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Sustainability is a big thing that’s on our radar,” says Executive Chef of Residential Dining Matt Ward. “That’s really one of those things that we really try to drill down in our dining halls.”
gin their life in the nursery where they start out as substrate seed pods made out of peat moss. “All these pods sit in the tray and water from the tank pumps up into these troughs and saturates that substrate and that allows the seed to germinate without getting over- saturated,” says Mean Green Acres Farmer Erin Clarner. The carrots spend their first two to three weeks in the nursery. From there, they’re then moved to the hy- droponic towers where they finish growing and are harvested. In total, it takes around two months for the carrots to be grown and harvested. “[Since] they’re getting all their essential nutrients directly and they’re in a controlled environment, they’re gonna grow about 50% fast- er than compared to conventional farming,” says Clarner. Each week, Clarner sends the UNT chefs a list with photos of what produce is available. The chefs se- lect what ingredients they want and then the produce makes its short journey to the kitchens. Mean Greens Cafe follows a three week menu cycle, so the car- rot gnocchi is served to hungry din- ers once every three weeks. Just like everything else on Mean Green’s menu, the dish has been met favorably by students, says Wil- liams, whether they follow a plant- based diet or not. “We probably only have like a 2% to 5% vegan population that actual- ly eats here,” he says. “People just eat here because it’s good.”
Mean Green Acres. Along with creating a complex sauce, using the carrot tops in the pesto also fits in line with the dining team’s goal to minimize food waste. “Sustainability is a big thing that’s on our radar,” says Executive Chef of Residential Dining Matt Ward. “That’s really one of those things that we really try to drill down in our dining halls.” FROM SEED TO PLANT The type of carrots grown in the farm are called Atlas Carrots, which were chosen specifically for their round shape that lends itself well to growing hydroponically. Like everything else grown at Mean Green Acres, the carrots be-
ROT ENT
Mean Greens Cafe’s carrot gnocchi uses carrots grown inside UNT’s freight farm.
Atlas Carrots are used to make the carrot gnocchi.
Q1 2024
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