Volunteer Spotlight: College of St. Scholastica

The Eco3 Urban Farm is a transformative project that aims to broaden the scope of Lake Superior College’s farm by turning it into a community-oriented space that promotes food access and health equity in the Lincoln Park neighborhood. The centerpiece of this space is a heated high tunnel that will function as an educational hub for urban agriculture and food education programs year-round. Moreover, the farm will provide mobility-inclusive gardening opportunities that are accessible to people of all ages. The Eco3 Farm is also a critical part of the effort to establish a more equitable and inclusive food system in the community. In tandem with the shared-use commercial kitchen space at the Lincoln Park Resilience Hub, it will help create a closed loop food ecosystem that benefits everyone.

This past Wednesday, students from the College of St. Scholastica visited the Eco3 Urban Farm for their school-wide Community Day. The students left a large impact, particularly inside the heated high tunnel where they prepared the space for spring planting. Some of the students even braved the snow to clear pathways. Among the many tasks they accomplished were setting up tables, saving seeds, trimming plant debris, and organizing the area to ensure a fruitful growing season. We would like to give a special shoutout to these hardworking individuals for their dedication and commitment to sustainable agriculture.

St. Scholastica students played a crucial role in advancing the Eco3 Urban Farm’s 2023 growing season that will provide fresh produce to support the Lake Superior College Food Shelf, several other community programs, and the farm’s own volunteers and staff. Specifically, the students worked to prepare the high tunnel space for the hundreds of seedlings that will soon be transplanted into the fields and to make room for partner organizations who will start their own seedlings at the farm. 

By working with volunteers at the Eco3 Urban Farm, our goal is to create a deeper sense of connection between participants and their community by teaching them about local food systems and regenerative farming practices. We believe that this knowledge will foster a greater appreciation for the food that sustains us and the land that produces it. By providing opportunities for volunteers to engage in these practices, we hope to inspire a sense of stewardship and responsibility for the well-being of our community and environment. We are committed to promoting sustainable food systems and empowering individuals to make positive changes in their lives and communities.

We are deeply grateful to the St. Scholastica volunteers for their hard work and dedication to creating a more sustainable and equitable food system in our community. Please direct any questions about the Eco3 Urban Farm or interest in getting involved to farm@ecolibrium3.org.