>>> THE UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS AT AMHERST HAS
JOINED A SELECT FEW COLLEGE CAMPUSES NATIONWIDE IN HOSTING
THEIR OWN STUDENT RUN FARMERS' THIS FALL, THE OUTDOOR EVENT
WILL BE HELD ON FRIDAY AFTERNOONS UP UNTIL JUST
BEFORE THE THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY BREAK.
CONNECTING POINT'S BRIAN SULLIVAN MET UP
WITH SOME OF THE STUDENTS AND I TO GET A BEHIND THE SCENES
LOOK AT THE WORK THAT'S DONE BEFORE THE PRODUCE MAKES ITS
WAY TO THE VENDING TABLES.
>> LOCATION, THE EAST POND LAWN ON THE U-MASS AMHERST
CAMPUS.
THE DATE, OCTOBER 4, WHICH MAY HAVE BEEN THE FIRST WINDY
FRIDAY OF THE NEW FALL SEASON.
THE EVENT, THE STUDENT-RUN FARMER'S MARKET, WHICH THIS
SEMESTER STARTED ON FRIDAY THE h IN SEPTEMBER AND WILL CONTINUE
EACH FRIDAY BETWEEN THE HOURS OF 12 AND 4:00 P.M.
UNTIL THE 1h OF NOVEMBER.
THE FEELING OF SEEING FELLOW CLASSMATES AND FACULTY
PURCHASING AND ENJOYING THAT CHAFFS DELIVERED TO THE VENDOR
TABLES, THAT'S BEST DESCRIBED BY THE STUDENTS WHO DID THE
DELIVERING?
>> IT'S VERY TOUCHING TO SEE EVERYONE SUPEREXCITED BY THE
FOOD YOU GROW, ESPECIALLY AT A UNIVERSITY.
IT'S LIKE THERE'S SOMETHING SPECIAL ABOUT A TON OF
STUDENTS THAT COME THROUGH, THEY GET BAGS FULL OF
VEGETABLES, I LOVE THAT.
DEFINITELY LIKE EMBODIES ALL THE VALUES, YOU KNOW.
>> TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THAT THIS IS FARM WORK BEING
DONE BY FULL-TIME ACADEMIC STUDENTS.
>> WE'RE RUNNING A 35-ACRE FARM 15 HOURS A WEEK, SO WE
HAVE TO BE ON THE TOP OF OUR GAME.
IT'S AN INCREDIBLE -- INCREDIBLY FUN EXPERIENCE,
THERE'S NOTHING OUT THERE LIKE IT.
SO I THINK WE ARE ALL INVESTED IN THIS FARM AND EACH OTHER.
>> THAT INVESTMENT GOES BEYOND JUST SETTING UP THESE TABLES.
OR LOADING THE TRUCK TO GO TO MARKET OR EVEN THE LABOR
INTENSIVE WASHING AND PACKING OF THE PRODUCE.
NO, THAT INVESTMENT STARTS IN THE EARLY MORNINGS HERE AT 961
NORTH PLEASANT STREET IN THE FARM FIELDS ON THE OUTER
PERIMETER OF CAMPUS.
MOTHER NATURE WAS NICE ENOUGH TO PROVIDE THIS LAYER OF THICK
FOG FOR DRAMATIC EFFECT.
BUT THIS FARM AND ALL OF ITS ACTIVITIES ARE ONLY ONE HALF
OF THE EQUATION.
>> THE STUDENT-RUN FARMERS' MARKET IS A COLLABORATION
WHERE EVERYBODY ON THE LANDSCAPE IS EDIBLE.
>> AND THE PERM A CULTURE INITIATIVE WHICH IS A DESIGN
SYSTEM FOR CREATING EDIBLE LANDSCAPES.
LIKE THIS GARDEN HERE BEHIND THE FRANKLIN COMMONS DINING
HALL.
STARTED BACK IN 2010 THE PROGRAM'S GOAL WAS TO CONVERT
PLOTS LIKE THIS INTO LOW MAINTENANCE AND REP LIWHAT
GARDENS.
