Why were 15 Science students spending their time back stage of the IUSB Theatre Department in their last semester of 2015? The students were painting a wall mural on 4 pieces of 6 foot by 8 foot canvasses for Green Sense Farms, Portage Indiana, home of the largest vertical farm in the country.
The story is that Green Sense Farms of Portage, Indiana and Indiana University South Bend completed a partnership creating a wall mural depicting the history of farming. The 32-foot mural was the part of a new and innovative course called “The Art of Sustainability” which encouraged I.U.S.B students to explore significant achievements in agriculture through time, beginning with the formation of cities around Egyptian grain through modern day farming. Green Sense Farms and IU South Bend collaborated on the course.
Edwin Joseph, Ph.D. , a Professor of Sustainability and a Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Specialist serves as an agriculture extension agent. The course was the brainchild of Mike Keen, Director of the Sustainability Program at IUSB who reached out to Green Sense Farms, a nearby neighbor of IUSB. Robert Colangelo, President of Green Sense Farms, worked closely with the class to synthesize ideas. The mural was created under the direction of artist David Blodgett, and painted by 15 students on site at Indiana University before being transported to Green Sense Farms for permanent display.
“The course was a great experience and it gave me a broad vision on what we could put together, using the ideas of sustainability along with art,” said Helga Santos, a junior at IUSB who is studying biochemistry. “As a native of the country of Angola where the food is mostly organic, I’ve enjoyed learning more about the vertical farm at Green Sense,” she said. “I enjoyed sharing ideas about the history of agriculture and what that means for the directions we need to move for the future,” said Emily Sheets, sophomore who is also studying biochemistry.
Robert Colangelo, President of Green Sense Farms
“Our farm is a confluence of science, art and business. We’re excited to extend that partnership by working side by side with the academic community. We’re excited about how the students tell the story of sustainability through art,” said Robert Colangelo, CEO and Founding Farmer for Green Sense Farms. The farms supplies products for all kinds of institutions like hospitals, prisons, schools, and retail outlets.
“We wanted to develop a course that provided a forum for thought-provoking questions and answers regarding the integration of art, urban gardening, and sustainability,” said Dr. Joseph. “The mural is an expression of the historical, cultural, sociological, environmental, and economic issues involved in the evolution of sustainability,” he said.
Headquartered in Portage Indiana, Green Sense Farms’ innovative indoor, vertical growing system means their farms can grow 365 days per year in perfect growing conditions, without herbicides, pesticides, or GMO seeds. Popular Science recently named Green Sense Farms to its list of the year’s 100 Greatest Inventions for the farm’s innovative sustainable farming. Indiana University South Bend is the only comprehensive public university in North Central Indiana and the third largest campus in the Indiana University system. With more than 100 degree programs, IUSB serves more than 8,300 students.
Green Sense Farms can be visited at www.greensensefarms.com or reached by calling 219-762-9990.
To Find out More that’s Happening in Portage, Indiana, CLICK HERE!
Susie Young Baxter, CEO, has published PanoramaNOW Magazine for 31 years. Her hobbies are Camping, Boating, Hiking, Nature, Gardening and Outdoor Activities. She is an Artist, Graphic Designer, an Avid Seamstress, Dabbles in Homemade Crafts and Landscaping. Since her Father was a Health Teacher, she also likes homeopathic Health Solutions. Since blogging started over 10 years ago, PanoramaNow has been added to Newsbreak – a national news affiliate.
