At #17, Berea College’s farm has just been named among the nation’s 40 “best” college farms by College Ranker, a group that researches colleges all across the U.S. to determine the best features of these schools and to “. . . let you know who’s doing it right.” Berea’s high ranking was determined based on factors such as hands-on experiences, community outreach, and degree options.
With hundreds of acres of pastures, cropland, gardens, woodlots and ponds, Berea College’s historic farm was cited as “one of the most diverse educational farms available to students in the United States.” As a working model of sustainable agriculture, Berea’s farm serves as an educational laboratory for students enrolled in the Agriculture and Natural Resources bachelor degree program. Students at Berea have a wide range of farm-related opportunities including the production of beef, cattle, hogs, chicken, eggs, goats, fish, honey bees, grains, pulses, vegetables, fruits, and herbs, which are sold locally through the Berea College Farm Store and also used in the College Dining Services and at Boone Tavern Hotel, the College’s historic inn.
Under the supervision and support of experienced staff, Berea College students complete the daily farm operations, shouldering roles that include enterprise development, management, production, equipment maintenance, marketing and financial planning. Through the College Labor Program, Berea’s farm primarily employs students majoring in Agriculture and Natural Resource.
For more information about the Berea College farm, visit: https://legacy.berea.edu/anr/berea-college-farm/
For more information about the College Farm Store visit: http://bereacollegefarmstore.com/
For more information about the rankings and a list of the other schools, visit: http://www.collegeranker.com/ranking/best-college-farms/
For more information about Boone Tavern Hotel, visit: http://www.boonetavernhotel.com/