ALL THE WHILE PRODUCING FOR HUMAN NEEDS.
SO WHAT DOES THAT ALL MEAN?
>> WE ARE BUILDING SOIL AND REGENERATING RESOURCES IN A
WAY THAT A FOREST OUR SAVANNAH WOULD.
WE ARE BUILDING SOIL FROM THE TOP DOWN.
WE HAVE MULTIPLE LAYERS OF PLANTS, WE FOCUS A LOT ON
PERENNIAL PLANTS, PLANTS THAT COME BACK YEAR AFTER YEAR, NUT
TREES, PERENNIAL VEGETABLES, SO WE HAVE OVER 200 SPECIES OF
PLANTS GROWING IN THIS ONE QUARTER ACRE GARDEN.
THE MAJORITY OF WHICH ARE EDIBLE, MANY OF WHICH ARE
MEDICINAL.
THE OTHERS HAVE OTHER FUNCTIONS, POLLENATES AND
OTHER WILDLIFE.
>> SCATTERED AROUND THIS AREA ARE STRATEGICALLY REPLACED
REMINDERS OR PRINCIPLES ABOUT WHAT IS BEING DONE WITH THIS
LAND AND WHY.
MEANWHILE, BACK ON THE FARM, STUDENTS REAP WHAT'S BEEN
SOWED ON LAND THAT WAS TILLED, AS IMPORTANT AS THE FARMER'S
MARKET, IT'S ONLY ONE STOP OF MANY.
THEY ARE GROWING FOR THE COMMUNITY SUPPORTED
AGRICULTURE PROGRAM OR CSA, WHICH PROVIDES THE CAMPUS
COMMUNITY WITH FRESH ORGANIC PRODUCE EVERY WEEK ON FRIDAYS
DURING THE FALL SEMESTER.
WHILE THE PERMA CULTURE PROGRAM RECEIVES FUNDING
THROUGH THE SCHOOL'S INITIATIVE, WHATEVER PROFITS
ARE MADE FROM SALES WILL GO RIGHT BACK INTO THE FARM.
THAT MEANS THESE YOUNG FARMERS HAD BETTER TURN A PROFIT OR
THERE WON'T BE A PROGRAM TO COME BACK TO.
WHO BETTER TO GUIDE THEM THROUGH THIS ENTERPRISE THAN
SOMEONE WHO LIVES IT HERSELF.
>> IN MY PERSONAL LIFE, THIS IS LIKE WHAT I EAT, BREATHE
AND SLEEP.
WHICH IS THE ESSENCE OF FARMING.
I THINK THAT IS TRUE FOR ALL OF THEM.
IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO TEACH THEM ABOUT THIS CAREER, IT'S
REALLY A LIFESTYLE, IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT YOU GO TO WORK
AND COLLECT A PAYCHECK, THAT'S REALLY NOT WHAT IT'S ABOUT.
>> IT'S POSSIBLE THERE ARE SOME STUDENTS JUST GETTING
THEIR DEGREES, AND THEY MAY NOT MAKE THIS THEIR CAREER
CHOICE, IT'S ALSO POSSIBLE THERE'S AN EVEN BIGGER
EXPERIENCE TO BE HAD IN THE HERE AND NOW THAN JUST
GROWING, HARVESTING, PACKAGING AND SELLING THE FRUITS OF
THEIR LABOR.
>> THIS GIVES THEM A POSSIBILITY TO BE THE
SUSTAINABILITY MOVEMENT THAT'S HAPPENING ALL OVER THE
COUNTRY, EVERYBODY NEEDS TO EAT.
>> EVERYBODY NEEDS FOOD.
>> WE ARE NOT JUST FOCUSING ON ENVIRONMENTALISM HERE, WE ARE
FOCUSING ON HUMAN RELATIONSHIPS AND REBUILDING A
WAY OF LIFE I THINK IS A LITTLE BIT CLOSER TO THE WAY
HUMANS HAVE EVOLVED OVER TIME AS WELL.