(linked from The Sustainable Ag Project)
or The Sustainable Ag Project is an educational project put on by the University of Minnesota Duluth.
SAP@UMD is a collaborative effort on the part of UMD students, faculty, staff and area farmers. Planning is underway for laying out a ten acre field that will contain vegetable fields, irrigation ponds, wildlife corridors, and student gardens. Conceptualization for Spring, 2010 planting is underway. We are also surveying the partial renovation of what was once the largest apple orchard in Northeast Mnnesota on the former grounds of the Northeast Branch Experiment Station.
SAP@UMD has many facets. Coursework integration is underway, examining the botanical history of the area and plotting out sustainable methods for integrating agriculture with wildlife. Seeds and student hands will be in the ground by Spring, 2010. We are exploring methods for renovating a four acre abandoned apple orchard. We seek to create a student-centered social enterprise that integrates collaborate learning with vegetable and fruit production and processing, bringing fresh local food and food knowledge to campus. A 'wiki' will be used to document student and faculty activities surrounding SAP@UMD, communicating information about the project. And we plan to seek USDA and other grants to grow the project.
The food summit, held on November 14, 2009 was an event to learn/think about what it means to be sustainable in our region. Guest Speakers ranged from UMD Professors, Local Farmers and Consultants all involved with Agriculture in some form or another.