Conceived in 1962, the campus was built on the site of the former Spring Grove State Hospital farm.  Little of the original farm structures or landscape remains, except a lone silo on UMBC Boulevard at the southern approach to the campus. 

There was a farm school also located where our campus now stands: http://www.bcplonline.org/community/history-arbutus-farm-school
 
Today, True Grits Dining Hall grows herbs in a garden next to their offices and sometimes feature local and organic ingredients.

Student are organizing a community garden, actively connecting through the student government and on their Facebook and myUMBC pages

Interdisplinary food classes grow edible micro-greens in a campus greenhouse.

Environmentally minded students have organized on campus farmers markets and volunteered at the nearby Great Kids Organic Farm for Baltimore City Public Schools, with the campus group Students for Environmental Awareness.

Graduate students won a UMBC BreakingGround grant to assist children in southwest Baltimore City to reconnect with healthy produce by planting a garden, as well as shopping and cooking with youth.

If you think these initatives are exciting you can even join the campus food coalition by joining this listserv: foodcoalition@lists.umbc.edu

The Food Coalition is described as a collaborative to study & address holistic food issues as they relate to sustainability, wellness, and justice
 
The coalition is comprised of a group of UMBC faculty, staff, students and community partners who care about food systems issues, and wish to stay connected on events, research and service opportunities that will advance just, healthy, and sustainable agriculture and distribution.

In the fall, they hope to plan a Harvest Festival in October to celebrate Food Day and Campus Sustainability Day, and host a speaker from the Real Food Challenge, and initative that empowers students to cultitative positive change on their campuses.