St. Olaf Garden Research and Organic Works

The St. Olaf Student Farm

What's this all about?

The Saint Olaf Garden Research and Organic Works (STOGROW) farm project is a student-run community initiative. Our goals are to practice sustainable farming methods; to provide fresh, local vegetables, fruits, herbs, and flowers to our community; to foster agricultural awareness; and to provide education about sustainable food production. As practical idealists, we put our ideas to work at our campus farm located at the James Farm House.

All of the STOGROW harvest is purchased and prepared by Bon Appetit for use in the St. Olaf cafeteria, then left over food waste is composted in our school's industrial composter and used to feed the soil in the STOGROW garden.

Want to help out? STOGROW Farm is always in need of volunteer power! Want to get involved? Email us at farmers@stolaf.edu.

Special Thanks

A lot of people have come together to make STOGROW possible, and we'd like to take this space to publicly thank them for all the wonderful contributions they've made:

  • To all our volunteers, for their endless dedication to our cooperative community farm!
  • Kathee Hanscom and Dan Swenson, for their generous donation of land and resources.
  • Martha Schuetzle, for her extensive assistance in the garden and helping to throw our spectacular first Harvest Festival (couldn't have done it without you!).
  • Jared Cooper and J.W. Cooper Ltd., for graciously mowing our lawn all summer.
  • Jessica Burtness, for all of her (greatly appreciated) help in the garden. Thank you so much!
  • Leif Knecht and Knecht's Nursery & Landscaping, for their donation of apple trees.
  • Hilary Ziols and the Cannon River Watershed Partnership, for their donation of chicken supplies, and just being great neighbors!
  • Sheri Breen, for donating chicken supplies, and having great conversations.
  • The Northfield Farmers Market, for providing a local food outlet for our community.
  • Jane Bethel, for her dedication to the STOGROW plot.
  • John Onnka, for teaching a wonderful "Sustainable Skills" pottery class.
  • Adam Garret, for his class on chicken butchering, as well as all his help and company in the garden.
  • St. Olaf Environmental Coalition, for their ongoing partnership in sustainable initiatives.
  • Just Food Coop and Mercantile, for their support of our project, as well as everything else they do.
  • The Manitou Messenger, for sharing our story with the St. Olaf community.
  • Ken Speak and Kare11 News, for their interest in our project.
  • Adam Johnson and Northfield News, for their local coverage of STOGROW.
  • Time Magazine, for their article on college farm programs and mention of STOGROW.
  • The Schuetzle Family, for all their help, donations, and endless gardening conversations.
  • Kevin Borek, for farm photography.
  • Jason Hendricks, for endorsing our proposal in the student senate.
  • Ray Larson, for doing the mowing and tilling of the STOGROW plot.
  • Gene Bakko, for lending STOGROW equipment and being our advisor.
  • Pete Sandberg, for his endless knowledge about the St. Olaf facilities (and for actually letting us use the land!).
  • Jim Farrell, for encouraging us to create the stories in which we want to live.
  • John Giannini, for his advice on tillers, growing, and for sharing the greenhouse with us!
  • Stephanie Aitken, for her donation of assorted garlic (and use of the garlic planter!).
  • Curt Frank, for a long hard night of greenhouse seeding and his help in the garden.
  • Dave Burton, for donating a tiller.
  • The Burtness Family, for lending us a tiller.
  • SGA and the Finstad Program, for financially backing STOGROW.
  • Greg Kneser and Pamela McDowell, for helping us with summer housing during the first STOGROW season.
  • Lori Middledorp, for her donation of garden plastic.
  • Gary De Krey, for his donation of tomato cages.
  • Chris Mueller, for his artistic talents and webmaster skills.
  • Hays Atkins, Katie McKenna, and Peter Abrahamson from Bon Appetit, for their excitement about STOGROW and for agreeing to give us a market.
  • Gloria Macwilliams-Brooks, for committing to help out with the first STOGROW season.
  • The Creator, for soil, sunlight, rain, and flavor.