UMSFP Kicks off Fall with the 8th Harvest Festival

By Brandi Hess

The University of Michigan Sustainable Food Program (UMSFP) recently hosted its 8th annual Harvest Festival, at the Campus Farm, to celebrate the harvest season with music, food, and a host of food and sustainability-related activities. In case you missed this year’s festival, here is a recap of what happened.

Despite the light showers that fell on this chilly Sunday afternoon, the festival stuck to its regularly scheduled program. To compensate for the weather, all the local and university-affiliated groups relocated inside the Campus Farm’s straw bale house to connect with festival attendees. These organizations shared lots of information related to local food and sustainability efforts and hosted a bunch of fun activities. For instance, UM Bees — a U-M org with the goal to promote, protect, and propagate honeybees — was there sharing samples of their August honey. There was also a seed bomb station where attendees could create your own seed bomb out of compostable materials. Other organizations in attendance included the Local Food Guide, Argus Farm Stop, the Office of Campus Sustainability, Feel Good, and the Michigan Animal Respect Society (MARS).

The celebration seeped out of the straw bale house and continued outside with a host of other fun fall activities to enjoy! Whether someone wanted to relax and listen to a live music performance from local musicians, decorate pumpkins, or learn about edible perennial plants, there was something for everybody. For all of the yoga lovers, there was even an instructed session. And a harvest festival wouldn’t be complete without free food! To soothe the taste buds of the festival attendees, Michigan Dining shared samples of barley salad made with vegetables from the Campus Farm, with delicious local apples and cranberries and toasted sunflower seeds on top for added crunch.

Overall, UMSFP’s 8th annual Harvest Festival was a huge success with nearly 200 attendees and over a dozen organizations. There was no better way to begin the fall season than by spending a chilly Sunday afternoon with the UMSFP learning about food and sustainability from local organizations, seed bomb-making, pumpkin decorating, live music performances, edible perennial plant tours, yoga, and free food.

Related posts:

. I was so angry I decided then I would not put another penny in their ponies Bryon exactly just taken away. Then on the Bigfoot is Real And He Tried to Eat My Ass shirt as I never received a letter…

Constant feelings of being unequipped. Just continuously coming up short. They say love yourself, but that is only half. Self Love is only half the battle when you are at war with the world. Go to…

If you want to get somewhere in life, you have to stop being your worst enemy and get out of your own way. You don't have to be a puppet of your life circumstances.