In the October 3, 2019 issue of the Yellow Springs News, reporter Carol Simmons takes a closer look at how the Antioch College Farm functions not only as a space to grow food for the campus community, but also as a learning tool for students across the College’s disciplines. “A look at Antioch’s Farm — ‘The fruits of our labor’” includes interviews with Antioch Farm staff and students, as well as faculty who use the Farm regularly in their courses. Simmons shares not only the story of the food we grow on campus, but how our faculty teach environmental sustainability not only through the Sciences, but also through self-sufficiency skills like canning, seed saving, dyeing. 

Our Farm, as well as our farm-to-table dining and grounds maintenance programs, have received national attention lately. Antioch College’s Dining and Grounds programs were ranked national top-performers by AASHE’s (the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education) 2019 Sustainable Campus Index. Out of around 500 colleges and universities ranked by AASHE’s STARS rating system, Antioch College is ranked seventh in Food & Dining and third in Grounds.

Overall, Antioch College’s sustainability practices have earned the College a STARS Silver rating. Our campus report provides a detailed overview of environmental sustainability initiatives in practice on campus. Students, faculty, and staff are currently gathering data, including a greenhouse gas inventory, in preparation for the next STARS report, set to go out in 2020.

As for what our students eat on campus, PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) recently updated their Vegan Report Card, a rating system of vegan dining options at higher-ed institutions nationwide. Antioch College received an A grade for offering vegan options at every meal, labeling vegan foods, and other initiatives focused on giving vegan students a say in what they eat and providing a variety of nourishing options.