Goshen Valley Grains Partnership
Goshen Valley Grains is owned by Cal Alum Randy Metz (Industrial Technologies Degree '02) and based locally out of Bentleyville. In addition to being able to buy from them direct locally, their products are also carried by Whole Foods.
Goshen takes a Biological approach to farming. This is a cross between organic and sustainable GMO free farming that focuses on the available nutrients in the soils ecosystem. Over a period of time, farming methods are employed that aim for support of long term sustainability and productivity of the land through natural efforts.
The SAI farm is particularly attractive, as it is very challenging to find unfarmed land that has sat dormant for so long and the soil not substantially chemically altered. Goshen Farms became interested in an SAI partnership due to significant loss in land from the Marcellus Shale Industry placing wells on his farm. Unfortunately Mr. Metz does not own the mineral rights to his farm and the company was not willing to work with him on well and road placement.
Owner Randy is willing to donate his time as a speaker for various student functions. He is already partnering with Dr. Meiss to be here for Earth Day activities.
Donated will be various crops to the Horticultural Club and assist with teaching planting/harvesting methods or tilling as needed. (Watermelons, sunflowers, rare pumpkin seeds, rare strand of Mexican green corn, etc...). A pancake mix that Goshen Valley Grains produces and sells has been offered free of charge to Horticultural Club to sell as a fundraiser. In time, the hope is that it will be from what is actually harvested on the Farm.
Goshen has offered to mill any grains donated, or that students grow themselves for free in his mill. This partnership would also be one more step in showing the cross departmental support of Farm initiatives, which will make Cal/SAI attractive for grant funding once ICES is formation is finalized.
Visit the Goshen Valley Grains website.
Goshen takes a Biological approach to farming. This is a cross between organic and sustainable GMO free farming that focuses on the available nutrients in the soils ecosystem. Over a period of time, farming methods are employed that aim for support of long term sustainability and productivity of the land through natural efforts.
The SAI farm is particularly attractive, as it is very challenging to find unfarmed land that has sat dormant for so long and the soil not substantially chemically altered. Goshen Farms became interested in an SAI partnership due to significant loss in land from the Marcellus Shale Industry placing wells on his farm. Unfortunately Mr. Metz does not own the mineral rights to his farm and the company was not willing to work with him on well and road placement.
Possible crops:
- Red Spring Wheat - spring crop to be planted in April
- Common Buckwheat - will follow harvesting of wheat around Fourth of July for September harvest
- Carolina Gourd Seed Corn - a rare type denated to Goshen form Clemson University. Ideal for pancake/grit.
- Red Florinni Heirloom - milling corn native to Italy.
Student Benefits
By far, the biggest benefit of the SAI Farm is it provides students the ability to learn outside of the classroom and gain hands on experience. This partnership would be an expansion of what is already occurring and provide new opportunities. Dr. Sarah Meiss has already structured a course around this for this upcoming summer. There will on going benefits for classes to visit it in the fall and spring as well around the planting and harvesting seasons.- Valuable skills: manage soil, water conservation, anti-erosion practices, botany, sustainability, small business practices, marketing, PR and networking
- Class & Courses:Plant Ecology, Botany, Plant Physiology, Plant Anatomy, Sustainable Agriculture, Ornithology, Entomology, Conservation Biology
Owner Randy is willing to donate his time as a speaker for various student functions. He is already partnering with Dr. Meiss to be here for Earth Day activities.
Donated will be various crops to the Horticultural Club and assist with teaching planting/harvesting methods or tilling as needed. (Watermelons, sunflowers, rare pumpkin seeds, rare strand of Mexican green corn, etc...). A pancake mix that Goshen Valley Grains produces and sells has been offered free of charge to Horticultural Club to sell as a fundraiser. In time, the hope is that it will be from what is actually harvested on the Farm.
Goshen has offered to mill any grains donated, or that students grow themselves for free in his mill. This partnership would also be one more step in showing the cross departmental support of Farm initiatives, which will make Cal/SAI attractive for grant funding once ICES is formation is finalized.
Visit the Goshen Valley Grains website.
