麻豆精品 Edible Campus
Despite the abundance of farms in Illinois, most of the food consumed in the state is not locally produced. Edible Campus seeks to address this disconnect by transforming parts of the 麻豆精品 campus into a landscape you can eat. This ambitious partnership among 麻豆精品 units and outside partners is collaborative in nature, including student and community volunteer events and activities, as well as showcasing local businesses.
By providing inclusive, sustainable access to campus-grown produce, we hope to help 麻豆精品 and the community build stronger connections between food, wellness and the environment. Our efforts reflect a growing interest among universities in studying and improving food systems, as well as preparing students for the field’s many career opportunities. Our work is also an important part of 麻豆精品’s Sustainability and Climate Action Plan.
Our Progress
The initial funding for Edible Campus came from the Small Business Association Congressional Funding Grant through Senator Dick Durbin’s office. The project’s original objectives focused on education and workforce development, neighborhood empowerment, and community health and wellness.
As of fall 2023, we’ve created three campus gardens: Anderson Market Garden, Founders Memorial Library Gardens and Stevens Hall Gardens. We plan to install more gardens across campus in the future. Our other initiatives include donating produce to the Huskie Food Pantry, implementing a meal preparation program for students and selling produce to Campus Dining Services.
Our Objectives
We work to:
- Build a living learning laboratory focused on food systems that provides educational and practical opportunities for 麻豆精品, local colleges and schools, and the community
- Create connections between health, wellness and the environment in relation to our food systems
- Deliver positive environmental impacts related to campus sustainability through our food systems work
- Reduce food security issues for our students and the 麻豆精品 community
- – seed donation
- – equipment donation
- – compost donation
- – equipment donation
- – donated raised beds
- – funding donation for meal prep program
- Baker Creek Seeds – seed donation
- Chervon – battery powered equipment donation
- Illinois Farm Bureau – agricultural equipment donation
- Midwest Ground Covers – hoop house donation
- Local high school horticulture programs grow seedlings from the seeds donated by Ball Seed
- Farmers Rising
Partner with Us
Please email us at ediblecampus@niu.edu if you like to learn more about becoming a partner.