Celebrate the excitement of Earth Week and emphasize the role agriculture plays in becoming better stewards of our Earth at the upcoming Earth Day on the Farm event at the Ross Student Farm. Join local campus and community members in honoring Earth Day and advocating for a sustainable future on Saturday, April 20, from 1-3pm.
The event, hosted by the Dr. Keiko Miwa Ross Student Farm, will provide free bus services from the Creamery bus pullout to the farm and back, commencing at 12:45pm, with the last bus returning at 3:15pm. The bus will make a loop every 20 minutes.
Led by AmeriCorps members from the Student Farm, students and partners are collaborating to organize this event.
“Becoming better stewards of our planet starts with becoming better stewards of our land, and getting people engaged in a sustainable food system is a big step in that direction,” said Anton Fatula, a Student Farm AmeriCorps member.
Activities will cater to all attendees, ranging from Earth-inspired crafting to wellness activities such as making your own natural tea, farm tours, creating and tasting bean smoothies with our smoothie bike, and more.
We’re excited to offer a vegetable pre-sale opportunity for visitors to purchase cool-season vegetables at the event, about a week in advance of the annual plant sale. Kale, cabbage, lettuce, broccoli, onions, cilantro, strawberries, peas, and more will be hardened-off and ready for planting! Guests will also have the chance to purchase PA Native plants at the event. Visit the Plant Sale webpage for details about plant varieties and pricing.
“There’s no better way to celebrate the Earth than to be outside on the Student Farm with your friends,” said Vancie Peacock, another Student Farm AmeriCorps member. “Whether you come to make your own farm-fresh tea, demo our compost system, buy native plants for your garden, make a yummy bean smoothie, or learn more about growing food sustainably, I personally think you’ll have a blast.”
Following the event, there are two immersive workshops that require preregistration. Our shiitake mushroom workshop offers participants everything they need to know about mushroom cultivation, from inoculation to harvest. All materials are included in the registration fee.
Simultaneously, we will have a worm workshop teaching vermicomposting, an environmentally friendly way to discard fruit and vegetable scraps and save garbage space.
We hope to see you there at this hands-on Earth day celebration! For more information direct questions to Leslie Pillen at lrp143@psu.edu.