lllinois State's University Farm supports teaching, research, and outreach activities of the Department of Agriculture. University Farm is located near Lexington, about 18 miles northeast of Normal.
Current enterprises at the University Farm include corn, soybeans, alfalfa, swine, beef, and sheep. The farm has eight full-time employees and numerous student employees.
Compost
The University Farm sells compost to the surrounding communities for $40 per ton/ $25 for smaller loads (cash and check only). Please call ahead and schedule time for pickup Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Contact Garrett Conaty at (309) 438-0289. If unavailable, please leave a message or contact Billy Marquardt at (309) 445-9807 or Jason Lindbom at (309) 438-0288. The ISU Farm does not haul compost. For local hauler contact Jacob Conaty (309) 838-7758. Rental trucks for hauling contact Menards (309) 452-6299 or Home Depot (309) 452-4031.
Hands-On Experiences
The main goal of the University Farm is to educate students. This is a critical function of the farm due to the limited farm experience of many students. Even though most of today's students won't be farm owners, hands-on farming experience is an important part of their education and preparation for careers that directly relate to the production sector of agriculture.
Virtually all agricultural and agribusiness majors use the farm as part of their coursework.
Community and Alumni Services