Amid rising economic insecurity and heightened uncertainty, the Purdue Student Farm is doing all it can to keep its local community healthy and well-fed. The usual outlets the farm sells to, mainly campus dining venues, are closed due to the COVID-19 virus, but the farm is still active and producing. Currently, the farm supplies Food Finders Food Bank and the on-campus ACE Food Pantry with fresh produce.
Over the last three weeks, Steve Hallett, horticulture and landscape architecture professor and advisor to the student farm, said, they have donated 100 bags of fresh greens to Food Finders every Monday and Thursday.
“There is a possibility that there may be some shortages of fresh vegetables as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, especially in donations to organizations such as Food Finders, and we want to do our part for our community,” Hallett said.
Currently, leafy greens are mainly what’s available for harvest but Chris Adair, the student farm manager, said they will continue making donations to pantries as new crops become ready to harvest and this crisis persists.
“We’re going to run the farm for as long and as normally as possible,” he continued. “We try to always promote the idea that access to healthy food is essential for every community, not just during times like this.”
External Link: Purdue Student Farm is helping to stock local food pantries with fresh produce