Sustainable Food Students Stories
Everybody needs food: A trip to Desert Premium Farms
"On the second morning of our Food and Farm Immersive, our graduate student cohort drove to Desert Premium Farms in Yuma, Arizona."
Presentation by Paul Brierley, Director of the Arizona Department of Agriculture
On the final evening of the Food and Farm Immersion, students, faculty, and staff gathered at ASU’s University Club to celebrate the week with the help of the Director of the Arizona Department of Agriculture, Paul Brierley.
Local food systems, co-ops and sustainable farming
Walking onto the Justice Brothers Ranch, I could feel the Arizona sun beaming down on me, paired with the ongoing noise of airplanes flying over the Waddell area. It had been a long day of farm visits for my Sustainable Food Systems cohort. We had visited all larger, conventional farms earlier in the day, and we were looking forward to learning about what this farmer had to say about his citrus farm.
An edible landscape at ASU
If you know a thing or two about plants and tree species, you could find a lovely meal on the Arizona State University campus. You walk outside, and foods like oranges, olives, mint, rosemary, and many more surround you. Walking the ASU campus, our tour guide, Deborah Thirkhill, took us on a campus food journey that could be the future for more college campuses.
Preserving heritage and cultivating community
Over the course of the fall 2023 Food and Farm Immersion, Hayden Flour Mills was one of the sites I was looking forward to visiting the most. The essence of Hayden Flour Mills mission is to shift consumers away from processed grains towards the natural, flavorful, and nutrient-rich products, which they achieve through the art of stone milling and the revival of heritage grains.
Beyond the factory: exploring sustainability and innovation at Paloma Dairy
Paloma Dairy host and farm owner Robert Van Hofwegen, Sr, begins our tour with a hint of fire and brimstone, “This is not a factory.”
Transforming waste into a soil amendment
The management of green waste provides an opportunity to recover bioactive compounds and develop a functional product with beneficial effects on human and plant health (i.e. an organic soil amendment), supporting sustainable practices in the food industry.
School gardens and our future consumers
Nestled within the heart of Echo Canyon School in Scottsdale, AZ, there exists a vibrant oasis of greenery and learning—the school garden. On a recent visit to this unique educational sanctuary, our cohort had the pleasure of immersing myself in the beauty of nature, witnessing firsthand the importance of passing down knowledge and cocreating a space with our youth.
Sustainable food systems job and internship opportunities
Our team has put together this list below of listservs / job posting networks for undergraduate and graduate students studying sustainable food systems who are interested in pursuing a career in this field.
Sinagua Malt grows collaboration (and a barley economy) in the Verde Valley
In December 2023, our cohort of Sustainable Food Systems graduate students traveled to Camp Verde, Arizona, where we learned firsthand about the multi-sector “farm to growler” collaboration that is Sinagua Malt.
Hot topics in the hot sun
Under the bright glow of the afternoon sun, our motorcade of student-filled SUVs arrived at Nature Betteravia Farms in Yuma, AZ, for the second stop of the day. Our conversation with Mike Pasquinelli, a 3rd generation farmer and Yuma Fresh Vegetable Association President, revealed a peek into the challenges facing many farmers in this region.
Rooted in learning: Hands-on agricultural experiences for K-12
During the winter break of 2023, I had the opportunity to visit my hometown, Rio Rico, Arizona, and explore the agricultural program at my former high school. Located just north of the US-Mexico border, the town plays a crucial role in receiving and distributing agricultural products through international ports, contributing to the broader supply chain in the United States.