Book & Plow Land

The land on which Amherst College and Book & Plow stand, the land we lovingly cultivate, is Nonotuck land. We also recognize the neighboring Indigenous nations: the Nipmuc and the Wampanoag to the East, the Mohegan and the Pequot to the South, the Mohican to the West, and the Abenaki to the North.

The center of the operation is located at the Core Site, where you will find our greenhouse, an 0.5 of vegetables and flowers, 0.5 acres of cover crops, fruit trees, a perennial garden, and some beautiful views. This field was selected because it is within walking distance of Amherst College.

The address of the core site is 425 South East Street at the top of Tuttle Hill. Most of the vegetable production occurs on Mill lane, at the River and Valley Fields. In 2021, we will be cultivating 4.5 acres of vegetables, 12 acres of cover crops, and 30 acres of pasture.

By the Numbers

Student workers at the Book and Plow Farm

We'd Love to Hear From You

We'd love to collaborate with you on a social event, class project, or large group activity! Please email mives@amherst.edu for more information.

Vegetable Production

  • 20K pounds of produce delivered to Valentine Dining Hall this year.
  • 4K pounds of produce donated to area hunger relief organizations.
  • 75 community members in our 12- week vegetable share program.

Land Stewardship

At Book & Plow we prioritize soil health and design the production calendar around cover crops. Usually grasses and legumes, cover crops are grown for their benefit to soil, not for harvest. They help keep external costs down, while protecting against erosion, conserving water, and continuing to improve the condition of the land we work to feed the community.

Student Engagement

Our campus farm is a living classroom

  • 56 Student Farmers
  • 4 Academic Classroom Collaborations
  • Programs reaching 55 Incoming First Years, 40 athletes from 2 teams, and 40 SURF students
  • Annual Farm Fest!

Quotes from Book & Plow Student Farmers

“You actively uplift the contributions we make and help us feel proud and fulfilled!”

“Tough, but relaxing. A unique opportunity on campus.”

“I gained confidence in body and mind... If I can be trusted with food production then I can have trust in myself.”

“Rewarding. Hard physically, but invigorating mentally.”