Oxford College has established a new organic farm adjacent to its campus in order to produce organic food and provide new educational opportunities, Dean and CEO of Oxford College Stephen Bowen said.
The farm, made possible by an 11 and a half-acre donation from an Emory alum, will produce revenue by its third year and sustain itself financially, Bowen said. He added that it will produce thousands of pounds of food, some of which the Oxford dining hall will serve.
Additionally, Bowen said students will have the opportunity to choose work study assignments on the farm. Professors also intend to integrate the farm into coursework and develop research programs.
Bowen said that the farm was characteristic for the Oxford community. Because Oxford attracts students with a variety of interests, he expects students to become involved in the development of the farm.
"The idea is to engage students with their food and where it comes from," professional organic farmer and leader of Oxford's new farm Daniel Parson said.
Parson said he foresees a variety of disciplines – including ecology, biology, business and sociology – being able to integrate the farm into their curriculum.
Parson, who has previously created two other organic farms in the Southeast, is a leader in the organic farming community, Bowen said. He was chosen from a pool of 50 applicants.
"He is the perfect person to do this," Bowen said. "[He is] extremely confident, a good people person, so he's going to work very well with the education part of the program."
Parson is currently working to improve drainage, build a barn for storage and prepare to plant cover crops, which will improve soil fertility. He will plant the first crops midsummer for the fall harvest.
"[I] will be growing things right away," Parson said. "There's no way I can have land and not put seeds in the ground."
The farm will primarily grow fruits and vegetables. It will grow at least 100 different crops, which will rotate annually, Bowen said. After each crop is harvested, a cover crop will take its place in order to restore soil nutrients. According to Bowen, this rotation will allow the farm to support a variety of crops.
While it is currently in its beginning stages and will cultivate only two or three acres in its first year, Bowen said he expects the farm to grow to about five acres by its third year.
Additionally, Bowen said that the farm was not solely an Oxford project but also an Emory project. Faculty members at the Atlanta campus have supported the farm and contributed to its planning. He added that food from the farm could possibly be served on the Atlanta campus in the future.
–Contact Elizabeth Howell
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