By Madelyn Ostendorf
The Iowa State University Horticulture Research Station provides students with hands-on experience producing fruits, vegetables and honey on 235 acres of land north of Ames. Students work year-round planting, harvesting, maintaining equipment and supporting marketing efforts, with nearly all tasks completed by hand.
Researchers from disciplines including horticulture, plant pathology, entomology and natural resources work side-by-side, using the land to test new ideas and improve agricultural practices.
Chloe Henscheid, farm superintendent, said working with researchers is integral to the Station’s successful research operations.
“We work together to map out the planting, and then our job is to help make sure that all of the plants, research and non-research, stay alive throughout the growing season,” Henscheid said. “We're responsible for the planting, irrigating, spraying, setting up research plots, harvesting and tackling any other issues that arise.”
Though the list of fruits and vegetables grown varies from year to year, annual staples are apples, grapes, eggplants, cabbage, tomatoes and several varieties of berries and greens. The staff also tend to a prairie seed-making field, growing everything an Iowa farmer would need to start their own restored prairie. Even the surrounding wildlife plays a role, with ongoing research involving honeybees, wasps, turtles and tree swallows.
Students at the station
About 10 students work at the Station, increasing their hours during the summer months. They are responsible for almost every part of farm operations, from planting and irrigation to harvesting and sales.
“Most students come in not knowing much about farming,” Henscheid said. “We teach them anything and everything, from horticulture basics to tractor repair. By the time they leave, they have skills they can use in their careers and in daily life.”
The station operates year-round, even when fields are not producing. Winter months are dedicated to pruning apple trees and grapevines, maintaining equipment and preparing for the next growing season.
When spring comes around again, the students begin the cycle all over, preparing thousands of pounds of food for growing, harvesting and sending out into the community.
Community Impact
Despite its strong research focus, the station is equally defined by what happens after harvest.
In 2025, the Station produced more than 17,000 pounds of fruits and vegetables, and nearly all of it entered the local food system. Iowa State University Dining is one of the Station’s largest partners, purchasing close to 5,000 pounds annually. Peppers, onions, apples and cabbage grown at the Station are served in campus dining centers, often within days of being picked.
“We produce so much here, and it all has somewhere to go,” Henscheid said. “Whether it’s our local dining centers, local farms or direct sales, it stays in the community. I think there’s something special about that.”
One of those direct-to-community connections happens every Friday during the growing season. For more than 30 years, the Station has hosted a weekly produce sale on campus, offering fresh, seasonal produce to faculty, staff and students. Customers can order online in advance or browse available items in person, selecting from a rotating selection that includes leafy greens, root vegetables and summer crops.
Items that are safe to eat but do not meet cosmetic expectations, such as irregular shapes or small sizes, are sorted for donation. Through partnerships with programs like Reiman Gardens’ Grow and Give initiative and Food at First, the Station donated 8,000 pounds of produce in 2025.
Henscheid said the Station is always looking for ways to ensure edible food produced at the station finds its way onto someone's plate. They are working to partner with Ames Community Schools to send fruit to their cafeterias for elementary students. The Station also has connections with local businesses, like Wheatsfield Co-Op, and local farms to help supplement their crops.