Program Overview
The Dickinson
College Farm is a 180-acre working farm and educational resource that
provides produce to the college’s dining hall, a local food bank and
members of the farm’s co-op. Located a short drive from campus in
Boiling Springs, Pa., the farm includes state-of-the-art sustainable
operations, such as solar-electric and solar-hot-water systems. It is
run by staff members and student workers and interns.
Dickinson Farm integrates agroecological theories and
practices to create an ecosystem that is self-supporting and is not dependent
on synthetic inputs. Through well-organized crop rotations, green manures, and
compost applications the soil on the Dickinson Farm is able to grow quality
crops that require little to no human intervention. The Farm maintains six to
eight acres in food production on a given year, of which approximately 60% of the harvest is
delivered to the campus dining hall. The other harvests are earmarked for the
College Farm's Campus Supported Agriculture (CSA) program which enables the
farm to feed over 100 families. The College Farm also participates as a vendor
in Carlisle's producer-only farmers market (Farmers On The Square) and donates
a substantial amount of fresh food to Project S.H.A.R.E throughout the growing
season.
Dickinson College students assist with all aspects of the Farm's food production as employees or volunteers. The Farm staff works to integrate students into the many layers of farming to provide a hands-on learning experience.
In addition to raising vegetables, herbs and flowers for sale, the College Farm manages a small flock of sheep, cattle and flock of laying hens. The farm livestock are managed on pasture through a rotational grazing program that provides the animals with year round forage, sunlight and fresh air which minimizes disease issues and supports overall animal health.
Dickinson
College Farm takes pride in caring for our land with deep respect for
the natural environment and the people who work here. To reflect this
dedication, we have chosen Food Alliance certification for our farm and
its products. When you see "Food Alliance Certified" on a product, you
can be confident it is a truly natural product that has met rigorous and
meaningful standards for sustainable production. Learn more at www.foodalliance.org.
Renewable energy applications are also a part of the landscape at the Farm. The barn and farmhouse glean a portion of their electricity from two separate grid-tied photovoltaic systems. Seasonal interns who work and live at the farm are able to do so off the grid, experiencing a new dimension of sustainable living. The largest greenhouse on the farm uses a solar water heating system for supplemental heat during the colder months of the year and Farm staff makes good use of the Solar Wheeler golf cart that transports workers and harvests around the farm using the sun's energy.
The Farm is also United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Organic Certified. Managed through Pennsylvania Certified Organic (PCO), the
certification is assurance for consumers that the college farm adheres
to an approved approach of agricultural food production that involves
building and enhancing the soil naturally, environmental protection and
avoidance of toxic or synthetic substances such as pesticides, as
required by the USDA National Organic Program.
“The decision to pursue organic certification is not a decision to take
lightly,” said Jenn Halpin, director of the Dickinson College Farm. “The
fact that we moved forward shows a true and lasting commitment by
Dickinson College to everyone who enjoys our organic produce and to
students who will continue to benefit from the farm as a living
laboratory.”
News and Events