Ferrum College Agricultural Sciences and Titmus Agricultural Center offer produce grown in the hydroponic greenhouse on campus with the assistance of practicum students to faculty, staff, and the Ferrum community.
“This semester, the produce was grown by two students as a part of a required practicum course. A practicum is essentially a 40-hour service course – assisting with projects for the Agriculture program or a local, ag-aligned non-profit,” explained Tim Durham, associate professor of crop science.
“The students are responsible for checking the water, planting and replanting, harvesting, and sterilizing equipment,” said Durham.
Several varieties of lettuce now ready for harvest were also planted by students from North Cross School in Roanoke when they visited the College earlier this semester to learn about plant propagation and the fertilizing process.
The opportunity to grow fresh produce with hydroponics was the result of a Tobacco Commission Revitalization Grant that Ferrum Agriculture received in January 2017. “The grant is intended to nurture alternative enterprises for a historically tobacco-dependent region. I had identified hydroponics as one of those prospects. We sold to faculty and staff from Fall of 2017 through the start of the pandemic, which shuttered operations. Although there was limited activity associated with classes immediately post-COVID, we’ve now been able to effectively reboot to 100% activity,” said Durham.
Currently, eight varieties of greens are being grown. While most of it is romaine lettuce, smaller crops of kale, spinach, arugula, and cilantro are also being grown.
The advantage of having hydroponics at Ferrum College is that the plants are compact and are not constrained to a specific growing season. The lab is a space where students learn an affordable, sustainable growing practice from hands-on experience, and they can eat the fruits of their labor.
The department welcomes faculty, staff, and the community to purchase produce. For years, Ferrum Elementary’s faculty and staff have been loyal customers as their campus is adjacent to the farm. Additionally, Aladdin Dining Services purchases the fresh greens from the department for the Farm to Cafe program.
College President Mirta Martin affirms that the lab is among the rich resources of the College. “At Ferrum College, the living laboratories on our campus are unique and essential to experiential learning. Offering hands-on opportunities our students is paramount. Living laboratories, such as the hydroponic facility at Titmus Agricultural Center, not only enrich our students’ academic journey, but also cultivate a deeper connection to real-world applications, fostering holistic growth, and sustainable practices.”
In the future, Durham would also like to expand to other crops including creeping vine plants that will be suspended in the greenhouse. “We can do other crops. There’s the possibility of tomatoes, beans, cucumbers, and more…” he said. The lab is also looking into local partnerships such as Franklin County’s local food procurement initiative. “We are excited to expand the crop science learning opportunities and increase produce grown at the College.”
Titmus Agricultural Center will host a plant sale open to the public April 20-21. For more information visit: https://www.ferrum.edu/event-page/titmus-agricultural-center-annual-plant-sale-save-the-date/
