Carleton Student Organic Farm plants apple trees donated by Carolyn Dry ’64

Located past the Rec Center, beyond Lilac Hill housing, and next to the lower Arb entrance, Carleton’s student-run farm attracts Carls interested in exploring many different areas of agriculture. Students take on active roles in every stage of the process, from choosing what to plant to maintaining the crops throughout the year and eventually selling produce to Carleton’s dining services partner, Bon Appétit.

After farm manager Amanda Sames received a call wondering if the Carleton Student Organic Farm would be interested in a collection of apple trees from Carolyn Dry ’64, she first ran it by the students.

“Carolyn got very into apple trees and has made it her mission to spread the joy of apples,” Sames said. “Each year, she orders a collection of her favorite apple trees to give to different organizations and people. This year, she was ordering a bunch for churches down in Winona and accidentally over-ordered. The sustainability office got an email from her saying, ‘Hey, I accidentally over-ordered like 50 trees. Do you want them?’ We agreed to about half of that.”

Once Carleton Farm students approved the plan, the group got to work. About midway through Friday, May 16, the students had planted 24 of the 28 apple trees they committed to, with plans to plant the remaining four later in the evening. That day’s work, however, was not limited to apple trees. 

“In addition to the apples, we’re planting a couple different varieties of strawberries,” Sames said. “We’re also planting asparagus, another perennial crop. What’s really nice about those is that once they’re in, and as long as you take care of them, you’re going to keep getting them every season. But they come with some new challenges we haven’t had to figure out before.”

While not a new challenge for Carleton Farm students by any means, weeding remains one of the more tedious steps in any planting project. After deciding the Carleton Farm’s hoop house was the perfect location for the strawberries, students set out to strip the area of unwanted growth. Despite the repetitive nature of the task and the rainy weather outside that day, more than 10 students working together in high spirits made the process collaborative and lively.

“Fridays have typically been big fieldwork days,” Sames said. “The students’ job is to take care of everything — they check in, see how everything is going, do the harvest. They do the deliveries by bringing most of the harvest to Bon Appétit. This year, however, we have a goal of donating 10 percent of our total harvest to students who are on campus this summer, especially if they’re experiencing food insecurity; every week, students will get priority for a selection of our produce. We specifically planted potatoes and onions for students this summer, so they’ll receive the first pick of those. We’ll only sell potatoes or onions to Bon Appétit if there are leftovers that aren’t taken by students, to make sure nothing goes to waste.”

There are many reasons why Carleton students participate in Farm Fridays, even if they don’t work for the Carleton Farm normally, ranging from the group’s social justice initiatives to the farm’s environmental benefits. When asked, “Why is the farm important to you and why are you excited about this work?” this season’s student farmers gave all kinds of answers:

It is really important for people to know where their food comes from and to also raise awareness for food insecurity issues. I’m really passionate about sustainable farming.”

—Megan Roesler ’26

Last summer, I did a farm internship in France, delivering food to restaurants and hotels. There is a community aspect that is often overlooked, but here, it’s the best of both worlds.”

—Daniel McGovern ’26

Part of it is a genuine curiosity I had; I was really excited about the farm. When I first got here, I went on the tour, and it seemed really cool and a great way to meet new people. I also love learning about food justice and being able to eat the food we grow and learn where it comes from.”

—Maeve Clover ’28

Buying organic is really rough for everyone because of the economy. By growing your own food, you have the power to do whatever you want with your land, and do it ethically, to grow something that is going to feed you. I look at this as an opportunity to learn how to farm ethically.”

—Edwin Pleitez Quintanilla ’28

Sames continuously emphasizes that Carleton students like these are the reason the Carleton Student Organic Farm can exist and thrive on campus.

“We are always happy to have new volunteers,” she said. “This is a student farm, it’s meant to be yours! The food is available to you. If you like gardening, if you like working with your hands, this is a fun place to do it. Everyone is always more than welcome, and we’d love to see you out here.”

Learn more about the Carleton Student Organic Farm on the College’s sustainability website. To get involved, contact Sames at asames@carleton.edu.