Thar’s gold in them thar greens. The food sustainability
movement — and the growing demand for locally grown produce —
has inspired community colleges to create new agriculture and
culinary arts programs, reports Community College Times. Food is
generally considered to be “sustainable,” according to Sustain:
The Alliance for Better Food and Farming, if it is produced,
processed and traded in a way that contributes to thriving local
economies, protects the diversity of plants and animals, avoids
damaging natural resources, and provides safe and healthy
products. At Metropolitan Community College in Nebraska,
horticulture and culinary arts are in the same department.
Culinary students work in the campus garden, using carrot and
onion peelings to create compost. MCC has an aquaponics system
creating a food loop, with nutrient-rich water from a fish tank
full of tilapia circulating to fertilize salad greens and herbs,
then flowing back into the tank. Culinary students learn how to
cook the tilapia, as well as pro