On Sept. 24, the Farm Harvest Festival returned to the Case Western Reserve University Farm. The annual event, which has been held since 2010, is a day filled with games, free food and, most importantly, a welcome change of scenery. The event is a celebration of the Farm Food Program, which promotes the idea of sustainability across campus and provides Bon Appetit with many resources for campus dining. The event itself was organized by the Student Sustainability Council, an ad-hoc of the Undergraduate Student Government, to emphasize the importance of the University Farm. In past years, the Farm has grown many herbs, vegetables and wild plants, including mint, oregano, asparagus, oyster mushrooms and Swiss chard. In addition to educating the campus about healthy living, the Farm Food Program has also helped non-profit organizations in their efforts. They donate fresh produce to the Cleveland Food Bank, the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, and have also donated farming space to the Cleveland Botanical Garden and The Refugee Response. 

Campus shuttle buses to the event were provided, and upon arrival at the University Farm, CWRU students were welcomed by a small petting zoo and a plethora of free food. The petting zoo included several chickens and goats, which was enough to keep me entertained. After going inside the November Meeting Center, students were welcomed to vegetarian chili and Mitchell’s ice cream—a combination much more satisfying than you might think. After enjoying some Wildberry Crumble ice cream and a cup of apple cider, I went back outside to view the games they had set up. There were many students playing volleyball and cornhole. However, what I really came for was waiting for me at a small unassuming table adjacent to the cornhole station: the flower crown station. The ultimate goal for any CWRU student is to get a cute picture of themselves wearing a self-made flower crown at the Farm Harvest Festival. As a current fourth-year student, I hurried over to the table, realizing this was my last chance. Despite my crown being quite sparse on flowers, and the crown itself being made of recycled Starbucks bags, rather than twigs as in years past, I was happy with my makeshift floral coronet.The day also included performances by several clubs, including the Case Men’s Glee Club, IMPROVment, student bands and many other groups. I would be lying if I said I paid nearly as much attention to any of the performers as I did to the campfire, especially once I realized it was being used to make s’mores. After enjoying a sustainable s’more, I took advantage of the walking trails, which I did not know about until this most recent trip. While walking, I discovered a small lake and numerous signs dedicated to observing the local wildlife and vegetation. It was a very pleasant, and much needed day away from looking at a laptop screen or refreshing Canvas to start a quiz. Despite being a 30-minute drive, I implore any student reading this to take a weekend and go to University Farm, because it may be exactly the kind of reset you need.