Happy Holidays Hokies!

Well it’s cooling down (finally!) and feeling a little more like winter, exams are over and it’s time to take a nice long break.  It’s been a busy year and semester.  Take some time to reflect on your own accomplishments and we will do the same.

We had a year filled with transition.  Our previous Dining Services Sustainability Coordinator, Elena Dulys, moved on to Grad School in Michigan.  Our new Sustainability Coordinator, Rial Tombes, started in September and was able to see the tail end of the season at the Dining Services Garden at Kentland Farm.  Nonetheless, the Garden crew had an excellent season, and their work is very much appreciated!

The Dining Services Garden at Kentland Farm:  This season, the Dining Services Garden at Kentland Farm expanded to just over 3 acres.  With 2 committed farm crew members,  8 dedicated staff  from various units within Dining Services, 100+ volunteers, and more than 10 organizations involved, we had an incredibly fruitful and exciting season.  This season brought in almost 21,000 lbs of local produce into our Dining Centers from just 10 miles down the road! Volunteer opportunities will be available once again in the spring – keep an eye out on this site!

Volunteers from this past season:  tell us what you thought of it!  Survey link HERE.

Thank You from Chelsea, Adam and all of the Dining Services Staff!

Also, this fall, Dining Services purchased equipment to be able to blanch and fast freeze vegetables from the garden.  This means we will be able to serve local vegetables from the garden even during the winter!

Composting:

A PME Truck picks up food waste and takes it to their facility in Riner, VA.

In 2012, Dining Services alone composted more than 500 tons of food waste.  This means that 500 tons were not thrown in the landfill and instead will be turned into compost!  This past year, several dining units were added to our composting program including, West End Market and Turner Place.  With our new Waste Station set up in Turner Place, educational efforts have increased to teach students how to sort their waste.

Dining Services Green Team Program: Thanks to all the students that made the Dining Services Green Team a success!  With new posters and some fancy buttons, we are able to “train” our fellow hokies on sorting their waste.  The Dining Services Green Team will be gearing up once again in 2013.

Dining Services is looking forward to next year and hopefully you are too!  What would you like to see happen in the coming semester and year to make Dining at VT more sustainable?  Leave a message in the comment section of this post! 

Happy Holidays and have a wonderful break Hokies!

Screening of American Meat

Come to a FREE Screening of American Meat this Tuesday, December 4 at 7 PM.

American Meat takes a look at  our current industrial meat system and the farmers who live and work in its feedlots and confinement feeding operations. The documentary depicts the burgeoning sustainable, local-food movement made up of farmers, food advocates, chefs and everyday folks who are changing everything about the way meat reaches the American table. The film exposes challenges relevant to both conventional and alternative meat production.

300 Cowgill Hall, Architecture Building
December 4, 2012.
7:00PM  

 

 

The event is FREE and open to the public. The first 150 attendees will receive a card for one free burrito from Chipotle Mexican Grill!

Following the film, there will be a panel discussion including the film’s director Graham Meriwether, and local farmer Phil Mosser of Shadowchase Farm.

 

 

 

 

Sustainability in Dining Roundtable

Interested in what’s going on with Sustainability in Dining Services?  Come to the Sustainability in Dining Roundtable to find out!

When: Monday November 5, 2012, 6 – 7 PM

Where: Lavery Hall Room 330

Here’s your chance to hear from Dining Services’ Sustainability Coordinator about current sustainability initiatives in Dining Services, learn how you can get involved, and ask questions too!

Grab a friend and get to know your Dining Services Food System a little bit better.

Hope to see you there!

FALL is in the Air!

It’s officially Fall.  The trees are starting to change colors, it’s time to sip hot apple cider by a campfire, and fall vegetables are ready to be harvested! 

 At the Dining Services Garden, we try to focus our production season so that most  of our vegetables are ready to be harvested when school starts up again in the Fall.  That means we’ve got a whole bunch of sweet potatoes, pumpkins, winter squashes and apples to harvest! 

This Sunday October 7th, come help bring in the harvest!  We’ll be starting harvesting from about 9 am – 3pm.  There’s a lot to learn, see, and enjoy down at the Dining Services Garden at Kentland Farm.  Check our facebook event page for more information.

 

Leave a comment below with some of YOUR favorite Fall food traditions.

Autumn…the year’s last, loveliest smile. 
                                 ― William Cullen Bryant

 

Apple Harvest this Friday

Staying in Blacksburg for Fall Break? Come on down to our apple harvest at Kentland Farm! Support the local foods program in Dining Services and learn valuable skills by lending a hand between 9am-12pm and/or 12:15pm-3:30pm. Limited transportation will be provided for those that reserve a spot by Thursday night (more information in the event’s “info” section), but all are welcome to come out. Directions coming soon via Facebook event.

Also be sure to “like” the Dining Services Garden Volunteer Page for more updates and opportunities.

Tomorrow is Pumpkin Day at the Garden!

 

Join us tomorrow (Friday) morning or afternoon at Kentland Farm!

We have two volunteer shifts available with limited transportation. Visit the Facebook Event (be sure to read the “about” section) for more information and instructions. Be sure to be a part of the group if you’d like to be in the loop for future opportunities!

 

Thank you Circle K International!

A big thanks to Circle K International (CKI) at Virginia Tech for helping out at the Dining Services Garden at Kentland Farm this past weekend.

They harvested over 700 pounds of potatoes.

To have your group come out to the garden (and receive shout-outs here, at Farms & Fields, and at D2), email greendining@vt.edu.

Have a great week, everyone!

Tribute to Fall Harvest Meal Next Tuesday – Sign up now!

This year, we’re celebrating Virginia’s bounty with a delicious 6-course meal. Tribute to Fall Harvest will be a special reserved-seat dinner, and is availabe for only $14.55 cash, $5.50 FLEX.

The meal will be Tuesday, September 13 at 6pm in Owens Banquet Room (next to Hokie Grill). Visit this link to learn more and to reserve your seat today.

On Campus Farmers Market Today

Head on over to Squires/GLC plaza today so that you may visit the On Campus Farmers Market! A few of the regular vendors from the Blacksburg Farmers Market are braving the mist to increase their visibility to passersby. Bring some cash, a friend, or an open mind and enjoy this event.

The Dining Services Garden will have a table where you can talk to someone and learn all about volunteering. Also take the time to visit the Sustainable Food Corps at Virginia Tech and learn how you can get involved.

Wednesdays are now volunteer days

In addition to every Tuesday, every Wednesday will have a transportation-provided volunteer block set from 2:00pm-5:00pm.

Join the Facebook event for details and cancellations, and read through the “more info” section for details.

Be sure to email the volunteer coordinators the night before to ensure and seat and confirm your attendance. Providing your own transportation and partial shifts ARE allowed, so long as you notify the appropriate party (listed in both the Tuesday and Wednesday volunteer block pages; note that they are different) so that they know that you are coming.

Hope to see you out at the garden!