In a move to promote local produce and sustainability, dedicated green space at Missouri State University was set aside to be used as a campus garden beginning last spring. The garden experienced a great deal of success in its first season, with moderate crop growth and several local vendors eager to purchase locally grown produce.

Produce from the garden is currently sold to Down to Earth Foods, Homegrown Foods, and both Mama Jean’s locations. The garden is also hoping to soon see produce from the garden incorporated into the menu at Carrie’s Restaurant, the student-operated restaurant inside the Professional Building.

To date, produce sales have yielded enough money to cover the expenses related to purchasing seeds and compost in the spring of 2011. The garden hopes to one day be entirely self-sufficient, and plans to treat the funding they have received thus far as a small business loan which will be repaid.

The garden lies adjacent to the commuter parking lot on Grand Street and is funded through Student Government Association’s Sustainability Commission. The campus garden sponsors biweekly events, and anyone interested in volunteering or learning more is encouraged to join the group’s Facebook group “MO State Campus Garden.”