SUSTAINABILITY
The farm produces 10,000 to 30,000 pounds of produce each year.
data and training staff for better year- to-year comparisons, and by using smaller equipment and efficient hand scale approaches as much as possible. RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES AND CAREER ADVANCEMENT Another key aspect of the farming ini- tiative is research opportunities, and the farm often teams up with academic faculty on research projects. Some of those projects are rooted in sustainabil- ity. “And an example of that is how can we reduce the use of plastic in the farm context,” said Moe. “One way we’ve been looking at that, is there’s a plastic mulch that’s used on vegetable beds to help retain moisture, and also prevent weed growth and that sort of thing. It also results in a lot of plastic waste that’s not recyclable.” So, the team is looking at ways to solve that problem such as using paper mulches instead of plastic. The initiative offers competitive academic internships at the farm, in which students are able to work closely with the team on various research proj-
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[We have everything from] tribal students working with us on traditional food and medicinal plants, to organic farming practices, soil moisture monitoring, and plant propagation.” -Jill Moe
ects and other avenues. “[We have everything from] tribal students working with us on traditional food and medicinal plants, to organic farming practices, soil moisture mon- itoring, and plant propagation,” said Moe. “And then we have classes that engage with us directly, so we have kind of now on a regular schedule.” The farm also provides various ca- reer advancement opportunities such as the Nevada farm apprenticeship program which seeks to train the next generation of farmers. And the farm offers farmer mentor programs such as the Regional Food Business Center,
which is based at UC Davis, but the desert farming initiative is helping run the program in Nevada. The program is set to launch by February. “It will be really looking at how to promote local food businesses in ev- ery regard. So that includes farms, co- operative grocery stores and nonprofit organizations that support food system resiliency,” said Moe. The farm also provides food for uni- versity events, particularly for sustain- ability-centered events. For instance, the farm has provided the makings for a salad bar in the cafeteria for an event promoting local purchasing.
Q1 2024
FSD QUARTERLY
9
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