Student Gardens Represent at Conference
First Adventist agriculture conference
Photo by Arthur Mulyono
by Jenna Neil
Arthur Mulyono, manager of the Andrews University Student Gardens, and Stephen Erich, a 2014 graduate from Andrews with a degree in international business, had the opportunity to present at the first annual Adventist Agriculture Conference in Dickson, Tennessee, last month.
Mulyono got involved with the conference when he attended an education and agriculture conference in 2013 at Uchee Pines Institute in Seale, Alabama.
“At the end of the sessions there was a group of individuals who were interested in forming an association,” he explains. “More than 20 farmers and participants from throughout the U.S. met for several hours and discussed the idea. At the end of the meeting, the Adventist Agricultural Association was assembled and the board of directors was formed.”
Mulyono was invited to participate at this year’s conference and present on an institutional track and participate on other activities such as the Youth Panel and the Institutional Panel. He gave a report on the Student Gardens and Erich reported on the Mobile Farm Market.
“Working as the Mobile Market Coordinator this summer, I was exposed to agriculture for the first time,” says Erich. “Although I didn’t spend every day in the field, I learned a lot about farming, particularly about taking produce to market.”
Near the end of the summer, Mulyono asked Erich if he would be interested in attending the conference and sharing about the Mobile Farm Market during the Student Gardens presentation. Then, during his interview for his current position as the field projects collaborator at Adventist Southeast Asia Projects (ASAP Ministries), the director mentioned the conference and asked if Erich would be interested in attending.
“They thought it would be a good opportunity to learn and network with people interested in mission and agriculture. So I decided to go.”
Over three hundred people attended the event, according to Mulyono.
“Most were from the states,” he said, “but there were a handful of people from throughout the world including Tanzania and Columbia.”
Attendees had the opportunity to choose between five different tracks: institutional, market farming and gardening, home gardening, soil health and simple living. There were also hands-on demonstrations and a general session that tied agriculture with Adventism.
“I attended the institutional track along with 11 other institutions that were present,” said Mulyono. “Here we reported what each institution is doing.” Other presenters besides Mulyono and Erich included Light Bearers, Daystar Academy, Weimar College, Great Lakes Adventist Academy and Southern Adventist University.
“The purpose of this association is to revive the role of agriculture in the Adventist church,” says Erich. “Over the weekend, after a lot of thought, I began to understand the important role agriculture can, and perhaps should, play.”
“The purpose of the event was to network, share and experience, encourage and teach the purpose of agriculture as it relates to God’s people,” adds Mulyono.
“Andrews Student Gardens can be a model of market gardening for institutions,” said Mulyono. “Some Adventist institutions are seeking ways to bring back agriculture into their curriculum. Presenting at the conference allows Andrews the opportunity to network with other institutions and support and encourage others in this line of work.”
Both Mulyono and Erich said that Andrews University is one of the only schools to provide an agriculture program and degree.
When asked if this event is the first of its kind, Mulyono said, “Yes and no. In the past 20+ years, there have been meetings about agriculture among the Seventh-day Adventist Church but no association was formed.”
Organizers are currently planning to have the second annual Adventist Agriculture Conference from November 4–8, 2015, and the list of possible venues includes Andrews.
To learn more about Andrews University Student Gardens and the Mobile Farm Market, visit augardens.com.
