STOGROW

Check out the sustainable, student-run campus farm!

STOGROW, the on-campus farm of approximately 1.5 acres, is an entirely student-run community initiative. Each winter, a number of students are hired to work on the farm during the following summer and throughout the growing season, in addition to taking a course in the spring centered around sustainable farming practices. Students are able to directly apply lessons about agriculture that they have learned during their course, while also making decisions about what works best for them as they progress. STOGROW provides a place for students to practice and troubleshoot farming, learn from mistakes, and focus on improvement without worrying too much about the bottom line.

All the produce, over 2 tons grown each season, is sold to Bon Appétit and incorporated into menu items at Stav Hall and the Cage. STOGROW provides vital experience in working with the land for students and feeds the St. Olaf community healthy and sustainable produce. At the beginning of the season, the farmers communicate with Bon Appétit to determine what sorts of produce should be grown, which is vital to determining the layout of the farm. Harvest is made up of produce crops selected by the farmers themselves along with any favorites from previous seasons requested by Bon Appétit.

Practice sustainable farming methods; provide fresh, local vegetables, fruits, herbs, and flowers to the St. Olaf community; foster agricultural awareness; and provide education about sustainable food production
STOGROW Goals

Landscape fabric is used to help prevent weeds from popping up, retains soil moisture, and keeps the soil warm to promote crop growth

While STOGROW is not a certified organic farm, a multitude of organic and sustainable practices are used to maintain the field and hoop-house where a variety of crops are grown. Tilling is limited to help promote soil health, drip irrigation is used to limit water runoff, and weeds are manually removed instead of using pesticides. In addition, there is an annual crop rotation to avoid depleting carbon and nutrient levels in the soil.

Check out what STOGROW is up to on Instagram!

Soli Augspurger (’26)

My name is Soli Augspurger! I am a sophomore Environmental Studies major from Iowa. My favorite part of working at STOGROW this summer has been watching all of our plants grow from tiny little seeds into real plants! I wanted to work at STOGROW because I am super interested in how agriculture and food can be worked into how we approach climate change. I also love being outside and eating fresh veggies! In the future, I hope that STOGROW can experiment with more diverse farming techniques, from things like intercropping and no-till farming to creative ways to control weeds and improve soil health. I really enjoy being part of STOGROW, and hope that it continues to thrive for many years!

Mexica Greco (’25)

My name is Mexica Greco and I am a junior SoAn and Environmental Studies major in the Arts and Humanities emphasis. I am from Berkeley, California. I spent many years volunteering on a flower farm and selling flowers at local farmer’s markets. There, I was able to learn important facts about sustainable agriculture and the importance of putting the right kinds of food in your body. That’s why STOGROW produce is the best :). I am passionate about environmental justice advocacy and hope to pursue a career that allows me to help small communities facing various environmental issues. Working at STOGROW has been one of the best summers I have had, and I hope that future farmers are able to grow crops that are able to help increase the diversity of meals Bon App has to offer. Also, I think it would be really cool for future STOGROW farmers to try making organic fungicides that will address disease issues early on.

Charlotte Smith (’24)

I’m a senior English and creative writing major from Boulder, Colorado. I became a STOGROW farmer after being introduced to sustainable agriculture when I studied at the Oregon Extension. And running a farm with my coworkers has been a challenging and rewarding process! My favorite part of the farm is the berry bushes. The farm project that I’m most interested in is improving soil health and weed control methods so that STOGROW is even more productive in the future!

Sabina Smith (’24)

I’m Sabina Smith, a senior Environmental Studies major in the Arts and Humanities emphasis. I grew up on a small farm in Washington state and am passionate about food. Many students, including myself, have become too far removed from our food systems and other natural systems that keep us alive. As an Environmental Studies major, one of my goals is to become directly involved in growing food. Environmental justice advocacy, cultivating sustainable food systems, and increasing access to healthy food for all people are issues deeply important to me. Working at STOGROW will provide experiences and skills I need to pursue this work in the future. In the next few STOGROW seasons, I would love to see student farmers experiment with more intercropping, working with food pantries like the Grab and Go program, and exploring weed management solutions that solve the issue long term.

Established in 2005 by Dayna Burtness (’07) and Dan Borek (’07) along with financial aid through a Finstad Entrepreneurial Grant, St. Olaf Garden Research and Organic Works, better known as STOGROW, has been student run from the outset. Originally located at James Farm off of Eaves avenue, STOGROW was home to chickens and honeybees in addition to produce, but has since relocated to be north of the Art Barn along Windy Lane to increase space and accessibility.

In addition to selling produce to Bon Appétit, STOGROW began contributing to Grab & Go to provide free produce to students living on campus over the summer in 2023. While this idea only came to fruition late in the summer, future farmers can hopefully carry on this legacy to ensure that students can access healthy, local produce regardless of their meal plan.