Andreea Beca
TECHN EWS WRITER

When people think of farming,
they often visualize mundane and repetitive
physical labor: scattering seeds over the
ground, putting plants in soil, watering. This
is the mental image that many of the urban
populace has of agriculture. Farming, it would
seem, is a dull affair, requiring no innovation
and providing no true satisfaction outside of a
few vegetables for the table. The UFarm is here
to challenge all that.

IIT’s UFarm, located on the
Greek Quad, is a place unknown to most
IIT students. Even those who have seen it in
passing typically have little knowledge of what
it is and the position it holds in the university
system. The privileged few who have had the
opportunity to get informed and become
involved have found a whole other realm, rich
with the promise of intellectually satisfying
activity.

The UFarm is a sphere wholly
separate from the typical IIT experience, yet
also a reinforcement of the university’s core
values. Students swamped with the mental
burdens of exhausting homework, projects,
laboratory assignments, exams, and all the
hustle and bustle of the high-tech world can
disconnect, even for the briefest moment, with

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Creativity cultivates at IIT UFarm

their hands in the rich composted soil of the
garden. Repeating the same motions as their
ancestors have for thousands of years, they can
recharge as they breathe in the fresh outdoor
air among the growing flowers and vegetables.
There is so much more to agriculture than just
this bucolic image.

Careful thought has been put into
every bed of soil, every plant in the ground. An
optimized list of crops had to be planned for
each season, balancing the capacity for growth
in the conditions of the UFarm, the demand
for the produce, and the aesthetic aspect on
the field. The entire garden surface was also
designed to appeal the eye. Then, not only the
necessary seeds and seedlings, but also the soil.
the containers, the growing lights, the watering
devices, the tools, and all the little details that
go into the procedure of growing had to be
ordered and organized. Furthermore, the
maintenance of the garden is no simple task
either. Compost must be delivered to and
spread on the beds. Both the plants on-site
and the seedlings being raised indoors in the
UFarm’s seed-starting laboratory must be
watered thoroughly each day, and the plants
growing outdoors and in the sun-heated
hoop house must be watered twice to keep
the soil moist. The site must be cleaned, and
garbage must be removed as it accumulates.
Information about hoop house conditions and

 

crop production must be kept, archived, and
displayed in a user-friendly format. There is also
much potential for technological development
to give this ancient profession an edge in the
modern world. Everything from sensors to
data applications can be implemented in the
future by some of HTS most knowledgeable,
tech-savvy students.

Most importantly, this vast quantity
of work has to be coordinated by a team. This
year, with its cold, harsh beginning and its
sudden, almost instantaneous leap into spring,
has provided many challenges, but the tight
collaboration between the students managing
the garden has helped the UFarm grow and
prosper beyond expectations. From the new
seed lab developed in the winter to expand the
UFarm’s growing season, to the biodegradable
newspaper pots created to transplant delicate
seedlings, to the flowers grown for the campus
beautification initiative, the UFarm has been
full of innovation. This spring has provided
a valuable learning experience to all those
involved, and a preparation for the real-life
challenges that are best learned outside the
classroom. IIT’s mission is to produce citizens
of the world who are not only academically
rigorous but also ready for every other facet of
professional life, and for the deep interpersonal
relationships that come with meaningful
careers.

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IIT’s UFarm is not just another
garden. It is also a cornerstone of the
community, a muse for future farmers and a
playground for the thinkers of tomorrow. It is
meant to inspire new generations to rethink
their food system, the urban landscape, and
their precious time at IIT.

To get involved, contact Neil Griffin,
the head of the UFarm student organization,
at ngrifli2@hawkiit.edu. The organization is
on Hakaink and will soon have an active
YouTube channel featuring educational videos
on how to get started with urban farming.

There is always room for new
members. There are also plenty of volunteering
opportunities, as well as community garden
beds available to lease out to students, staff,
and any other'interested people. There is even
a UFarm IPRO that allows for more in-depth
involvement, not just in the UFarm itself, but
in many other urban agriculture projects on
and around campus.

So remember, the next time your
head is swimming with all the academic stress
in your life, whether you just want to get your
hands dirty or you’re looking for an alternative
creative and intellectual outlet, a friendly farm
is waiting for you!

 

Photos courtesy of Andreea Beta