Humanitarian Impact
- Provides fresh produce for residents and evacuees; supports mass feeding of 3,500-5,000 meals/day (surge) during storms.
- Delivers therapeutic, purposeful work that complements behavioral-health programs.
Agriculture, Orchards & Greenhouses
The agriculture district strengthens food security, supports daily feeding operations, provides workforce training, and forms a cornerstone of the campus's disaster-response capability.
Agriculture Snapshot
Greenhouse complex
Controlled-environment production for year-round crops
Crop fields & orchards
Acreage supporting fruit, staples, and value-added goods
Emergency feeding support
Ingredients for 1,200-1,800 meals/day steady; 3,500-5,000 meals/day (surge) via CRC activation
Workforce cohorts
50+ trainees/year in ag & food logistics
Water integration
Rain capture + greywater reuse + irrigation networks
Energy integration
Microgrid-fed pumps, climate control, and cold storage
Greenhouses
Controlled-environment greenhouses provide year-round production of vital crops, seedlings, and supplemental emergency food supplies.
Crop Fields & Orchards
Open fields and orchard rows increase production diversity and supply fruit, staple foods, and value-added goods for community consumption and revenue.
Composting & Soil Regeneration
Waste-to-resource systems support sustainability and improve soil quality for long-term agricultural reliability. Animal bedding and kitchen scraps are blended with solids from the campus waste-management zone, giving orchards and landscaping a steady supply of safe, nutrient-rich compost.
Emergency Feeding Capacity
During disasters, agricultural output supports the ability to feed thousands of residents daily.
Integration with Water & Stables
The agriculture district shares pumping, storage, and greywater reuse with the campus water systems, ensuring irrigation even when public utilities fail. Produce waste supports composting for equine bedding and soil regeneration, creating a closed-loop model. Reclaimed water from the Waste Management & Treatment system supplements irrigation and washdown networks, so agriculture can keep operating while potable supplies are conserved for residents.
Workforce Development
Agriculture provides training in greenhouse management, horticulture, soil science, logistics, and sustainable food systems.
How This Component Delivers on the Five Pillars
Five core pillars are shown first; supporting highlights are labeled.
Local Workforce Development
- Trains veterans and residents in greenhouse management, hydroponics, field operations, and food logistics.
- Creates agriculture and culinary career pathways on St. Croix.
Scalable & Replicable Model
- Greenhouse layouts, crop plans, and composting systems can be duplicated at future campuses.
- Documentation aligns with USDA/DOE grants for resilient agriculture.
Integrated Economic Self-Sufficiency
- Reduces food-import costs, supplies the dining hall, and generates revenue from value-added products and events.
- Supports equine and hospitality programs that drive mission income.
Operational Resilience
- Irrigation networks, cistern-fed pumps, and microgrid power keep crops alive during prolonged outages.
- Agriculture district doubles as a staging area for emergency feeding and community support.
Campus Food Security Hub
- Works hand-in-hand with Village 5 kitchens, the CRC dining hall, and hospitality villas to forecast demand and reduce waste.
- Feeds reporting into investor/funder dashboards, demonstrating how agriculture offsets imports and supports emergency contracts.
Agriculture District Concepts
