The Campus Student Organic Farm (CSOF) was decked out in spooky decor when it hosted its first Halloween Bash on Tuesday, Oct. 18.

Strobe lights, a smoke machine, haystacks and naturally fallen colored leaves completed the setting. The bash brought student involvement and new faces out to the farm.

Marissa Dicicco, senior farm manager and president of the Student Organic Farmers, shared her perspective on the event and the preparation put into it.

“We spent the last two to three days making sure everything was cleaned up around here,” Dicicco said. “The e-board members and everybody who works here took on different tasks for bringing food, making sure we had decorations and advertising.”

Students were entertained as the farm provided food and competitions in pumpkin carving and ladder golf to win mystery prizes. Students competing in the pumpkin carving contest raised money for the farm through pumpkin sales.

Freshman Stephanie Allen and sophomore Brandon Scoppa shared their experiences at the bash.

“It’s my first time here, so it’s fun to see the entire farm for the first time,” Allen said. “I heard they have cider and doughnuts. Pumpkin carving has been my favorite part so far.”

“It’s a lot of fun,” Scoppa said. “I took a tour of the farm, played ladder golf and [am] having a good time with friends.”

With the success of the bash, CSOF has had a successful semester in student participation.

“[We’ve had] a lot of volunteer help,” Dicicco said. “This semester we have a lot of work-study students that have been helping out.”

As CSOF has expanded this year in student involvement, sales, according to Dicicco have reduced in sales. The loss of their farm coordinator, who worked 40-60 hours a week, has caused difficulty for part-time students to fill in the coordinator’s work hours.

“Sales are a little bit down, but [we are] big on student involvement this year, which is a really good thing,” Dicicco said.

Dicicco shared future projects students can look forward to from the CSOF.

“We have a club garden, so next year will be the second year that we will have it,” Dicicco said. “I really want to focus on allowing students to plant whatever they want. That way we have more of a variety.” 

She encouraged students to come out to the farm. She hopes that by next year, CSOF will have raised bread boxes and lemon trees.