P.E.A.S. Program
"Earning Credit, While Nourishing People and the Land:
Students can work for credit on the farm, located on 6.5 acres just two miles from campus. But their work earns them much more than credit hours. It is a classic internship, in that students learn by doing; yet, there are also frequent breaks in the action for demonstration and explanation."
Link to: P.E.A.S. Program Website
- Students are involved in all phases of the farm, from greenhouse work in February to selling pumpkins in October. Most students report that the summer season at the Rattlesnake Farm is the most enriching experience they have ever had.
- After a summer of spending 20 hours a week together working and learning on the farm, PEAS students are bonded to each other and to the place. Farm work is humble hand labor, and this kind of shared experience in a beautiful place melts the barriers that typically separate people. Students feel strongly about the importance of the work they do for the community: they grow food for low-income people, and do it in a way they respects the integrity of the land.
- The tangible results create a feeling of personal effectiveness many students have never before experienced. The knowledge that their efforts have made a real difference in others' lives and the rich sense of community they experience often sets students on a new path. Many change their goals, and alter the course of their lives.
- Through the PEAS program, the UM has created valuable and unique partnerships with the community, including Garden City Harvest and the Missoula Food Bank.
