
One of the initiatives of the Student Farm and SF Club is to address and combat food insecurity on campus, as well as work with other organizations with the same goal. One aspect of this is our partnerships with the Lion’s Pantry and Food Recovery Network. The Feed the People Market Stand, which has a pay-what-you-can model, is one of the projects that has come out of such partnerships. In the fall, every Wednesday, I would stop by the market stand to pick up some fresh vegetables and make friendly talk with the volunteers working. I felt this was a community building activity because we are able to take initiative in helping our peers in a mutually beneficial way as well as build stronger relationships with organizations and students.
As an intern in the 2024 cohort and Student Farm Club member, I have had the opportunity to engage in many diverse community building experiences. Whether it be building infrastructure on the farm or engaging in food security on campus, this only scratches the surface. There is a multitude of ways to engage with the Student Farm and be a part of a team that is truly “rooted in community.”