Colorado College Student Farm Management and Strategic Planning: Developing experiential farming opportunities for non-agricultural students.
Primary Topic:
Food Systems
Other Topics:
Community & Economic Development, Agriculture, Horticulture, Natural Resources, FCS, Nutrition, & Food Safety, Health & Wellbeing, DEI, Emergency Management
Internship Overview:
The Colorado College (CC) Student Farm was founded in the early 2000s as a learning space to experiment with sustainable farming techniques, provide education about appropriate food systems, and to provide healthy, locally grown food for the college community. The Student Farm has evolved over time, and its current operations are led by the Student Farm club with guidance and support from the college Office of Sustainability. Activity at the farm continues to thrive due to the active participation of students, who bring their interests and diverse skills to the space. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, during which students were not on campus and all activity on the farm was paused, the CC Student Farm club has worked to revive and strengthen the farm and the community it serves. The Student Farm is committed to fostering relationships between the community and the environment on which it depends. This mission is especially important as the world experiences decreasing biodiversity and increasing food insecurity.
The Student Farm is 1.3 acres in size and located on the Colorado College campus. It is highly visible from the high-traffic Monument Creek Trail and the college President’s Residence. It consists of three functionally unique areas: an upper portion for project-based learning, a middle forest portion, and a lower portion with an annual food production area and emerging perennial food plots. While the farm grows produce for the student community, the primary purpose of the farm is to bring people together and develop a closer relationship with, and understanding of, the land they inhabit.
The intern will work with Colorado College staff and students to manage the Student Farm over the summer quarter session – providing knowledge and support for the current and future operation of the farm.
The Student Farm is 1.3 acres in size and located on the Colorado College campus. It is highly visible from the high-traffic Monument Creek Trail and the college President’s Residence. It consists of three functionally unique areas: an upper portion for project-based learning, a middle forest portion, and a lower portion with an annual food production area and emerging perennial food plots. While the farm grows produce for the student community, the primary purpose of the farm is to bring people together and develop a closer relationship with, and understanding of, the land they inhabit.
The intern will work with Colorado College staff and students to manage the Student Farm over the summer quarter session – providing knowledge and support for the current and future operation of the farm.
Goals, Scope and Objectives:
The Student Farm club has been “reactivated” following the COVID-19 pandemic and is already working to expand club membership and increase farm capacity. The farm has significant untapped potential, yet significant work is needed to restore the farm’s physical and social infrastructure.
The goal of the internship is to provide hands-on support and experience in farm administration and physical land management practices, while engaging with farm stakeholders. Responsibilities encompass a wide range of physical tasks, including successional seeding and transplanting, composting, seed collection, annual and perennial bed maintenance, and mulching. The intern will also assist with the identification, removal, and disposal of invasive plant species.
The intern will provide administrative support for current, and future, activities and community events. They will maintain records of plantings, harvest yields, and major work undertaken during the internship. They will assist Student Farm students and volunteers in developing actionable plans for fallow farm areas through independent research on size-appropriate regenerative farming practices. The intern will identify larger tasks that can be performed on volunteer workdays, and engage the Colorado College community through workshops, volunteer days, and communication channels.
The goal of the internship is to provide hands-on support and experience in farm administration and physical land management practices, while engaging with farm stakeholders. Responsibilities encompass a wide range of physical tasks, including successional seeding and transplanting, composting, seed collection, annual and perennial bed maintenance, and mulching. The intern will also assist with the identification, removal, and disposal of invasive plant species.
The intern will provide administrative support for current, and future, activities and community events. They will maintain records of plantings, harvest yields, and major work undertaken during the internship. They will assist Student Farm students and volunteers in developing actionable plans for fallow farm areas through independent research on size-appropriate regenerative farming practices. The intern will identify larger tasks that can be performed on volunteer workdays, and engage the Colorado College community through workshops, volunteer days, and communication channels.
With which stakeholder group(s) will the intern work?
The Student Farm club currently partners with local student groups, Flying Pig Farm in Manitou Springs. and residents of the historic Old North End neighborhood. The club is directly involved with the Colorado College Office of Sustainability, Collaborative for Community Engagement, Food Pantry, Printing Press, and Colorado College’s food service network. The Farm seeks to grow its impact through the development of other strategic partnerships. Potential future partners could include the Southwest Studies Department, the Environmental Science Department, and local nonprofit Food to Power.
What student learning outcomes do you anticipate and what are the opportunities for professional development?
The intern will enhance their understanding and proficiency in the cultivation of annual and perennial crop production, native Colorado plants, and the principles of regenerative farming. Viewing these practices through a holistic lens, the intern will gain hands-on experience managing a working urban farm. This knowledge will be transferable to both academic and practical realms of agriculture. The intern will strengthen their data collection and sustainable crop production skills as they develop new spaces throughout the farm and keep accurate records of production, weather conditions, and farm maintenance. Professional development opportunities will revolve around two key areas. The intern will have the opportunity to develop their communication skills through collaboration with diverse partners at Colorado College, fostering teamwork and interpersonal interaction. Additionally, the individual will gain experience in community outreach by engaging with the local community and promoting the farm’s mission.
The internship will provide applicable experience in the social, biological, and financial aspects of food production for diverse clients and stakeholders.
The internship will provide applicable experience in the social, biological, and financial aspects of food production for diverse clients and stakeholders.
