Philadelphia Sustainable feast at the college dining hall-

Sustainable feast at the college dining hall-By Christine Burns Rudalevige-FOR THE INQUIRER

Smoked duck with lingonberry and pecan glaze, braised mustard greens and oyster chowder were on the menu at Philadelphia University's Thanksgiving dinner for 600 students last week.

A Thanksgiving dinner of mashed parsnips, ginger and honeynut glazed butternut squash, and homestyle stuffing, Koch's Farm roasted turkey and cranberry sauce was served at the Raven Hill dining hall at Philadelphia University. (David M Warren / Staff Photographer)Chefs were carving roasted turkey; cherry chutney, parsnip mash, and a cranberry and sour cherry polenta tart were among the offerings.

If that wasn't impressive enough for a college dining hall, consider this: The entire menu was sourced locally, the free-range turkey from Koch's Farm in Lewistown Valley, the produce from 12 surrounding farms, the oysters from Long Island (OK, a stretch there, but still within 150 miles), the wild mushrooms on the turkey burger from Kennett Square, the smoked cheddar cheese produced at Hendricks Farms in Telford.

It was a show-off meal, no doubt, but it is illustrative of the effort many colleges are making to include local, sustainable foods in their cafeterias.

While the push for local food has often been initiated by students, administrations have found it easy to embrace: The food is fresher; the college supports local farmers, contributing to the economy; the institution's carbon footprint is reduced; it's a valuable nutrition lesson for students; and, it can often cost less. Not to mention how much better the food tastes.

"This is just the best way to do food. It hits on taste, nutrition, and the environment," said Marie Witt, vice president of the Business Services Division at the University of Pennsylvania.

"It's about empowerment for these college kids," said Noah Gress, a Chester County farmer who supplies Swarthmore College with greens and potatoes. "Most environmental issues are so global. . . knowing where their food comes from gives them a little bit of sovereignty."