video by Stephen Munchel; summary by MaryAlice Bitts-Jackson

Classes, close friends, clubs, res halls and … seedlings? For students who get involved with Dickinson’s College Farm, it’s all part of a quintessential college experience. Just ask Iris Ballard ’26 (environmental science, biology) and Alex Davies, who show us how it’s done.

“Basically, this machine is pumping out water, and as it’s pumping out water, it’s poking holes, watering those holes,” says Davies, an apprentice at the farm. “It makes the job a lot easier than hand-planting everything.”

“We’re kind of just working as fast as we can to get the plants that are in front of us into the ground,” Ballard, a student farm worker, explains.

Why the hurry? Well, things can get busy during the growing season, as the farm staff plant, cultivate, harvest and prepare organic produce and other delectable goods for Dickinson’s dining hall and Farm Works store and for the local area. Farm staff also compost food waste from the campus and local communities. The compost is used to nourish the land.

“It’s a nice cycle, and it’s also something interesting for students to do and learn from,” says Ballard, who enjoys knowing where her food comes from and giving back to the community in this way. “It’s an important part of my college experience.”