Sustainability in Action Program provides new perspective to incoming students
Program participants enjoyed a hay ride tour of River Ridge Land & Cattle Co.
Eight new students participated in the first ever Sustainability In Action Pre-Orientation Program from August 14-19. Students learned about local sustainability initiatives through the lens of local, sustainable food systems during the intense five day program.
Two returning students, sophomores Emily Bachman and De’Noia Woods helped facilitate the program as student mentors.
Freshman Molly Dunn became interested in sustainability after watching Food Inc. with her high school humanities class. The experience drove her to participate in the Sustainability in Action program. “The knowledge that our food system is so corrupt has been gnawing at me,” Dunn said. “I saw the Sustainability in Action program as a great way to educate myself against fueling such a system.”
Highlights of the program included a trip to the River Ridge Land & Cattle Co. farm in Independence, Virginia to tour a grass-fed, antibiotic-free cattle ranch. The farm, managed by Brantley Ivey, is one contributor to Grayson Natural Foods, a cooperative that supplies the university with local, grass-fed hamburger meat for sale in Shorty’s and use in the Reynolda Fresh Food Company. Program participants were able to explore the farm and then taste Grayson Natural beef at Shorty’s the following day to bring the food supply chain full circle.
The students also visited Beta Verde, “an urban farming experiment” in the heart of Winston-Salem. After creating a lunch menu from locally produced foods that the students procured at Krankie’s Farmers Market, participants worked in Margaret and Salem Norfleet Neff’s kitchen to prepare and enjoy a full meal together.
Program mentor Woods found the community service element of the program the most rewarding. The students assisted Campus Kitchen Director, Shelley Graves, with a Fresh Market delivery to Potter’s House on 25th Street. Food that can no longer be sold in an upscale supermarket like Fresh Market is donated to Campus Kitchen for distribution to community members in need. “[Our collaboration with Campus Kitchen] reminds me that even though I am in college and everything revolves around grades and social events, people who are in the Winston-Salem community are struggling and need assistance which we as college students can give by just signing up for a Campus Kitchen run,” Woods said.
Students also worked hard weeding, planting, and composting in the Campus Garden. Their efforts were rewarded by an heirloom tomato tasting with biology professor Gloria Muday.
Freshman Graham Foster walked away from the program with an important message about sustainable food systems. “I learned that we can vote with each dollar that we spend on food. By going to Shorty’s or the Foothills Brewery and ordering a Grayson burger instead of a burger from McDonalds, I can slowly push the industry in the direction of sustainable farming,” he said.
Caitlin Brooks, Communications and Outreach Intern