Campus Farm Shares Produce with Community

You don’t need a cape to be a pandemic hero. Students and staff from Chatham University’s Eden Hall Campus helped provide fresh, local produce to Chatham students, staff, and members of the Richland Township community during a time when staying local was the safest thing to do.

Farm Manager Tony Miga, MSUS ‘14

By mid-March, Elsalma, a four-acre field located on Chatham University’s Eden Hall Campus (EHC), was being prepped for summer farming while the greenhouses were in full production. Tony Miga MSUS ’14, Farm Manager and Chatham alum, was happy to see these organic tomatoes, beets, and carrots growing so well, but they had nowhere to go since the COVID-19 pandemic had forced many of the farm’s buyers to close. Normally, the farm sells 75% of what is produced directly to Parkhurst, Chatham University’s dining service. Another 15% goes to local restaurants and about 5-10% goes home with faculty and staff. “We were one of the only parts of the University that didn’t get shut down,” notes Miga. “The pandemic really affected our planning because we didn’t know what was going to happen. The biggest challenge was figuring out what the demand was going to be. We didn’t want to waste food.”

The Eden Hall Campus farm saw a need to provide produce to students and faculty that had previously relied on the university’s dining service. Since Parkhurst had slowed its operations due to Covid-19, workers on the farm filled the gap and provided weekly drop-offs of produce to students and faculty members. Produce was collected using masks and gloves, then was separated into bags to avoid too many people handling the produce. Bagged rations consisted of produce like tomatoes, greens, beets, carrots, and even squash that had been held in storage. With people out of work and students in need of healthy meal options, the farm provided this service free of charge to the campus community. “I’m really proud of how many things we can do with only one full-time worker,” expressed Erna Špeļa ‘21, one of the student farmworkers and current Masters of Sustainability grad student. “Summer is the busiest time on the farm. As students left, we had fewer people on the farm but more to do.” Dedicated student workers kept the farm in operation and made sure that those who needed it were provided with healthy food. Farm workers took this duty a step farther by reaching out to the community surrounding EHC.

Locals from neighborhoods bordering EHC were delighted to find that a pop-up farm stand had opened along Woodland Road. “Turnout was great. People really wanted to get outside, and we had a lot of people walking by,” explains Špeļa. The pop-up farm stand offered buyers a chance to avoid the supermarket and still have access to fresh, organic produce. To ensure that everyone who needed food was able to get it, the produce was sold on a pay-what-you-can basis. Špeļa tells us, “We also sold maple syrup and honey,” both of which are produced on EHC. Many student workers embraced the changes made at the farm; it was a nice respite from the realities of the pandemic, a safe space to be outside, and it gave workers an opportunity to be a part of something bigger.

 The Eden Hall Campus farm at Chatham University provides educational opportunities not found anywhere else. Student workers can work hands-on in all aspects of organic farming, including seeding, harvesting, and preparing beds for next season. Students are encouraged to get involved by contacting Tony Miga by email or reaching out to @EdenHallFarm on Instagram.