The Campus Farm at Matthaei Botanical Gardens is more than just a place for growing food, it’s a vibrant center for learning and community engagement. Through immersive experiences at the Farm, students gain practical skills that equip them to tackle the complex challenges of food production, access, and justice. This living-learning lab empowers students to become agents of change, addressing pressing issues with innovative solutions while fostering meaningful relationships within and beyond the campus community.
The Campus Farm is committed to building a healthier, more equitable food system. This work comes alive through partnerships that drive deep community impact. Programs like the Urban Agriculture Internship connect students with urban farms and food systems initiatives in Detroit, offering firsthand experience in tackling food insecurity and creating sustainable solutions. Collaborations with Jewish Family Services on the Refugee Garden located at the Farm bring together diverse communities, fostering spaces where cultural exchange, food access, and community building intersect.
Through its partnership with the Maize and Blue Cupboard, the Campus Farm distributes fresh, organic produce to students facing food insecurity, reinforcing its role as a critical resource for the campus and the broader community. With partners in Student Life Sustainability the Farm also operates a weekly on-campus farm stand, providing affordable, Campus Farm-grown produce to students, faculty, and staff while fostering a deeper connection to the local food system.
Beyond food access, the Campus Farm serves as a living laboratory where students learn the interconnectedness of sustainability, climate action, social justice, and environmental stewardship. This intersectionality is central to the Campus Farm's impact. By working where food systems, sustainability, and equity converge, the Farm prepares future leaders who understand that food is not just about nourishment but also about culture, justice, and resilience. These students go on to become policymakers, scientists, entrepreneurs, and advocates, bringing their experiences from the fields of the Campus Farm into their communities and professions.
Every collaboration, from the Refugee Garden to the Campus Farm Stand, reflects the richness of partnerships that extend beyond the University of Michigan. Together, they create a ripple effect, one where food not only sustains us but connects us, empowers us, and inspires us to cultivate a more just and sustainable world.
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