At this Washington college, students grow their own food and study in the forest.

Food & Drink · Published 3 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: The Evergreen State College is an unconventional institution where students trade traditional grades for narrative evaluations. Beyond the classroom, the campus functions as a living laboratory, featuring a thousand-acre forest, a private saltwater beach, and a student-run organic farm that practices sustainable agriculture to feed the local community.

Founded in 1967 and opening its doors in 1971, The Evergreen State College was designed as an experimental liberal arts institution. Located on a 1,000-acre site in Thurston County, Washington, the campus emphasizes interdisciplinary study. Instead of selecting individual courses, undergraduates typically commit to a single 16-credit program each quarter, allowing for deep dives into specific subjects under the guidance of multiple professors. Rather than receiving letter grades, students are assessed through detailed written evaluations of their academic performance.

The college’s commitment to hands-on learning extends to its agricultural operations. The Evergreen Organic Farm spans nearly an acre and serves as a hub for sustainable practices. By employing techniques like five-year crop rotation, undersown ground covers, and inter-cropping, the farm maintains field diversity to naturally combat pests and disease without toxic chemicals. The farm produces apples, perennial crops, and eggs, which are distributed through community-supported agriculture shares, a campus farm-stand, and the college's food services.

Revenue generated from these harvests is reinvested directly into the farm’s infrastructure, funding projects such as greenhouses, composting facilities, and student-led horticultural research. This cycle of production and reinvestment reflects the college's broader mission of integrating public service and practical education. Beyond the farm, the campus hosts the Longhouse Education and Cultural Center, which serves as a site for indigenous arts and community gatherings, further cementing the college’s role as a unique, non-traditional space for both academic and social development.

General information, not professional advice. Spotted an error? Flag the card or see corrections and complaints.

Intellect Plus is a visual educational discovery platform for exploring fascinating facts and ideas. Brain Food, Not Brain Rot. What is Intellect Plus?

Related

• How a 19th-century agricultural mandate built a modern research powerhouse
• A college campus that doubles as a restored prairie ecosystem
• The high-desert ranch where students trade Ivy League offers for cattle and self-governance
• Beyond the farm: How agricultural education evolved from oral tradition to high-tech science
• How a land-grant college became a powerhouse of biotechnology and engineering innovation
• Falafel's name probably means peppercorns, and its chickpeas go in raw
• Is eating meat a moral failure or a natural part of being human?
• White Castle sold five-cent burgers before McDonald’s
• The first espresso machines made coffee that tasted burnt and had no crema
• The assembly line didn't just build cars; it revolutionized how the world eats.
• A common stomach bug may lower the risk of one oesophageal cancer
• Fenugreek's maple syrup smell comes from one molecule, and the Romans called it Greek hay

More in Cooking, food and drink · More in Food & Drink · Latest · A–Z · All topics