The GVSU Sustainable Agriculture Project is a collaboration between students, faculty, and staff to experience sustainable agriculture on the Allendale Campus. The project began with a group of students in 2008 and has expanded over the years to include a variety of different initiatives. We are passionate about contributing to sustainable food systems while building upon our organic farming practices.

Thanks to donations from the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Academic Advising Center, Brooks College of Interdisciplinary Studies, and Student Senate on behalf of Farm Club, the GVSU Sustainable Agriculture Project has two Hoop Houses. These unheated structures are 30' x 72' and are covered by two layers of poly to assist in creating a micro-climate that allows us to have an extended growing season. The houses were installed in mid-August of 2011 and 2012.

A big thanks goes out to all of our Hoop House donors for helping us to extend our growing season without the use of fossil fuels!

SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE PROJECT MISSION STATEMENT

 The GVSU Sustainable Agriculture Project was started by a group of Grand Valley students in 2008, and is a project of the Brooks College of Interdisciplinary Studies. The farm site is on Luce Street on the Allendale campus.

The purposes of the project include:

1. Seeding sustainable food practices

We foster sustainable farming practices to promote ecological and food literacy. The farm strives to implement intensive agricultural practices that are ecologically durable, socially responsible, and economically viable. We promote social and food justice, while exploring various means of sustainable food production.

2. Cultivating leadership and learning

We value student leadership with the continued mentoring and support of faculty and the farm manager. We foster student leadership through the Farm Club, volunteerism, internships, and student-led research. The farm is a student-led space.

We value sustainable food system education that is rigorous and experiential. The project provides support to courses across the university. We encourage research projects that are student-initiated and/or interdisciplinary. We wish to foster collaboration and experimentation within all teaching and learning in the project.

3. Nurturing place

We value land and its ecological integrity. Place-based learning is at the heart of our work. The project sites provide places where the practical, political, ecological, and symbolic challenges of such work can be negotiated and explored.

4. Growing community

The project is rooted in community. We seek to grow relationships by providing a space for dialogue across disciplinary boundaries, the negotiation of interdisciplinary practices, and the contestation of ideas.

The project is run as a collaborative effort among students, faculty, administrators, the Office of Sustainability Practices and Facilities Services & Planning.