May 10, 2022

Planting seeds of hope

a student leans over a garden bed as she plants sunflower seeds in the dirt

Abigail Schaus ’24, LaFarm’s food and farm apprentice, plants sunflower seeds at LaFarm.

Lafayette College’s Office of Sustainability invited members of the Lehigh Valley community to come together to plant sunflower seeds at LaFarm as both a symbolic gesture and supportive action to aid those impacted by the invasion of Ukraine. Sunflowers, the national flower of Ukraine, have become a symbol of peace and resilience. In the fall, once the sunflowers have grown, they will be harvested and sold. Proceeds from the sales will support humanitarian aid efforts in Ukraine.

The event was organized by Josh Parr, manager of food and farm at Lafayette. (See media coverage of the event.)

Father Oleg Kravchenko from the Virgin Mary Orthodox Ukranian Church in Northampton and Father Richard Jendras of the Saint Mary Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Allentown offered a prayer before community members planted the seeds, which were donated by Burpee Gardening. “Burpee is proud to donate to LaFarm’s efforts,” says Jamie Mattikow ’86, CEO and president of Burpee Gardening. “We support Lafayette College and the Lehigh Valley community coming together to help humanitarian efforts in the Ukraine.”

Seeds will also be planted in a small garden in Anderson Courtyard, near Acopian Engineering Center.

Josh Parr stands with members of the community and a student and dogs at LaFarm
Josh Parr stands with members of the community and a student and dogs at LaFarm
a minister offers a prayer at LaFarm, Delicia Nahman and her son sit in the grass and listen
Josh Parr stands with members of the community and a student and dogs at LaFarm
Josh Parr walks with members of the community at LaFarm
a bin contains a row of many packets of Burpee sunflower seeds
Josh Parr and members of the community stand at LaFarm garden beds prepped for sunflower seed planting
Delicia Nahman wears a hat and crouches down in a garden bed as she plants sunflower seeds
outstretched hands hold sunflower seeds
a student leans over a garden bed as she plants sunflower seeds in the dirt
members of the community plant sunflower seeds in a garden bed at LaFarm
two community members plant sunflower seeds in the dirt at LaFarm
two children plant sunflower seeds in a garden bed at LaFarm
community member kneels in garden bed and covers seeds with dirt
a hand holds seeds in a dirt garden bed
a young child sits in a dirt garden bed

 

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LaFarm provides healthy food to the community, multidisciplinary student engagement through classroom participation and academic research

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