History
Dr. Jennifer Reeve, Dr. Dan Drost, and over thirty USU graduate and undergraduate students broke ground on the USU Student Organic Farm in the spring of 2008. The farm provides a “hands-on” student laboratory for teaching students about best practices in both organic farming and gardening.
Interested in joining?
Students from all disciplines are welcome! Sign up for PSC 4900, spring or fall semester, to learn how to build a successful organic farm from the soil up. It's an incredible opportunity for anyone interested in the nuts and bolts of sustainable food systems to get hands-on instruction from USU soil scientist Dr. Jennifer Reeve and small farms outreach extension specialist Dr. Melanie Stock.
At the close of spring semester, five student interns are employed to work for the duration of the field season. This usually includes two experienced students returning for their second season on the farm as farm managers. Although the students come from various backgrounds and are pursuing many different majors, they are all passionate about organic farming and sustainable agricultural.
Technical support and mentorship is generously extended by administrators and faculty of the Plant, Soil and Climate department in the College of Agriculture, and the staff and faculty at Greenville Research Farm,
The farm provides an opportunity for students to acquire the many skills critical to creating a successful market or backyard garden. The farm’s produce is sold on campus every week, as well as through a large Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program. All proceeds support the student farm, providing for operating expenses, equipment purchases and modest student stipends.
At the close of spring semester, five student interns are employed to work for the duration of the field season. This usually includes two experienced students returning for their second season on the farm as farm managers. Although the students come from various backgrounds and are pursuing many different majors, they are all passionate about organic farming and sustainable agricultural.
Technical support and mentorship is generously extended by administrators and faculty of the Plant, Soil and Climate department in the College of Agriculture, and the staff and faculty at Greenville Research Farm,
The farm provides an opportunity for students to acquire the many skills critical to creating a successful market or backyard garden. The farm’s produce is sold on campus every week, as well as through a large Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program. All proceeds support the student farm, providing for operating expenses, equipment purchases and modest student stipends.
Meet the 2023 Team
"The student farm gives students the opportunity to experience running a small business from the ground up. It is a lot of hard work and also an amazing opportunity. This year, we have another amazing group of young people, Abbey, Holly, Talitha, Savannah, and Bridger, who are ready and excited for the challenge. They bring with them experience in horticulture, plant science, gardening, dietetics, and integrated pest management. I am honored to be their mentor." - Dr. Reeve
Dr. Jennifer Reeve and Dr. Dan Drost, alongside the efforts of over 30 undergraduate and graduate students, founded the USU Organic Farm through which countless learning opportunities and are provided to students and through which countless learning opportunities are provided to students and through which we are able to deliver produce to you!
Originally from England Dr. Reeve earned a Bachelor of Science in Ecology from the University of Sheffield in 1995 followed by a MS and PhD in Soil Science from Washington State University in 2003 and 2007. Dr. Reeve currently oversees work on the farm with the assistance of our student farm managers. Nate Ducasse
Nate is Dr. Reeves farm technician. He recently graduated with a degree in sustainable farming after managing the farm for two years. He has helped create the farm that you see today like the four out of the six high tunnels he built. He grew up in Southern California and landed in Utah after doing a google search for "top 10 farming schools" and seeing that USU was the cheapest. That turned out to be the best decision he ever made, not just because of the great outdoor access and farming education; he also met his fiancé at Utah State University and recently proposed to in the Tetons. They now live with their two cats, and enjoy travelling, hanging out with friends, reading, and spending as much time in the mountains as possible. "Among the farm interns and lab students alike, Nate has earned the nickname "Saint Nate" for his tendency to swoop in and save the day. Nate is as hard a worker as any, but he does so with patience and diligence that is hard to come by. Farm work is no easy task, but Nate's ability to think creatively, troubleshoot, and lead with humility and graciousness helps to lighten the load a little--even on long, hot days in the field. Many of us on the farm are lucky to call him both coworker and friend. If you could bottle up the personality of a golden retriever and the wisdom of a wise king and mix them together...that would be Nate. Everyone deserves to have someone like Nate in their corner, the world would truly be a better place!" -Abbey Holly Boehme
Holly is new to the farm and is the CSA manager on the farm. She manages the budget and our finances. She is the person you meet on our pickup days. "Hi! I am the CSA Manager. I am excited to learn more about the world of organic plant farming and thoroughly enjoy creating our weekly newsletters. I am originally from a small farm town in Southern Utah. The picture above shows some of those beautiful red rocks right from one of our pieces of land. I grew up working with cattle and tending to the land. My husband and I live in Providence and we love Cache Valley! I am currently studying at USU in the Dietetics program and I love it! I love anything food and you can find me enjoying a chocolatey dessert often. I believe food is more than just food, it's something that can bring joy. It's a huge component of overall health, yet it's a pathway to connection between people and cultures. I love everything outdoors and can be found on a walk, hike, dirt bike or mountain bike ride. I love to read, when I have time, and enjoy many different genres of music. Jazz and Classical piano have a special place in my heart. I am excited to get to know each of you! Cheers to an amazing harvest season!" -Holly "Holly is truly an amazing person and a true soul. She was willing to jump in mid season to help us out and she is an incredibly hard worker. Now that she's apart of the team I can't imagine it without her. She has been an amazing addition to the team, it feels like she has been a part of out little farm family this whole time. Her laugh lights up the room, giving even stressful situations a more lighthearted feeling. She asks a lot of really great and intelligent questions that I don't always know the answers to. Her curiosity always amazes me, along with her willingness to learn. She is jumps into to help anywhere that she can, even when she doesn't know what we're doing and learns very quickly. I can't wait to learn more about her as the season continues." -Talitha Savannah
