Dining Services Farm at Kentland

The Dining Services Farm at Kentland Farm is a unique collaboration between Virginia Tech Dining Services, the Department of Horticulture, and the College of Agriculture and Life Science. Almost all of the vegetables and herbs harvested at the farm are used in the Dining Halls at Virginia Tech, and the farm also harvests fruit from a nearby orchard.
Hessler

The Dining Services Farm began as a small herb garden in 2009, and the farm has grown to over six acres of vegetable and herb production. The farm’s current manager, Alex Hessler (right), joined us in January of 2014. During the spring and fall, students taking the Sustainable Agriculture Practicum course gain hands-on training in sustainable agriculture practices. The farm also hosts volunteers, in an effort to help the Hokie community learn more about where their food comes from and how it is grown.

You can learn more about the farm on Facebook, and you can also email us for more information.

Interested in volunteering at the Dining Services Farm at Kentland Farm?

How to get involved:

Volunteer opportunities begin in late spring/early summer when production begins, and will last through the harvest season until around November. Opportunities are especially abundant in the early-late fall semesters.

General Volunteer Information

As with other farm work, gardening is dirty.  Wear clothes that you find appropriate to get muddy, dirty, or otherwise.  Solid, closed-toed footwear is preferred.  Bring a hat, sunscreen, and water to stay cool and hydrated. Pay attention to announcement emails in case certain activities require certain clothing choices (i.e wearing long sleeves to harvest zucchini).

Projects vary, as does the type of vegetable or herb being harvested.

Travel & Directions

Below are directions to the Dining Services Farm. Because parking is limited, we encourage visitors to carpool whenever possible:

  • Take Prices Fork Road going away from campus.
  • Continue for about 3 miles; make a right on McCoy Road.
  • Continue for about 3 miles; make a left on Whitethorne Road. This turn will come quickly at the bottom of a steep hill.
  • Take the first entrance to the farm on the right (just before the official entrance at the office building). This is the right turn BEFORE the bridge.
  • Follow the dirt/gravel road to the garden plots. Park near other cars underneath the shade trees.

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