The University of Notre Dame has always put an emphasis on sustainability and local sourcing, dating back to 1842 when Rev. Edward Sorin, C.S.C., founded the University. Sorin established a working farm, which provided meat, dairy, grains, fruits, and vegetables for all faculty, staff, and students on campus. Although the working farm no longer remains on the grounds, Notre Dame's dining hall, restaurant, and catering teams have taken on the responsibility of bringing quality, fresh food to campus with sustainability and local sourcing at the forefront. Notre Dame Food Service features items produced in Indiana and Michigan or within 250 miles of Notre Dame, purchasing nearly $5.6 million in locally sourced products.
Notre Dame's dining halls partner with Pure Green Farms, located in South Bend, to source its leafy greens. Pure Green Farms operates a 3.5-acre hydroponic farm, which not only produces 2.5 million pounds of lettuce, including baby romaine, baby red leaf, and arugula, but also has several other advantages. It allows for year-round, climate-controlled farming with efficient use of resources, shorter growth cycles, and enhanced crop quality. The greens are flavorful and nutrient-dense, grown without pesticides, and packed hands-free.
Working with reliable partners with innovative farming practices such as Pure Green Farms allows the University's food services to live out its sustainability and local sourcing commitments, while serving faculty, staff, students, and guests the highest-quality, freshest food possible. That’s literally food for thought the next time you enjoy a meal on campus at one of the University’s dining locations.