We had a campus movie night on October 9th where we watched The Lorax as a part of the broader Arboretum week. In addition, on Farm Fridays, we harvested and washed nearly 20 pounds of mustard greens, arugula, basil, rosemary, and cilantro. Finally, we built our bean trellises in the high tunnels!
We partnered with Veggie Co-Op to make homemade tomato sauce with all ingredients from Slow Food Farms and the Kate Farm. We used over 90 lbs of paste tomatoes grown and harvested from Slow Food Farms, as well as, Tuscan basil. In addition, we used garlic, white onions, and oregano grown across the broader Kate Farm. Collectively, we made nearly 8 gallons of tomato sauce, some of which we will use for the Kate Farm Pizza Night.
During this week’s Farm Fridays event, students came together to harvest summer crops from both the Annual Produce Garden and the Slow Food campus garden plot. The group collectively gathered an impressive 30 pounds of fresh produce, including 17 pounds of peppers, 5 pounds of eggplant, 4 pounds of paste tomatoes, 2 pounds of cherry tomatoes, and 2 pounds of slicing tomatoes. The harvest showcased the productivity of student-grown gardens while also highlighting the hands-on learning and community-building that Farm Fridays foster each week.
Students visited Clagett Farm to gain firsthand experience with sustainable agriculture in practice. During the visit, they helped harvest okra, shishito peppers, and butternut squash, learning about the work and care that goes into growing seasonal produce. The trip highlighted how sustainable farming combines ecological stewardship with community food access.
Clagett Farm, located in Upper Marlboro, Maryland, is operated by the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. The farm is dedicated to environmentally responsible farming practices and serves as a model for regenerative agriculture. In addition to growing a wide variety of vegetables, Clagett Farm runs a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program and donates a significant portion of its harvest to local food banks, bridging the gap between sustainable farming and food justice.
Students wrapped up the season by harvesting the annual summer produce garden, gathering fresh vegetables grown throughout the summer. The work not only celebrated the end of the growing season but also highlighted the students’ commitment to sustainable food practices and hands-on learning. To build on this spirit of community, the farm also hosted a homemade pizza night for new faculty at SMCM. Using fresh ingredients and the farm’s outdoor oven, the evening gave faculty the chance to relax, enjoy good food, and connect with colleagues while exploring the farm’s role on campus.
We had an amazing turnout and got a lot of work done across the farm. The Kate Farm Club harvested radishes and mixed green and tilled in the plot to prep for fall crops seedlings. We prepped the Annual Fall Crop plot by tilling in mushroom compost, creating beds with the rotary plow, laying own drip irrigation, and covering with planting fabric to decrease weed pressure. Students also harvested the Annual Summer Crop plot collecting 15 pounds of eggplant. 17 pounds of peppers, and 5 pounds of tomatoes. All the produce harvested across the farm today was donated to the Trinity Church Food Ministry for their food bank. Thanks to everyone you came out!
Despite the rainy weather, students enjoyed a pick-your-own flower event, harvesting zinnias, dahlias, celosia, strawflowers, and lisianthus. They brought their creativity to the field and left with beautiful hand-crafted bouquets that showcased the season’s blooms. 🌸💐
Today, fall crop seedlings were potted up into larger containers to support continued root and vegetative growth. The initial stage of hardening off was also begun to prepare these plants for outdoor conditions. In addition, harvest activities focused on the remaining summer crops, with tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants collected at peak ripeness. We harvested nearly 6 pounds of eggplant, 5 pounds of tomatoes, and 7 pounds of peppers. Summer crops are definitely slowing down in production, and the tranisition to Fall crops is right around the corner.