SBU Eats has introduced a new micro-farm at East Side Dining. The "Cultivated Cabinet" brings a fresh and sustainable approach to dining at Stony Brook University. This innovative initiative provides students with hyper-local produce grown just steps away from where it's served. By integrating fresh greens and herbs into daily menus, the micro-farm enhances the dining experience while promoting environmental responsibility and food transparency.
Heather Wickham, a recent Stony Brook University graduate with a degree in environmental design, policy, and planning, played a pivotal role in bringing the Babylon Micro-farms to campus. As a sustainability consultant for the Auxiliary Services Association, she conducted extensive research on micro-farms, exploring their benefits and feasibility, before passionately advocating for this addition to Stony Brook.
Pictured left to right: Ken Ferro, SBU Eats director of operations, John Hesse, SBU Eats director of dining services, Taeyoung (Paul) Kim, ASA project technician and Aryaman Chutke '28, physics major harvesting at the micro-farm.
Nothing is more farm-fresh than students witnessing the journey from seed to seedling, to harvest, and finally, straight to their plate. "The micro-farm embodies four key benefits: edible, educational, experimental, and ever-evolving," said Ken Ferro, SBU Eats director of operations. "Its harvest brings fresh, flavorful food to all Seawolves while offering students a hands-on opportunity to learn about hydroponic growing techniques. It also serves as a space to innovate, develop programs that support our harvests, and continuously advance our sustainability efforts through active participation in cultivation."
The microgreens are harvested weekly, including leafy green lettuces, bok choy, kale, herbs and flowers. The campus community can taste these fresh greens at the dine-in salad bars and as garnishes and side dishes at the Chef's table and Rooted stations. The herbs and edible flowers provide a unique flavor and garnish at a variety of dine-in stations.
"I am an avid gardener and truly thrilled about the opportunity to work with student volunteers, coordinating the weekly cycle of harvesting and planting," explained John Hesse, SBU Eats director of dining services. "It's inspiring to see students marvel at the beauty of the micro-farm, gaining a deeper appreciation for fresh, locally grown produce and the effort that goes into cultivating it."
Taeyoung (Paul) Kim, a recent graduate of Stony Brook University with a degree in environmental design, policy, and planning, now serves as a project technician for the Auxiliary Services Association. In this role, he supports SBU Eats by assisting with harvesting the crops every two weeks after he receives an alert from the app that the crops are ready. His efforts contribute to SBU Eats' mission of sustainability and locally sourced ingredients, ensuring the micro-farm runs efficiently to provide fresh produce to the campus community.
Hydroponic farming offers the ability to produce fast-growing, high-yield crops year-round in a beautifully controlled environment so that everyone can observe and appreciate the progress firsthand. "A crucial component of sustainability is engaging students and making them active participants in the process. When they see the plants growing, their curiosity is sparked. They watch me harvest, ask questions, and I take the opportunity to educate them," explained Kim. "Raising awareness is essential to deepen their understanding of sustainability and inspire them to adopt more sustainable practices in their own lives."
Source: Stony Brook University