University of Texas Breaks Ground on New Campus Garden

The University of Texas-Austin broke ground on a new food garden that is expected to produce fresh homegrown fruits and vegetables for the school's dining venues, reports The Daily Texan campus paper. Called the Jester South Garden, it joins two other gardens managed by the University. Like many colleges, UT is trying to increase the amount of produce it sources locally, a more difficult task these days because of ongoing drought conditions in the area. However, the UT Division of Housing & Food Services reports that in the most recent school year it had sourced 23 percent of its $8 million food budget from farms smaller than 200 acres and located within 150 miles of campus.