Northern Michigan University’s food pantry collaborates with Controlled Environment Agriculture program for service learning project

Northern Michigan University’s food pantry is collaborating with its Controlled Environment Agriculture program to give students a service-learning opportunity that will provide freshly grown produce to those who utilize the food pantry. The initiative is made possible through a $125,000 Swipe Out Hunger grant, which will also support updated decor and furnishings for the food pantry, establishment of a satellite location, and another hoop house to create additional growing space for the pantry.

According to an article on Northern Michigan University’s website, Michelle Jacob, the coordinator of the NMU Food Pantry, was quoted as saying of the origin of the collaboration, “When we were one of four colleges in Michigan to receive the competitive grant, there was a big focus on sustainability. Shelf-stable goods came regularly from Feeding America shipments and local donors, but fresh produce was the missing piece. I approached Kari [Farkas-Lasich] from the CEA program about a collaboration. She was excited about the service learning potential and we made it happen. Food doesn't get more fresh than growing it on campus and transporting it a very short distance.”

Jacob noted of the campus food pantry, “I came from a very poor background, and I know what it's like to be hungry. To help make sure others aren't feeling that way means a lot because you can't be hungry and show up for class and be successful. Fresh food helps with physical and mental health. It also reinforces NMU's emphasis on sustainability because produce is grown on campus, transportation needs are eliminated and growing conditions are carefully regulated to minimize waste.”

Two students from the Controlled Environment Agriculture program are currently conducting a service-learning project to grow fresh produce for the campus food pantry. The students are growing three lettuce varieties, cilantro, basil, and mint, all of which grow well in hydroponic environments. The produce is readily available for anyone who visits the pantry, providing a fresh component to the boxed and canned food that most often stocks the pantry’s shelves.

Lehren Olk-Szost, who is an assistant professor in the CEA program, noted that this service-learning project is a sort of pilot program for a service-learning course that, in the future, will allow students to partner with local farms to utilize their greenhouse growing skills.

Olk-Szost said, “The students are going from the learning unit, where they have a little more time to develop the skills for growing in these systems, to this type of full-scale work designed to grow as much food as they can in as little time as possible. It really accelerates things and applies their skills in plant science and production into meaningful, real-world community service. Both students are excited to gain experience that will enhance their resumes and be helpful when they get onto a farm where that scenario is mirrored.”

One student working on the project, Raymond Greimel, explained his experience, saying, “It's really awesome to know that we're doing a positive thing by providing fresh and healthy options for those facing food insecurity. Food pantries mainly have non-perishable items, so it's great that we're able to grow greens and herbs that are not shipped from who knows where and make them easily accessible. It's also cheaper and more sustainable to grow produce on campus.”

Also involved in the collaboration are students in the university’s Construction Management program. They have built the display islands that the produce is placed on within the food pantry, as well as the raised plant beds and a produce washing station which recaptures water for use in hoop house irrigation.

For more information about Northern Michigan University, visit the school’s website.