News
Photo courtesy of University Dining Services Facebook
UDS vegetables for winter is grown locally
The Pointer
jlutz715@uwsp.edu
While piling their plates full of spinach at the University Dining Centers, students can now say they are eating local. With the help of Heidi A. Heath Farms, Inc. in Coloma, most of the greens used at the University Dining Services is now grown locally and without the use of pesticides.
Heath Farms has been around for close to 40 years and grows everything from pumpkins to perennials. They ship their products all over Wisconsin, as far north as Minocqua, and as far south as Milwaukee.
Although they use no pesticides on most of their produce, they cannot be considered organic. Debbie Hagedorn, farm grower, said, “We can’t be organic because the farm didn’t start that way. The buildings have had treated lumber from day one and not all of the plants are spray free.” But the greens the UDS is receiving are spray free. Hagedorn said, “Take a piece and try it. It’s clean.”
All of Heath Farm’s products are picked by hand. “I’m not sure the exact numbers, but it’s something like 80 percent of mechanically picked products can be used where over 90 percent of handpicked can be used,” said Hagedorn. “That’s because if we’re going through and we see something that’s not fully ripe we can leave it and check again tomorrow; machines pick everything at once.“
UDS hasn’t used products from the farm in the past but both Hea th Farms and the UDS have high hopes for this relationship.
“Heath contacted us and simply asked ‘What can we grow for you?’ I think this is great we have local food to serve,” said Mark Hayes, director of UDS.
UDS usually gets their greens from California. “By getting the greens locally the shelf life is longer and the nutritional value is better,” Hagedorn said. “We pick it that morning and the university can serve it later that day. Where if you get it from out of state, the product is already days old by the time it gets here.”
The Heath Farms and UDS are looking at ways to expand the products that the university gets from the local farm. The farm is hoping to sell sweet corn and other summer vegetables to the university for summer conferences and even the first couple weeks of school while these products are still in season.
UDS is also looking to expand their supply of local food in general. Hayes said, “Right now the main local food we get is from Earthcrust bakery served at the Homegrown Cafe. We are definitely looking for more options.”
