A Harvard Garden Party

Under a clear blue sky last Wednesday, a crowd appeared in the Harvard Community Garden, lining up at a red-and-white tent and hoping to get their hands on a delicious organic grilled-cheese sandwich. Was the cheese being distributed out of sheer benevolence? Not quite—the event was run by Generation Organic, a group of young farmers from across the country campaigning to promote organic and sustainable agriculture.

“It’s a constant educational fight,” said Silas J. Hundt, a farmer from Coon Valley, Wis. “It’s not simple to explain why people should pay an extra dollar for organic milk.”

Generation Organic is sponsored by Organic Valley, the largest cooperative of organic farmers in the US. Their goal is to create a system under which small, organic farms can have longevity and economic stability. That goal requires public education and awareness, which Organic Valley is promoting through its nationwide tour.

A glass jar filled with emerald pesto sat next to the grills, which cranked out sandwiches for the event’s attendees. The pesto was prepared by the Office of Sustainability, which helped to organize the event, according to Rachel E. Johnson ’09 of the Office’s Occupant Engagement Team. Many of the event’s attendees may have come for the grilled cheese, but there were also a fair share of environmentalists in the crowd. T. Fettah Kosar, who works at the Harvard Center for Nanoscale Systems, said, “I try to give the right lesson to my kids.” He has two young children and has become increasingly worried about antibiotics and pesticides in food. When he saw the colorful Generation Organic bus next to the Harvard Community Garden, he decided to stop by and learn more about the organization.

“It’s almost impossible to be 100 percent organic,” Kosar said. “So whenever I see organic events, I try to stop by.”