Philosophy

Located on the grounds at Loyola University Retreat and Ecology Campus in Woodstock, Illinois the Loyola Student Farm is dedicated to farming practices that are based on healthy ecological relationships. We seek to explore, experiment, and innovate in order to achieve economic, environmental, and social sustainability in a replicable manner.  We are committed to responsible agricultural practices that are focused on the quality of life for all components of the farm—from the bacteria in the soil to our neighbors below us in the watershed. 

Since industrialization, much of our agricultural wisdom has been replaced by fossil-fueled machines.  We seek to combine today’s technological innovations (such as our solar-powered electric fence) with ancient traditions (such as cutting grain with scythes) in a meld that is sustainable and synergistic.   

One of our main objectives is to make the Loyola Student Farm a self-contained entity, integrating livestock, grain, fruit, vegetables, fungi, the natural ecosystem, and humans to create and protect the balance of life that is just as much about sweat, pain, and hard work as it is about peace, health, and rebirth.

Objectives

The Loyola Student Farm is student run and is mentored by Loyola Faculty and local farmers.  Interns and students have the opportunity to form a direct relationship with their food through one-on-one experiential learning in a natural setting.  They participate in the farm to table experience daily, as their field work is harvested, processed, and prepared into their nourishment and health. 

Through courses in ecology, biology, and sustainable agriculture, the relationship between humans and their environment is explored in depth.  Just as the food grows in the field, students flourish into their new life-style, changing the way they think about food, community, and the environment.     

 Alex Tuchman

Loyola Student Farm