Mushrooms at Green Edge Gardens
Food Matters Club ventured out to Green Edge Gardens on a late Friday afternoon to tour the beautiful 120-acre farm and learn about its operations.
Green Edge Gardens, located in Amesville, Ohio, is a certified organic vegetable farm which specializes in producing year round micro-greens, mushrooms, and salad mix as well as other seasonal vegetables and herbs. Upon their arrival, club members were greeted by Kip and Becky Rondy, the dedicated owners of Green Edge Gardens. The Rondy’s shared their experiences and wisdom, and talked with the students about overcoming struggles, experimenting and innovating, and putting in the hard work that a successful and sustainable farm requires.
Food Matters students at Green Edge Gardens
Students were guided around the property and learned about the many sustainable aspects of the gardens. The tour included seeing the farm’s multiple greenhouses, sampling fresh kale, and an inside look at the unique rooms where Green Edge grows their famous micro-greens and specialty mushrooms.
Micro-greens at Green Edge Gardens
Kip also talked with the club about the intelligent high and low tunnel system Green Edge uses to extend their growing season, which particularly interested the club members who work at the Plant Biology Learning Gardens, where high and low tunnels are also used.
Students tour Green Edge Gardens
Although Green Edge is only about a 30-minute drive from Ohio University, the trip provided students with a refreshing break away from campus life, and a chance to experience the true beauty of rural Southeast Ohio. Kip and Becky encouraged the students to come back for more visits, and stop by their stand at the Athens Farmer’s Market to say hello in the future.
The Food Matters Club plans to take advantage of the many sustainable small farms around Athens and make future visits to learn more about the alternative agricultural methods many farmers are using in the area. Students in the club are appreciative and excited about opportunities they have to connect with local farmers and food producers around Athens.
The Food Studies theme at Ohio University encourages students to experience and engage with the vibrant food environment in Athens and take their studies and interests outside of the classroom, and Food Matters Club helps students fulfill these opportunities together as a community.
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