The grass really is greener on the other side — of the farm.

The Sustainable Student Farm is making its grand debut Thursday by holding an open house. The farm aims to create a more sustainable campus by producing locally grown food and supplying it to the University.

Crop Sciences Professor Bruce Branham said the farm is primarily run by students.

“We’ve had a very good turnout of volunteers,” Branham said. “Mostly they help with harvesting, planting, transplanting and starting feeds in the greenhouse.”

Branham said he hopes the open house will encourage more students on campus to sign up as volunteers, since anyone can get involved.

“It’s been a rewarding experience for everyone involved,” he said. “You can taste the difference in produce grown sustainably.”

The three-acre farm is part of an initiative to have locally grown produce consist of 30 percent of all food eaten on campus by the year 2015, as determined by the Illinois Climate Action Plan.

Branham said the farm, which started last year, currently provides for about 2 percent of the campus’ total consumption.

“We produced 25,000 pounds of vegetables and fruit last year,” he said. “We would like our farm to expand and eventually contribute to 10 percent of total consumption.”

All fruits and vegetables harvested on the farm are either sent to the University’s dining services or are sold on Thursdays on the Quad during lunch hours.

Branham says the farm will continue to provide both services until the harvesting season ends in October.

“Our typical production season is from May to September, and then we extend production for another 40 to 42 weeks by utilizing our greenhouses,” he said.

Though the farm is not certified by the U.S. Department of Agriculture as organic, Branham said the farm employs several techniques typically used to grow organic fruits and vegetables.

“We use almost no pesticides, and substitute normal fertilizers for compost. What we’re doing is organic in all but name,” Branham said.

To become certified as organic, a farm must be in production for at least three years—making the Sustainable Student Farm at least another year away from eligibility.

Though Branham said the label would be nice, the farm’s main goal for now is to increase student involvement.

“This farm is for the students and by the students,” he said. “We want them to learn how the food they eat ends up in the grocery store or market.”

The open house will run on Thursday from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the farm, located south of Windsor Road on Lincoln Avenue. Students can take tours, taste food prepared using the farm’s produce and find out more about how to become volunteers.