Long Lane Farm - 10 Years Growing

Over its 10 year history, the entire Wesleyan community has helped Long Lane Farm grow, including faculty, staff, friends, organizations, and more than 100 Wesleyan students. Founded in 2004 by three student organizers working with Professor Barry Chernoff, today Long Lane Farm is a thriving student-run enterprise that supplies produce to the campus and community, and attracts a growing number of student farmers. The farm provides students a place to experiment and learn about sustainable agriculture, which integrates three main goals – environmental health, economic profitability, and social and economic equity. During the summer, students work from 7 am to 7 pm - with a four-hour midday break from the heat - cultivating two acres of land. They grow crops including cucumbers, radishes, tomatoes, tomatillos, squash, asparagus, basil, broccoli, lettuce, blueberries and much more. They also make use of two hoop houses, similar to greenhouses, to grow leafy greens, peppers and other crops during the fall and winter months. Food harvested from the farm is sold at the North End Farmers’ Market throughout the summer, and at the Wesleyan Farmers’ Market during the academic year. The student farmers donate excess food to Amazing Grace Food Pantry in Middletown, and have an arrangement through which Bon Appetít dining services funds positions for students to work on the farm in exchange for weekly deliveries of farm vegetables.