Amherst College's Farm: A Summary

Writer and science teacher at Smith College, Naila Moreira, examines sustainably grown food at college campuses, specifically Amherst College’s farm in Amherst, MA. About four years ago Amherst began a new initiative of operating a college farm with the help of student workers called Book and Plow Farm. The food that was grown in this farm would then be partially supplied to the college’s dining halls, providing students with fresh, locally grown food. This topic of locally grown and sustainable food is extremely important due to the growing movement about the importance of where one’s food comes from. In addition, the author notes these pioneering college programs provide sustainable models that can compete with industrial farms, and more …show more content…
Amherst College’s farm very much so reminded me of Loyola’s own Winthrop Garden, and their initiative to sell their produce at the farmer’s market. While the author provided great detail about the origin of the farm, and its struggles, I wish they would have added a bit more about how they grow their food. Numerous times it is mentioned that they are very sustainable in their production of food, but I wish they went into a bit more detail of how they accomplish this goal. I would have liked to learn more about what types of food they grow at the farm, and how it contributes to the school. Some foods may be region specific, which are important to consider when developing your own farm/garden. Also, it would have been interesting if they noted any foods that did not do so well in their garden, either for climate reasons or due to tastes of the area. It is important to know your audience when planting different sorts of produce. In addition, I feel like a student perspective may have been helpful in the article. The piece mentions how a big goal of the farm is to educate young minds about sustainable farming, but I wish they would have included more personal testimonies from the students about what they have learned from Book and Plow. It is important to get the viewpoint of all those who are involved in the farming process, not just the leaders of the