Farming & Food Systems
College of the Atlantic
Why does hunger persist in a world of plenty?
How can our food systems nourish both communities and the environment? Understanding food and its production requires insights from history, anthropology, economics, politics, ecology, botany, chemistry, and more. Accordingly, we have a diverse and interdisciplinary set of classes in the area of farming and food systems, such as Transforming Food Systems, Agroecology, Corn and Coffee, Farm Animal Management, and Land and Climate.
Get your hands dirty
In addition to learning about the ethics, anthropology, and politics of food, there are lots of opportunities to get your hands dirty. Literally. The college owns and operates two organic farms. Classes make use of these farms, and there are opportunities to work on the farms both during the school year and during the productive summer months. The college’s farms host 8–12 public workshops every year, on a wide range of topics in sustainable agriculture. The college also holds an annual Farm Day event which features guest speakers and a community meal at Beech Hill Farm.
Multiple scales of learning and action
Students who choose to work on farming and food systems at COA do so on different scales. Some focus on learning production techniques and farm management skills, or contributing to local food security and resilience efforts. Others work at the international level to understand food politics and the economic forces that affect agriculture. Students participate in the yearly meetings of the UN Committee on World Food Security and its civil society mechanism or in classes such as French Food Politics and European Political Institutions. On campus, students learn about the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the local effects of international trade regimes.
Faculty
Partridge Chair in Food & Sustainable Agriculture Systems | Provost | Dean of Faculty
Sharpe-McNally Chair of Green and Socially Responsible Business
Faculty in History, Latin American Studies, and Historical Agriculture
Faculty in Global Environmental Politics, Agriculture Policy, & International Studies
Staff
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Student voices
COA Might be Right for You if…
…you are ready to have your life and identity flipped on its head and dunked in the ocean repeatedly.
Jonna Lynn Nielsen ’27
…you don’t know what you want to study because you have far too many interests to just focus in on one of them.
Wilson Korneev ’28
…you want to be in a small community where people will remember your name.
Alya Kiiashko ’25
…you have an open mind, enjoy small communities, and want a well-rounded (however unconventional) education experience.
Seth Sears ’28
…you want to meet politically, emotionally, and academically engaged people.
Alder Ame ’27
…you think being sent to the oceanside to improve your mental health actually sounds awesome (it totally is).
Carolina de Oliveira Castro ’26
…you are passionate about the natural world and want to study it and love spending time outside.
Conrad Kortemeier ’26
…you want to be surrounded and inspired by people who are excited about niche subjects, and by people who are still figuring out what they’re doing.
Marina Schnell ’25
…you can’t choose between the mountains and the sea.
Megan Maloney ’26
…you want freedom in your class structure.
Andie Piliouras ’26
…you want small, intentional community.
Conlan Lamb ’28
…you want to expand your perspective and knowledge of the world around you, and gain valuable connections from all around the world!
Trinket Lester ’28
…you question the answers to your questions, challenge the status quo, and seek tranquility in the heart of the spruce-fir forests.
Greta Bernier ’27
…you have the desire to choose your own path to a degree.
Béatrice St-Louis ’28