From Seed to Salad: Wrapping up Our Autumn Semester Campus Farming

As the Autumn 2024–25 Semester came to a close, we gathered on January 20th to harvest the lettuce and herbs we had grown with care over the past several months with the help of students taking Environmental Politics of Agriculture.

We celebrated our hard work by making Buddha bowls, using the very lettuce we had grown topped with chickpeas, nuts, apple slices, lemon, and dried fruits. It was a memorable way to conclude the semester, as students were able to experience firsthand the full cycle of growing, tending, and harvesting food.

Our farming activities began last October with a planting session and a tane dango (seed ball) workshop, setting the stage for a semester of hands-on learning. The students were divided into four groups, each responsible for their own plot at the Building 10 gardens, the Building 9 Commons, and the small square plots along Kojimachi Street by Building 6. Under the guidance of KASA members and with support from Jun Kuniyoshi, students took turns watering the plants and documenting their growth in their diaries as part of their coursework. Through this, they not only learned about food cultivation but also observed the changes in the soil and plants over time.

Reflections from the students

It was fun and interesting to see our plants grow, and I think the salad was the single best salad I’ve ever eaten! We worked well as a team for watering, so it was great overall.

I never realized just how patient one has to be when growing something as familiar as a vegetable. Seeing how many plants survived until harvest gave me newfound appreciation for farmers.

Growing food was such a fun, rewarding, and healing activity. Before this class, I never thought much about a field of vegetables, but after learning about soil microbiomes, plant interdependency, and the effects of chemicals on soil and climate, I see fields differently now. I feel a closer connection to the soil—almost like I have ‘empathy’ for it, recognizing it as the precious source of energy for all living beings.

The seed I received in one of the first classes has now grown so big and strong. I never thought I could take care of a plant for this long without killing it! Watching my plant thrive and knowing that my watering and sunlight choices affected its taste was eye-opening. If not for this class, I wouldn’t have even thought to plant a vegetable, let alone enjoy it. I’m grateful for this discovery.

Nurturing human–nature relations

For KASA Sustainability, each semester of farming is about much more than just growing food. It is about cultivating awareness, reciprocity, and a deeper connection to the land. Through our collective efforts, we not only experience the joys and challenges of growing food but also engage with the larger questions of sustainability, food justice, and ecological care.

We are preparing our activities for the upcoming Spring Semester. We look forward to continuing our experiential and experimental learning on campus and will be sharing our spring activities soon!

Photo credits: Wei-Yi (Zoe) Lee