Quick Highlights:
- Our #1 ranked school for farming is Warren Wilson College followed by College of the Ozarks.
- College farms give students real farming experience, combining class learning with working on the farm.
- Students can work with different plants and animals, learning a wide range of farming skills.
- These farms often focus on eco-friendly farming and involve local communities in their activities.
The addition of farms to college campuses has grown over the past decade. The reasons for this growth are as varied as the farm schools in the U.S. themselves. Farm-to-table meals at restaurants are becoming increasingly popular. This requires many students in the food industry to have some background in agriculture, sustainability, and food production.
Today’s college farms are not simply research facilities as they have been in the past. College farms provide students with hands-on experience in the growth of crops and animals. Students are able to learn more about how plants thrive, what can damage their growth, and how best to maximize yield in a crop. The life-cycle of animals is demonstrated first-hand. This provides information for all types of career paths, including veterinary medicine and pharmaceutical development.
Campus farms also provide benefits to the community. Although the main purpose of a campus farm is for students to learn, they also provide opportunities for student organizations. Many of these organizations serve the community that surrounds the campus. Some campuses arrange for tables at local farmers’ markets. The students can sell the fresh produce or other products produced by the farm. This allows them to build networks within the community that can help further them in their careers.
There is ample research to indicate that spending time in green space restores mental clarity and refocuses attention. Gardening and managing animals has long been known to reduce anxiety and depression. It has also helped many hospital patients recover quickly. Farms provide a powerful social atmosphere. This gives participants ownership in what is produced.
Sustainability is a big factor in environmental concerns today. More people are seeking ways to sustain quality of living while reducing their carbon footprint. Campus farms provide insight into ways to live a more healthy, frugal and natural lifestyle. This makes a college farm beneficial for students studying nutrition, sports medicine, and other human health programs.
These 35 colleges with farms are considered the top ranking in the United States. The farm integrates well with students on campus, providing all students with the opportunity to benefit from the farm. In addition, they are strongly integrated into the community with students interacting with local citizens as part of their education in a way that may not be possible without the farm. The farms are sustainable. Each of them has courses taught directly on the farm, not just in a classroom.
Warren Wilson College
The Warren Wilson College farm is a resource for students that allows them to meet the triad expected at the college – Work, Community Engagement and Academics. Students are responsible for running a livestock and mixed-crop operation as a working farm. There is a focus on sustainable farming practices. Students are required to have a strong work ethic. The farm was founded in 1894 when the Asheville Farm School was established. It has a reputation for “farm-to-table” quality. All beef served in the dining halls are raised on the farm as is the produce. Pesticides and herbicides are not used on the farm. In order to graduate, the Triad must be completed and the c