Concord Academy’s Student-Faculty Center has a new addition to its facilities: a hydroponic farm. This farm will grow food for the Stu-Fac while contributing to CA’s sustainability efforts through green growing practices and education.

Hydroponic farming is a type of farming that uses a nutrient-rich water rather than soil to grow food. These nutrients include phosphorus, nitrogen, and calcium. Sometimes, coconut coir (shredded coconut husk fibers) or other growing mediums are used to aid the absorption of water and nutrients. This type of farming uses up to as much as ten times less water than standard farming because the water is reused. It also takes up less space and can be grown indoors with either real or artificial sunlight.

The farm at CA has been in the works for over three years. Dining hall staff members Shawna Penders and Juan Patino headed the project and worked with the Sustainability Committee to purchase the system, called a Babylon Micro-Farms system, with CA’s sustainability fund. The final hurdle was finding a space to place it, and they eventually decided to put it directly outside the Stu-Fac, adding a dividing wall between the system and the bathrooms. The farm produces around eight pounds of microgreens like basil and lettuce each week, which are used in the Stu-Fac for salads, sauces, and more. Some plants are started there before being transferred to a garden outside.

I spoke with Avi Cariens ’25, a Sustainability Representative on CA’s Student Council, about the impact of the Hydroponic Farm on our community. He states, “I think in my opinion, it's main benefit isn’t to produce food but really to engage with different sustainable agriculture practices. It’s something that is happening on a much larger scale, and what we are doing here is obviously low stakes, but it is good to learn about it … It’s accessible, we can get good food, and we can engage and learn about it.” He says, “I hope that students can also get more engaged in classes. We have lots of opportunities —growing food, volunteering at farms—it is a real privilege; lots of people our age don’t have those opportunities. I hope the Stu-Fac is appreciated.” Passionate students like Avi are crucial to the development of the school and contribute to new ideas and innovation by offering a student perspective.

The Stu-Fac’s efforts to introduce hydroponics to our community allow us to stay

committed to our mission of sustainability and contributing to the fresh, delicious, nutritious food that we are blessed to have access to each day.