Who:
Open to the public, students, staff, and faculty.
What:
UMD Land Lab and Students for Lake Superior Sustainable Farming are hosting their Tenth-Annual Farm Fest and a fun run/walk in support of the Land Lab.
When:
Saturday, September 17, 2022
Fun Run: Registration starts at 10 a.m, race starts at 10:30 a.m
Farm Fest: 11 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Where:
3566 Riley Road, Duluth MN 55803
Why:
UMD’s annual Farm Fest showcases the Land Lab as a community and academic resource.
“Students at the University of Minnesota Duluth (UMD) have the privilege to not only eat locally grown produce on campus, but learn the humbling lesson of growing fresh produce at UMD's farm, the Land Lab,” said Teresa Bertossi, Assistant Professor and Land Lab Director. “It’s a tremendous opportunity for students to immerse themselves in sustainable agriculture practices through courses, internships, and tours that give them connections to the community and their food source.”
UMD Land Lab and Students for Lake Superior Sustainable Farming are fundraising through the fun run and sales of vegetables, seed garlic, candles made from wax from their apiary, t-shirts, stickers and face painting. Money raised will go towards helping to keep the farm running including student internships, native plant restoration, undergraduate research opportunities and produce distribution in the community.
More information:
The Farm Fest is free and will be held rain or shine. This year’s Farm Fest focuses on sustainability, healthy lives, art and education, and will feature:
- A farmer’s and maker’s market
- A fun run/walk trail race fundraiser, starting and ending at the farm on Riley Road (details below)
- Community meal of ratatouille made by UMD’s Dining Services using Land Lab produce (meal tickets are $5 for students, $10 for individuals. Kids under 10 are free with the purchase of an adult ticket.)
- Music by local band, Lovehouse
- Mushroom workshop
- Farmer speakers (John and Emily Beaton of Fairhaven Farms), storytellers, and games
The Farm Fest fun run check-in will be at 10 a.m. The course will start and end at the UMD Land Lab, exploring the field and research center by racing past the upper and lower fields, root cellar, orchard, trails, and more.
Runners pay a $15 registration fee ($10 for students) that includes a food ticket to the community meal of ratatouille.
Want to register for the fun run fundraiser, buy a ratatouille community meal ticket, or to make a donation in support of the Land Lab? Register for the event!
Parking will be available, but carpooling is recommended. There’s also a free shuttle for UMD students that departs from Kirby Bus Hub at 11 a.m., and 1 and 2 p.m.
Special thanks to our sponsors and contributors: UMD Department of Geography and Philosophy, Student Services and Facilities, the Duluth Kitchen Company, and UMD Office of Sustainability. Your contribution is vital to continue our important work. We cannot succeed without the generosity of supporters like you.
About the Land Lab
The UMD Land Lab is a food justice and environmental research and outreach center located just five miles from the UMD campus. It consists of 10 acres of actively-managed transitional organic farmland and a five-acre apple orchard. The Land Lab sits on the 30-acre Research Farm Outreach Center (RFOC) which houses other UMD research and outreach projects. The purpose of the UMD Land Lab is to explore how to create a food system that meets the needs of all community residents and to serve as an incubator for community and university interaction with the Northland’s natural systems.
About UMD
One of five campuses that comprise the University of Minnesota System, the University of Minnesota Duluth integrates liberal education, research, creative activity, and public engagement and prepares students to thrive as lifelong learners and globally engaged citizens. With an enrollment of nearly 10,000 undergraduate and graduate students, the Duluth campus offers 93 undergraduate and post-baccalaureate degrees, and graduate programs in more than 25 different fields. See UMD’s Land Acknowledgement statement.