Heirloom tomatoes grown by Willamette University students in September made it from a campus-owned farm to the plates at Goudy Commons without ever leaving the school's orbit.
The produce came from Willamette University at Zena, a 305-acre forest and farm property about 20 minutes west of Salem, according to a Willamette University feature published Oct. 23. Students harvested the tomatoes and sent them to the campus dining hall, where Bon Appétit chefs turned them into meals.
The property doubles as a working farm and a research forest. Its timber helped build one of Oregon's most visible public spaces, and a tribal partnership there is restoring native plants on the land.
Student-grown crops land on campus plates
Students grow tomatoes, lettuce, squash and cucumbers on a small field and in a large greenhouse at Zena. Aden Sommerville, an environmental science and archaeology double major in the class of 2027, spent the summer as a land steward at the site.
That harvest feeds directly into Goudy Commons. Bon Appétit Executive Chef Michael Palmer said he coordinates seasonal crops with Zena's director and student stewards, choosing produce he cannot source from other local farmers. The crops shape the dishes Palmer creates on campus.
Weston Miller, director of Willamette University at Zena, said the property gives students a chance to connect with the land. "What makes Zena special is that it's an opportunity for students to get out of the classroom, to get their hands dirty doing farm work and forestry, but also to explore and learn about nature in a really beautiful spot," Miller said.
Zena timber spans Portland airport's roof
Wood harvested by students and faculty from Zena's forest now lines the renovated lobby of Portland International Airport, part of the Port of Portland's $2 billion terminal project completed in 2024, according to a separate Willamette University article published in January 2025. ZGF Architects led the design under managing partner Bob Packard, a 1973 Willamette graduate.
Joe Bowersox, director of international education and Dempsey Chair of Environmental Policy and Law at Willamette, said students helped with both the harvest and reforestation. They minimized soil disturbance, preserved hardwood trees like Big Leaf Maple and oak for shade, and left Douglas firs as seed trees. Bowersox said the focus remained on restoration even during the commercial harvest.
Students replanted the entire harvest area in coordination with Trout Mountain Forestry, an ecological consultant Willamette has worked with since purchasing the forest in 2008. The reforestation introduced Valley Ponderosa, Coastal Redwood and cedar alongside Douglas firs to boost climate resilience.
Tribal partnership and cross-campus use
A partnership with members of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde has created educational programs centered on native plant restoration at the site, according to the university. The collaboration allows students to learn alongside tribal members, though the university did not name a specific program or tribal contact.
Zena also serves Willamette's dual-degree forestry program and courses across disciplines. Professor of Communication and Media Studies Huike Wen used the property for a food media course where students developed brand concepts. Students from the Pacific Northwest College of Art have conducted art walks on the site.
The property has earned more than $400,000 in state and federal grants for ecological restoration and hosted Oregon's first prescribed burn on university-owned land, according to the January 2025 article. Walking trails on the property are open to the campus community.
