A learning community fostering student leaders.

Farmed by students for students, the campus farm promotes on-farm carbon-neutrality, diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice.

Student working with plants in a greenhouse

Empowering sustainable food systems

The Campus Farm at Matthaei Botanical Gardens and Nichols Arboretum is student-driven multi-stakeholder living learning lab for sustainable food systems work built around principles of food grown by students for students, on-farm carbon-neutrality, diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice, in a learning community that fosters student leadership development and high-impact teaching and learning opportunities. 

Leading a world-class transformation

Along with its collaborative partners the University of Michigan Sustainable Food Program and the Sustainable Food Systems Initiative, the farm is transforming U-M into a world-class place for twenty-first century scholarly research, teaching, and engagement in sustainable food systems. 

The Campus Farm tangibly demonstrates Matthaei-Nichols and the U-M Sustainable Food Program’s core values and ties together education, community, and sustainable food in a way that hasn’t been done before at the U-M.

Two people looking into a small basket of gourds
A smiling student in the campus farm

Making Leaders

As much laboratory as classroom, the Campus Farm provides leadership development, education, and research opportunities in ways students might never have experienced before and contributes to authentic and impactful teaching and learning.

Such hands-on experience provides invaluable lessons related to sustainable food production for students from a wide range of disciplines who—even if they don’t go on to be farmers—will play a role in food systems issues ranging from public health, the environment and our economies, in their future careers.

From Farm to Table

See how the campus farm is partnering with U-M Dining Services to bring fresh produce to Michigan students.

Straw-bale building

The straw-bale building is well placed on the University of Michigan Campus Farm. The building is nestled in a food forest, where a team of students previously planted hazelnuts, raspberries, serviceberries and blueberries.