Lettuce With A Purpose: Campus Farm Cultivates Inclusion and Sustainability
Through the opening of Peace Produce at William Peace University, Pacer Dining is now serving lettuce grown right on campus.
Peace Produce, the campus’s new hydroponic farm, launched on Sept. 5 with a celebration that included samples of the farm’s fresh lettuce.
“The salads were served with two unique salad dressings prepared by Chef James Pelli,” Pacer Dining Marketing Coordinator Alex Strickler said. “Both dressings — sweet potato and sweet muscadine — were made with locally sourced North Carolina ingredients to complement the crisp hydroponic greens.”
The urban farm is housed in a container by Freight Farms, and was established by Produce Purpose Executive Director Matthew Harvey, who, along with his father Duke, dedicated the project to the memory of his late brother Patrick, a William Peace alumnus, according to the university.
“We're growing Produce Purpose with two goals in mind - to offer meaningful employment to individuals with special needs and to bring healthy, nutritional food to college campuses,” states Produce Purpose’s website. “Produce Purpose leverages hydroponic farming to employ people with special needs to bring fresh, healthy produce to campus dining.”
The launch of the hydroponic farm also marked the start of a partnership with Pacer Dining, as the operation will supply all the lettuce served at the university dining hall’s salad bar.
“Every bite of lettuce students now enjoy in Belk Dining Hall is grown and cultivated by the farm, connecting the campus community directly to its food source,” Strickler said. “The launch of Peace Produce represents a new chapter for Pacer Dining at William Peace University, uniting education, community, and sustainability.
Regional Communications Manager at Sodexo Universities
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