Dearest farm friends,

We've been busy squeezing the last and best out of the fall season. Our From the Ground Up event brought students, staff and faculty from across the university to reflect on Trinity's early history, its impact on Cherokee communities, and DCF's present-day seedkeeping partnerships with the Cherokee and Eastern Band of Cherokee nations. In the past month, we've also welcomed an Interfaith Day of Service, Day of the Dead cempasúchil stringing with MASA, Global Maternal Health and French 101 students, OLLI birdhouse gourd makers, the Vilgalys Mycology and Revaluing Care Labs, and members of Duke's Annual Fund Advisory board, not to mention a lively contra that prompted one attendee to write this heart-warmer of an article in the Duke Chronicle that captures so much of how we build community here at the farm. 

Thinking beyond campus to our broader community, we'll be delivering the last produce of this season to our community partners this month and encourage you to join us in supporting neighbors in a shifting food security landscape. A quick resource guide and note from McGinty Food Security Fellow Roo Jackson is below. 

With the first hard frost, we're officially battening down the hatches for the cooler months ahead. There's still time to join us before our last community workday on December 5th. If you're ready for a bigger commitment, we're also looking for more spring work traders.

Whether you're dancing, digging, learning, inoculating mushrooms, or looking for campus farm produce to take home for Thanksgiving, we hope to see you at the farm soon!  

The Duke Campus Farm Team 

As we shift toward the holiday season, we're grateful for the abundance that our acre has yielded us, and the crew who made it all possible. Left: Field Crew member Pauline Yoo (MEM/MF '27) poses with a Napa cabbage. Right: The morning sun adding a frosty hue to our crop of Teddy dill. 

Hello there!

As the national landscape of food security continues to change, I wanted to make sure that those of you who are connected to DCF via this newsletter know what resources to turn to. While benefits have been restored to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and SNAP for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) following the continuing resolution (CR), North Carolinians in these programs have only been receiving partial benefits since the beginning of the government shutdown and local agencies working to fill in gaps have scrambled for additional resources to step in. If there were another government shutdown in January, SNAP would still keep its funding, but threats to food security are on-going. 

Please check NC DHHS for the most up to date information on the status of SNAP and WIC. There is also a compiled list of resources to turn to put together by Durham county, as well as a map to find free food in NC. Look after one another!

- Roo Jackson, McGinty Community Food Security Fellow

Students from MASA (Duke's Mexican American Student Alliance) harvested and strung Aztec marigolds while enjoying churros under the pavilion. An important part of Dia de los Muertos, cempasúchil offer a bright contrast to a reflective holiday. 

We’re hiring spring work traders. These positions are open to all - no Duke affiliation is required. In exchange for farm fresh veggies and hands-on farm training, work-traders commit to one 3-hr shift/ week (this must be the same time & day each week) for the entire spring semester (January 19 - May 1). Find out more and apply via the link below!

Holiday Market is just one week away! On Monday November 24th from 2:30-5:30pm, student crew will be at DCF selling fresh produce to add to your Thanksgiving dishes.

We're also excited to be welcoming former Dean of Housing Deb LoBiondo, who will be selling knit scarves, headbands and handmade cheeseboards. 10% of proceeds will go back to the Duke Campus Farm!

Volunteers are welcome to join us on Wednesdays from 9am-12pm and/or Fridays from 1-4pm. Our students, volunteers, and staff consistently say that their most memorable memories at DCF are the conversations they shared over a wheelbarrow of mulch or while tackling weeds in a bed of carrots together. Our last community work day will be held on Friday, December 5th from 1-4pm.

Don’t miss out on this year’s Winterfest! Students can enjoy warm soup, crafts, bonfires, a holiday sweater contest and buy holiday gifts from student vendors. Did you knit too many blankets or bake sweets worthy of the Great British Baking Show? Sign up to be a vendor by emailing dukecampusfarm@duke.edu and sell your goods at Winterfest!

At the Duke Campus Farm, we work to catalyze positive change in the food system. In addition to offering healthy, seasonal, sustainable produce to our community, we grow climate and food systems  leaders with the tools to navigate a quickly changing landscape.

Now more than ever, we rely on the generosity of our community to continue offering sustainably grown food, and food systems education. If you are interested in supporting our work, we welcome your financial gift here.

Stay in touch with the Duke Campus Farm by following us on socials.