From composting, to recycling, to buying local, to offering organic foods ISU dining has sought to diversify the ability to minimize environmental impact.

Courtney Long, ISU Dining Sustainability Coordinator, has been working to set up informational events for students this year. One such event occurs this Thursday, Oct. 18, and is called Meet Your Local Farmer.

Meet Your Local Farmer is meant to educate students about the Farm to ISU project, which promotes the interaction between ISU and local farms.

“It’s valuable for the students to know where their food is coming from and to connect Ames to our rural communities,” Long said.

The Union Drive Community Center will be playing host to two local farms: Table Top Farm and Wilber’s Northside Market. Both farms will have representatives in front of Union Drive Marketplace from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. to discuss their farming practices and relationship with ISU Dining with students.

In addition, the Union Drive Marketplace and Seasons Dining Center will be serving a local meal consisting of roast pork loin, red garlic mashed potatoes, stuffed portabella mushrooms, honey glazed carrots, and apple dumplings.

For more information about Farm to ISU and upcoming Dining Sustainability events students can visit www.dining.iastate.edu/farm_to_isu.