Farmelton
The Carleton Farm
A project of the Bio 160 Agroecology Course

College Name
Bowdoin College

Brief Description of College
Bowdoin University is a nationally renowned college of the liberal arts and sciences with 1,710 undergraduates.  Bowdoin is located in Brunswick, Maine, a town of 21,000 on the Maine coast.

Farm Size
1.00 Acre

Produce of Farm
26 vegetable crops and 15 different herbs, including fennel, kale, 6 varieties of lettuce, jalapenos, thyme, and zinnias.

Farming Approach
“While the Organic Garden is on its way to becoming certified organic through the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association, the garden crew makes many efforts to grow the crops in ways that eliminate chemical use and preserve the health of the land. The Organic Garden composts half of the Dining Hall’s crap food in four cedar bins. In the spring planting season the salad room scraps decompose and can be used to prepare beds for seeds and seedlings. The Garden is mindful of loss of top soil over the winter and to preserve the land, the beds are planted with a cover crop of Winter Rye, Hairy Vetch, Oats, or any other combination of rejuvenation plants for the winter. This winter cover crop also replenishes nutrients to the soil that were lost during the harvest. This practice allows for productive land without any fertilizer. To comply with organic practices the farm uses a mixture of seaweed and fish emulsion, rotted compost, protein meal and plant residue to fertilize the soil. Rather than powerful insecticides, the Organic Garden controls pests with floating row covers, organic insecticidal soap, and tactics such as crop rotation and companion planting with naturally repellent plants.”

Where Produce Goes
All of the produce is used by the two dining halls and in Jack McGee's Pub. The garden produces over $12,000 worth of vegetables, with $1,500 donated to the local soup kitchen and $500 to the Bowdoin Outing Club.

How Farm is Funded
Crystal Springs Community Farm allows Bowdoin to use land in exchange for help harvesting their crops. Bowdoin received a grant from Main Campus Compact and Pew Charitable Trust and is also funded by the Dining Services who pay the manager and student workers.. 

How Farm is Staffed and Supervised
Run by a full-time garden manager and one to two part-time helpers. There are also student volunteers.

Purposes of Farm
The purpose of the farm is to encourage students to "work together for common ends", serve as an academic tool for classes and enhance curriculums, help students become familiar with nature, be a bridge to the surrounding community and embody service learning ideals, and deepen the environmental commitment of the college. 

How Farm was Initiated
The garden was created in 2004 by a group of students interested in promoting sustainable agriculture and local produce.