The goal of the student farm is to allow students to learn about sustainable agriculture practices while creating produce that can be served in the dining halls.  We have been working closely with Bon Appetit Management Company, Lafayette’s dining service company, in order to make this happen.  Beginning in the summer of 2013 LaFarm has been able to harvest and deliver all of our produce to Lafayette Colleges dining services.  Enjoy!

A Student Farm Dedicated to Academics

We try to incorporate academics into everything we do at the student farm so it continues to be an educational experience for all.

1. Course Integration:  Over the years, many professors have incorporated the garden in some way into their classes.  From art to engineering, to english and anthropology, we have had many disciplines involved.
2. Independent student-faculty sustainable agriculture research projects:  We have had the opportunity to support summer research students in projects pertaining to agriculture.  In the past topics have included soils, pests, and weed control methods.
3. Faculty-student research projects: We have had faculty work on site for different projects with students.  For example, the biology department uses space at the farm to grow milkweed for a project, and a civil engineering group designed and built our rainwater collection system.

We are always looking for more academic integration, so if you are a faculty member with an idea to incorporate a class contact Sarah at edmondss@lafayette.edu for more information.

If you are a student interested in research, have an idea for a research project, or think a class could be improved by a trip to the farm, talk to you professor, contact Sarah; or one of the professors already dedicated to LaFarm: Prof. Ben Cohen in Engineering Studies, Prof. Kira Lawrence or Prof. Dru Germanoski in Environmental Sciences and Studies (and Geology,) Prof. Dave Brandes in Civil Engineering, or Prof. Cliff Reiter in Mathematics.