By Patty Guerra, UC Merced News
At UC Merced’s biggest lab, students work from before sunrise to well after dusk. They are operating the university’s Experimental Smart Farm, 40 acres of dirt and plants, research and experiments.
They study everything from pollinators to hydroponics, but there are more than just academic endeavors happening: Students say they have plans for community engagement opportunities including a corn maze and pumpkin patch. They also have been planting tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, squash, kale, arugula and melons.
Agriculture technology has been a part of the UC Merced fabric since the university began, but in recent years it has moved front and center. An agricultural technology emphasis has been approved under the mechanical engineering major, and an Ag Tech Club was established on campus last year.