Tabler Student Farm
The Tabler Student Farm is a student run demonstration and educational farm part of the Shepherd University Agricultural Innovation Center (SUAIC), which provides students and community members the opportunity to learn about small-scale sustainable agricultural production and agricultural business management through hands-on experiences located at the 160-acre historic Tabler Farm.
What we do
The Student Farm currently operates a 1-acre mixed fruit and vegetable production plot, a food forest, an indoor hydro/aquaponics system, a small bee apiary and (soon!) an indoor mushroom growing operation. All agricultural practices on this farm fall under organic guidelines and focus on soil regeneration.
This site is one of the primary learning spaces for the various educational programs offered by the Shepherd University Agricultural Innovation Center. The Student Farm offers employment and training opportunities to students and contributes to the local food system.
Being part of a public university, we take competition with local farms seriously and only engage in markets that are actively in need of new produce vendors. All funds and sales raised by the Student Farm are processed through our parent nonprofit, Shepherd Entrepreneurial Research Corporation (SERC). These funds are directly used for operational costs such as supplies (seeds, soil, tools, etc.) and student labor.
Active community connections and selling outlets
- Shepherdstown Shares Food Pantry
- Shepherd University Ram Pantry
- Shepherdstown Farmers Market
- Charles Town Farmers Market
- Community Garden Market of Shepherdstown
- WVU Farm to You
Involvement Opportunities
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- Sustainable Agriculture academic program
- Bachelor of Science for Environmental Studies with a concentration in Sustainable Agriculture and Resource Management.
- Register for the course ENVS 461 to receive elective credits to work on the farm.
- Academic projects and research site
- Students in any major are encouraged to utilize Tabler Farm as a site to do academic projects and research relevant to their degree.
- Past examples: Plant biology research, marketing projects, business capstone, environmental studies capstone, graphics design projects, mural painting projects, communications projects.
- Bachelor of Science for Environmental Studies with a concentration in Sustainable Agriculture and Resource Management.
- Public Events
- Visit our events page and follow our social media pages to stay up to date on current offerings.
- Student Employment
- Work on the farm through Student Federal Work Study, seasonal farming positions, AmeriCorps service, or internship opportunities.
- Volunteering
- Students, staff, and community members are all welcomed to volunteer on the farm!
- Feel free to reach out directly for group or individual volunteer opportunities at shepherdfarm@shepherd.edu
- Keep an eye on our social media pages to see when our next volunteer event is.