Savannah is one of our farm interns who work on the farm regularly and devotes her time to the farms needs. "My name is Savannah, I'm a community college transfer and new to the valley. Truth be told, I feel like I've been going to school forever. Learning new things is my greatest joy. I'm pursuing holistic medicine and acupuncture. Eventually I'd like to grow my own herbs, and being on the farm has taught me a lot. I'm working as an assistant midwife and a caregiver to gain experience in the medical field. My career ambitions are essentially just patchwork of my curiosity. In my free time, I love all things outdoors, and I'm happiest in the water. I also love to travel. I love experimenting with different art mediums, particularly with a good audiobook in the background." -Savannah "Savannah is a great farmer and an even greater friend. Quick to ask observant questions and learn, I feel that she has grown a lot so far this season on the farm. It's cool to see her understanding of the farming system increase, and she seems to bond easily with the other students. Savannah is interested in a lot of different things, and I love watching her pursue each one whole heartedly! I'm blessed to be a part of her life during this time period, and excited to see all the different things she'll do and places she'll go." -Nate |
Abigail Laizer Abbey is our Student Organic Farm Manager this year. When it comes to organic farming, Abbey sees the interplay of the community as an essential part of not only what we are doing here on the USU Student Organic Farm, but as an essential part of not only what we are doing here on the USU Student Organic Farm, but as essential to any organic farm. Organic farming is the communities that come together to make it possible! "When I think of organic farms, I think not only of the abundance of natural communities of plant insects, fungi, and soil microbes, but also of the human communities that participate in a reciprocal exchange of nourishment. For me, this word "community" encapsulates both the natural and human dimensions of agriculture, so that when I imagine my future, I envision robust communities of plants and insects, gathering of scientists and students who come to learn, neighbors who came to admire and fill their arms with produce, and artists who bring paints to capture the beauty of it all. As I continue my education, I hope to contribute to the expansion of organic agriculture through research and community engagement to one day cultivate a community of my own organic farm." -Abbey "Abbey is truly inspiring. There are few people I have been able to learn form who are as hard-working, focused, and driven as Abbey is. The more I get to know her, the more I realize how much I can learn from her. She shows up promptly at the farm every morning willing to tackle the tasks at hand, and without any complaints. Abbey has been at every major checkpoint in the farm's planning, growth, and steady maintenance of the entire season so far. She is always making sure that the farm is running smoothly and that our CSA members are taken care of. There have been some challenging points this season, but Abbey has been the sturdy rock that people can always count on. The farm would not be what it is today if it weren't for Abbey's persistence and dedication to making the season the best that it can be. Abbey is not only hard working, but she is genuinely kind and selfless. She is easy to get along with and is the type of person you feel as though you have known for longer than you actually have. We love Abbey and we are grateful for her every day!" -Holly Talitha Christensen
Talitha is our Outreach Manager on the farm this year. She oversees the social media platforms and the outreach events that take place at the farm. She also creates flyers for the events to try and reach the public. Talitha, Abbey, and Holly work very closely in the endeavors of getting publicity to the farm, along with creating fundraising ideas. "I am a senior plant science major. I love working with people and being involved in the community. I want to be able to help the community around me and help people be aware of the opportunities around them, that is why I work as a team lead for the Aggie First Scholars and I work for the Office of Equity during the school year. I also love hiking and reading, but most of all I like to spend time with my dog. I am also married to my wonderful husband who is in the Army. My husband comes to the farm in is his free time to occasionally help out. Working with plants is my happy place and something that is intriguing to me. I feel like I am making the world a better place one plant at a time." -Talitha "Our outreach manager, Talitha, plays a crucial role in the organization for the marketing processes and advertising of the student organic farm. It is a lot of work on and off the farm, but when the position opened up, she volunteered with no hesitation. Talitha not only plays an important role in the community development around the farm, but also a beloved member of our little farm family. Like a true sister, she likes to throw sass at me. Her and I often have fun to disagree, squabble, and argue with each other but we're always laughing about it. She's smarter than than she gives herself credit for, and I've enjoyed watching her knowledge and passion for farming grow as the season progresses. Our little farm family wouldn't be the same without her." -Bridger Bridger Carey
Bridger is one of our farm interns that work on the farm regularly working hard on maintaining the farm and keeping pests to a minimum. "I am a senior attending USU for a bachelors degree in plant science with an emphasis in research. I grew up in St. George, UT and transferred to USU from Utah Tech University. I have a strong passion for life, not just living it, but learning of it! I'm fascinated by life in all of its forms, and how every living thing plays its part. I love working for the USU Student Organic Farm because I get to apply the things I learn in my classes while doing work that is not clearly enjoyable but also very rewarding. When I'm not busy working, one of my favorite things to do is identify and forage edible plants and fungi. It gives me an objective on hikes and more reasons to get out there rather than just an inclined walk to a destination. It is exciting to find something you wanted to try specifically. My plan is to one day run my own homestead, and hopefully help others in doing the same!" -Bridger "Bridger is affectionately referred to as 'podcast' on the farm, by 6 am he's bursting with things to share, including but not limited to: which plants are in the mint family (basil, thyme, rosemary, lavender), ideas about whether the teeth marks in our squash belong to a marmot or deer, how its possible to trellis cucumbers and peppers to optimize space and tiled, what the world would be like if plants were sentient, huckleberry foraging, the shortcomings of hydroponic tomatoes, and the rules of dart games... I think that it's safe to say we've lost count of how many things we've learned from Bridger, or how many times he's made us laugh with his wild ideas, sarcasm, and wit. He's always keen to learn, and does a good job of asking insightful questions...including us even when he's in 'podcast' mode. Our days would be boring without him." -Savannah |