There is no better way to spend Earth Day than on the Farm! On Friday, April 22, students made their way from the Earth Day fair on Cross Campus to the Old Acre to participate in one of the last Friday workdays of the spring semester. In the prophaus, students propagated indigo, parsley, and basil plants. In the plot nearest Edwards Street, students prepped the soil and planted Green Wave and Red Giant mustards and collard seedlings. Students then watered the newly transferred plants, welcoming them to their new homes. Farm managers also took on the routine tasks of turning the compost and tending to the chickens, who are happy to be back on the Old Acre after a long winter away.
Students had the opportunity to learn about agroforestry berm pollination with Raffa Sindoni, YSE ’23. While the Farm was alive with workday participants, under the Lazarus Pavilion, Rachel Sayet—a member of the Mohegan nation and an Indigenous educator, anthropologist, Reiki practitioner, and essential oil crafter—demonstrated how to make a dish from local forageable foods: fiddleheads, ramps, maitake mushrooms (Hen of the Woods), and sunflower oil. Rachel came to campus as part of Professor Debbie Coen’s Making Climate Knowledge first-year seminar. The ingredient Rachel cooked was then used as a pizza topping. In the company of friends and the Farm’s brilliantly colored tulips, students lingered extra long on Friday afternoon, listening to the student band Friends of Kanaan’s performance.
Many thanks to all who attended. Photos of the event by Reese Neal ‘25 and Sarah Feng ‘25 can be found here.