Learning Takes Root at the Big Red Farm

On a summer morning at the Big Red Farm, students harvest vegetables, pull weeds, compare notes on research projects, and plan the day's work. Before long, conversations shift from soil conditions and insects to climate change, food systems, and scientific discovery.

“We want students, faculty, and staff to see the farm as a destination for learning, collaboration, and wellness,” said Director of Sustainability and science teacher Steve Laubach.

Gabriel Vermut ’27 is one student who found more than he anticipated when he first became involved with Lawrenceville’s sustainability efforts.

When Vermut arrived at Lawrenceville, he expected robotics and engineering would define his high school experience. The Big Red Farm barely registered on his radar until he applied for a summer internship, assuming it would simply be a way to earn spending money.

“I honestly just thought it would be a summer job,” he recalled.

Instead, it became one of the defining experiences of his Lawrenceville education.

Over three summers working alongside classmates, faculty, and farm staff, Vermut discovered an unexpected passion for agriculture, sustainability, and scientific research. Just as importantly, he found a community.

 “It's not just a normal farm,” he said. “It's our community. We look forward to being there—not just because of the work, but because it connects us to the environment. We build friendships there. We discover interests. I never thought I'd be interested in agriculture.”

That first summer did more than introduce Vermut to farming. It changed the questions he wanted to ask.

Curious about the science behind what he was seeing in the fields, he pursued research at Princeton University’s Conway Laboratory in the department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, studying plant-microbe interactions. He later received a Hutchins Center for Civic Engagement grant to explore whether hydroponics could help address food insecurity, partnering with Teens for Food Justice in New York City and creating educational resources about sustainable food production.

This summer, built on that work through a Welles Grant, launching a long-term climate research project at the Big Red Farm. By tracking rainfall, temperature, soil conditions, and crop performance over time, he hopes to create a dataset that future Lawrenceville students can continue long after he graduates.

Each opportunity sparked another idea.

Wanting other students to discover sustainability the way he had, Vermut founded the Big Red Farm Club. What began with a handful of students has grown to introduce dozens of students to the Farm through volunteer projects, educational programs, community service, and seasonal events.

The club’s impact also extends beyond the Farm through campus sustainability projects, hydroponics initiatives, and community efforts such as organizing volunteers to shovel faculty driveways after winter storms. This spring, he was elected to lead Lawrenceville's Sustainability Council, where he hopes to connect even more students with opportunities in sustainability, research, and environmental stewardship in the coming year.

“The Farm showed me that sustainability isn't just recycling or composting,” Vermut said. “It's science. It's innovation. It's research. It's solving real problems.”

“Everything we do has real impact,” he said. “The Farm trusts us. The faculty trusts us. We have real responsibilities. Having that responsibility really causes you to grow.”

“As a day student, when I first came here, I came to school and left at the end of the day,” he said. “The Farm changed how I thought about Lawrenceville. Now, I work alongside faculty and staff, have become involved in student leadership, and feel much more connected to the community.”

Vermut's experience reflects the opportunities Lawrenceville increasingly offers students across disciplines. Students can participate through internships, volunteer opportunities, independent research, academic courses, restoration ecology projects, and student organizations.

Beyond campus, Lawrenceville’s sustainability programs grow produce for community organizations, maintain pollinator and demonstration gardens, participate in restoration ecology efforts, and introduce younger students and visitors to sustainable agriculture.

For Laubach, those experiences are part of Lawrenceville’s purpose: creating opportunities for students to step outside their comfort zones, discover unexpected interests, and learn through meaningful responsibility.

For Vermut, however, the Farm's greatest harvest cannot be measured in pounds of produce.

 “The Big Red Farm isn't a place where food is grown,” he said. “It's a place where students grow.”

 “I never imagined I'd become interested in agriculture,” Vermut said. “Now I can't imagine my Lawrenceville experience without the Farm.”

 For more information, contact Lisa M. Gillard H'17, director of public relations, at lgillard@lawrenceville.org.