Duke

The Duke Campus Farm is a long-term project to construct a fully functional and educational farm. The farm aspires to engage students with food issues, increase sustainability at Duke, and influence campus culture to reconnect students with their food. The farm's fruits, vegetables, and herbs are served in Duke dining halls run by Bon Appétit, including The Great Hall and The Marketplace.  Due to lower demand in campus eateries during the summer, the farm is also offering a limited summer CSA and selling produce at the Duke Farmers' Market.  Through community workdays, workshops and other events on the site, the farm provides a place where students, faculty, staff, and members of the community to learn about food and farming.

The farm's two main objectives are:

• Provide diverse experiential and academic offerings to the entire Duke community around food issues, and
• Increase access to and consumption of local, sustainable and student-grown food on campus.

November 2010 marked the beginning of a one-year, one-acre pilot project, when students broke ground to plant a winter cover crop.  The first spring harvest took place in April 2011.  In August 2011, the first full-time farm manager was hired, supported by Sustainable Duke and Duke Dining.  The farm continues to expand fruit and vegetable operations with each season.

The farm is already serving as an important educational forum.  In 2011, six courses involved collaboration with the farm, which was originally born out of the ENV 171 class, taught by Charlotte Clark, in Spring 2010.

The Duke Campus Farm is a place where students, faculty, staff, and members of the community to learn about farming and food and truly understand our connection to the land.

Visit the Duke Campus Farm website and blog for more background on the farm, current events, and information on how to get involved.