Nobody loves playing in the dirt quite like members of the Grand Valley State University Farm Club, and in order to promote the continued growth of agriculture at GVSU, the Farm Club is sponsoring Down on the Farm, a dinner and benefit to support the university Sustainable Agriculture Project.

“We hope to bring together students, staff, faculty and members of the community under one roof and inform them of the state of agricultural programs and projects at Grand Valley and let people know that there is a movement trying to emerge, and that is the movement towards creating a collaborative space on campus where students can learn about sustainable agriculture,” said senior Kendall Gilbert, vice president of the Farm Club and a student representative of the Community Garden Council.

Down on the Farm, which will be held March 3 in Room 215 of the L.V. Eberhard Center on the Pew Campus, will begin with a 5 p.m. cocktail hour and auction. Dinner is scheduled for 6 p.m.

The Farm Club is a student organization that was formed at the end of this past semester to help students get involved with sustainable agriculture, said professor Kelly Parker, a member of the Agricultural Council and adviser to the Farm Club.

“There’s a real interest in sustainability at Grand Valley and people come at it for all kinds of reasons,” Parker said. “This project is important because it’s right on the campus, it’s a great opportunity for people to get involved, to be hands on in the dirt and learn how small-scale agriculture can work.”

The main focus of the Sustainable Agriculture Project focuses around what used to be known as the Community Garden.

“We’re really too big to call ourselves a garden,” said Levi Gardner, garden operations manager. “By definition, a community garden doesn’t grow crops and probably isn’t going to be sold at farmer’s markets, like we have been. We’re trying to connect with not just being a farm, but also connect with the broader mission of experiential learning.”

The event will also feature guest speaker Mike Hamm, the chair of sustainable agriculture at Michigan State University. Hamm will speak on the Good Food Charter and sustainable food initiatives that are taking place throughout Michigan.

“We are hoping to expose attendees to the ongoing effort to make agriculture and community gardening a part of the GVSU campus community,” Gilbert said. “We hope to inspire people who have never heard about the community garden to become involved in this project and to encourage those who already know about the community garden to continue supporting this project through their involvement and outreach.”

Tickets to the event are $30 for the general public, and $10 for students. To register for the event, visit www.gvsu.edu/sustainableagproject. Registration for the event will end on March 1. For more information, e-mail [email protected].

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