Rooted in Education

With an increasing need for sustainable farms that produce fresh, quality food, West Virginia is working to create a new generation of farmers who will carry on production for decades to come.

University farms across West Virginia, including those at West Virginia University (WVU), WVU Potomac State College (WVU-PSC), WVU Parkersburg (WVUP) and Shepherd University, are playing an important role in this mission by serving not just as centers of agricultural education but hubs of innovation, research and community engagement.

WVU is home to multiple agricultural spaces, including the J.W. Ruby Research Farm; Reymann Memorial Farm; Kearneysville Farm; Morgantown’s Agronomy, Organic and Stewartstown farms; and the Evansdale Greenhouse.

“These facilities contribute significantly to West Virginia and its local communities through various programs and initiatives,” says Jason Hubbart, interim associate dean for research for the WVU Division for Land-Grant Engagement.

The J.W. Ruby Research Farm provides high-quality livestock, feed and other products and services that are essential for research. It also serves as a space for military training and public engagement. J.W. Ruby’s Equine Unit focuses on equine science education, offering interactive experience and studying out in the field.

Reymann Memorial Farm works to enhance animal performance, integrates with academic programs and conducts public events while also collaborating with community leaders and the U.S. Army on environmental initiatives. Kearneysville Farm supports fruit production and research and advocates for sustainable pest management that controls external threats without harming crops.

The Morgantown farms provide teaching, research and community engagement opportunities, while the Evansdale Greenhouse offers advanced facilities and public tours and collaborates with entities such as the U.S. Forest Service.

“The operations of the facilities align seamlessly with academic programs, enhancing education through hands-on learning and practical application,” says Hubbart.

Reymann farm’s model of predicting the dry matter intake of animals grazing in a field is being implemented by environmental programs like the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program and Natural Stream Restoration. Additionally, the equine unit at the J.W. Ruby Research Farm is scheduled to be a first-time host for the 2025 Intercollegiate Horse Show Association Zone Finals.

The Morgantown farms also received a notable Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care International accreditation and are currently developing the first professional soil judging contest specifically for Natural Resources Conservation Service and Forest Service members.

The WVU-PSC farms are working to promote the health of the state’s livestock through horse, goat and cattle operations as well as sustainably producing the food that feeds them. The farm also contains breeding programs that supply animals for food production, addressing the challenge of ensuring a steady supply of high-quality meat.

WVU-PSC utilizes its farms for teaching opportunities and is home to academic programs focusing on animal science, horticulture, pre-veterinary medicine and sustainable agriculture entrepreneurship.

“Each degree requires courses that will utilize farm property and operations for hands-on learning,” says Donna Ballard, Ph.D., professor of agriculture at WVU-PSC. “Various labs meet at the property to learn skills from animal handling techniques to woodlot management.”

The farms also offer student work positions directly alongside farm staff, where they learn the ins and outs of farm management and operations.

WVU-PSC farms are helping get the community involved in agriculture by offering workshop property to local farmers and gardeners as well as presenting West Virginia beef producers a heifer feed test, which help farmers track the health and weight gain of their heifers.

In the future, the university plans to continue providing academic opportunities while incorporating new farming technologies and working with community members.

“The land grant university system was created to educate students and extend that education to the population of the state its university serves,” Ballard says. “As a campus in the WVU system, we fully intend to continue this mission by using the farms as living classrooms for our courses and community workshops.”

At WVU Parkersburg, Riverhawk Farm is dedicated to enhancing production efficiency for both new and established producers, providing locally grown produce to Mid-Ohio Valley residents, fostering student success through hands-on education and supporting the less fortunate through food hub donations and charity.

“The Riverhawk Farm strives to be a self-supporting, education-driven enterprise that uses sustainable farm practices to advance environmental conservation while promoting best agricultural practices,” says John Riggs, director of agriculture at WVU Parkersburg.

The farm serves as a key space for classes related to WVU Parkersburg’s Associate of Applied Science in agribusiness, which is a gateway to the Bachelor of Applied Science in business administration of supervisory management degree. This degree allows students to take livestock-centered classes and earn a livestock emphasis. The farm also provides training opportunities for non-agriculture majors, such as criminal justice students who use the farm for law enforcement training and welding students who gain hands-on experience repairing equipment.

Riverhawk Farm collaborates with multiple entities, supplying chipping potatoes to Mister Bees Potato Chips, providing fresh produce for WVU Extension’s FARMacy program and participating in mock farmers’ markets through the SNAP-ed grant.

The farm is committed to enhancing the state’s agricultural production and offers students diverse educational experiences.

Looking ahead, Riverhawk Farm plans to expand its facilities, including building a new livestock facility and beekeeping and honey processing center.

“WVUP Agriculture hopes to continue putting that extra dollar in producers’ pockets and make farming, producing and ranching career paths that many want to pursue,” Riggs says.

Shepherd University’s farm in Shepherdstown, WV, is divided into specialized areas. The primary section, enclosed by a deer-exclusion fence, is dedicated to diversified vegetable production, along with flowers, berries, tree fruits and perennials. It also features a handicap-accessible community garden, prioritizing veteran farmers.

Dr. Brooke Comer, assistant professor of environmental science and sustainable agriculture at Shepherd University, says the farm’s primary mission is education and explains that it serves as a demonstration space for many different courses at the university.

The farm supports Shepherd’s Bachelor of Science in environmental studies with a concentration in sustainable agriculture and resource management, as well as the Sustainable Food Production and Agricultural Entrepreneurship programs. Additionally, it serves as a research space for both professors and students with ongoing projects in sustainable agriculture.

“The space enhances learning through hands-on components of labs and practical experience or places where students can engage in other ways,” Comer says. “For students not in a science field, courses like environmental science, which can be taken as core curriculum, expose them to the farm and help them learn about the food system. The farm also offers work opportunities in field production and greenhouse operations or for business students in administration and accounting.”

Shepherd’s farm significantly contributes to the community through its agricultural business incubator program, which helps new farmers grow their businesses. It partners with entities like Shepherdstown Shares and the Charles Town Farmers Market to make fresh, local produce accessible to residents.

The incubator farm received funding from the Small Business Administration thanks to the support of Senator Joe Manchin and Senator Shelly Moore Capito. The farm continues to evolve, with a new building, heated greenhouse and rotation grazing area underway, alongside efforts to obtain a Good Agricultural Practices certification.