JCCC Open Petal Farm and Sustainable Ag Program

Please join us this evening at Open Petal Farm from 5pm-7pm, if you are able, to celebrate the late Stu Shafer and his work at JCCC and in the community. We are dedicating Open Petal Farm and the continued impact on our students and community to Stu. Let's continue to grow together!

Big things are growing at JCCC! 🌽🥕

Open Petal Farm, part of the JCCC Center for Sustainability, is entering an exciting new chapter. The farm is being renamed Stu Shafer's Open Petal Farm in honor of the late founder of the JCCC Sustainable Agriculture Program, Sociology professor, and passionate advocate for sustainability.

The farm is also expanding through a new partnership with Johnson County K-State Extension Master Gardeners to create the JCCC Food Forest — a perennial learning garden that will provide hands-on educational opportunities, support sustainable growing practices, and feature a variety of edible plants for the community to enjoy.

Join us this Friday from 5–7 p.m. for a public dedication celebration and learn more about the future of this unique campus resource.

We can't wait to see what's next for the farm and the Food Forest as they continue to grow and serve our campus and community!

Our first recipe from Open Petal Farm is here! Featuring purple cabbage and kale grown on the farm, this dish celebrates fresh, seasonal ingredients and the connection between the farm and your table. 🌿

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons Olive oil
1 Head of cabbage, cored and cut into bite-sized pieces
***Note: you can use Kale if you prefer. Remove the stems before tearing or cutting them into bite-sized pieces
2 15 oz cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 ounce of fresh mint
1 cup fresh parsley, roughly chopped
chili powder/chili flakes, or paprika (optional, to taste)

Directions:
1. To make it, start by massaging the prepared cabbage with a bit of extra virgin olive oil in a bowl. This helps break down any of the tough fibers in the leaves!
2. Add the mint and parsley and let the salad mingle as you prep the chickpeas!
3. Next, cook the chickpeas by sautéing and then roasting until crispy.
4. From there, simply divide the prepared cabbage between bowls and pile those crispy chickpeas on top.

Credit to Kylie Perrotti for the recipe on Exploring Vegan (website)
https://exploringvegan.com/napa-cabbage-salad-recipe/

Something fresh is growing at Open Petal Farm 🌱

Our team at the JCCC Open Petal Farm has been busy preparing beds, planting seeds, and getting ready for a new season of fresh ingredients and learning.

Throughout the semester we’ll be sharing:
🌿 What’s growing on the farm
🥕 Seasonal recipes
🌻 Farm updates and student projects
🌎 Tips for sustainable growing

Follow along as we take food from farm to table right here on campus.

What’s something you hope we grow this year?

Stay connected with the farm! 🌻
Follow us on Instagram for fresh updates, recipes, and what’s growing at Open Petal Farm.

🌿 Introducing Open Petal Farm at JCCC 🌿

We are a small farm with a big purpose right here on campus.

Open Petal Farm is a space to learn, get your hands in the soil, and be part of a community focused on sustainability and local food. 🌱

Follow along as we share updates from the field, upcoming volunteer days, workshops, and the journey of building something meaningful--right here at Johnson County Community College.

✨Come grow with us!

It's time to enroll for Fall classes! Interested in a sustainable farm and looking for a place to get started? Check out SAG 100 for a complete introduction to farming with economic, environmental, and social sustainability. If you are ready to dive in further, JCCC offers a full certificate in sustainable agriculture! https://www.jccc.edu/academics/credit/sustainable-agriculture/

Photo by Susan McSpadden/JCCC