by Lindsey Abernathy | Project Coordinator, Office of Sustainability
University of Mississippi students active in sustainability initiatives on campus got a firsthand look at local food production during a tour of Yokna Bottoms Farm on Friday, October 16.
The farm tour was organized by the Real Food Rebels student group. Members of the newly established Red, Blue & Green Freshman Interest Group (FIG) and interns in the Office of Sustainability’s Green Student Intern Program also attended.
“I wanted to attend such a trip because I want to be more educated about different aspects of sustainability,” said Austin Smith, a freshman medical laboratory science major and member of the FIG. “I wanted a better understanding of [the farm’s] operation and why it’s useful to my community.”
About 20 students and UM staff attended the tour, which was led by Yokna Bottoms owner and UM associate professor of leadership and counselor education Doug Davis. Students learned about the history of the farm, organic growing methods and community supported agriculture (CSA). They also had the opportunity to sample produce grown on the farm.
“I have a CSA with Yokna Bottoms, so I eat their vegetables every week,” said Madeleine Achgill, a junior international studies major and member of Real Food Rebels. “I wanted to see how they were grown. I had also actually never been to a farm before, so I wasn’t sure how it worked.”
Yokna Bottoms Farm produces certified naturally grown produce in Lafayette County. To purchase Yokna produce, join the CSA or visit the Yokna booth at the Oxford City Market on Tuesdays and the MidTown Farmer’s Market on Wednesdays and Saturdays. To learn more, click here.