November 13, 2025 By CDHD What is Vandal HARVEST? We’re excited to announce our newest project and collaboration: Vandal HARVEST. HARVEST stands for Hydroponics for Accessibility, Resources, Vocational Equity, Sustainability and Training. As you might have guessed, hydroponic farming is a main component, but this project is so much more! It brings together the Idaho CDHD, ECLIPSE and the University of Idaho’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and College of Education, Health and Human Sciences in a combined goal to provide accessible education, training and production of hydroponic crops in campus greenhouses. The pilot program will provide fresh produce to the Vandal Food Pantry. It will support job skill development for Vandal QUEST and University of Idaho students. And, it will lay the groundwork for competitive integrated employment model greenhouses across the Palouse. The focus is on providing the Vandal community with accessible experiential learning opportunities around sustainable solutions to food insecurity. Set-up has already begun, with Vandal QUEST student Brian, preparing existing greenhouses for planting and harvesting. Where did Vandal HARVEST start? The idea for Vandal HARVEST was born from a small hydroponic garden in the kitchen of the Idaho CDHD. It was built to support our Healthy Active Lifestyles Healthy Cooking series and Self-Advocates of Moscow meeting meals. Inspired by the potential, two CDHD student trainees, Kincaid Moberly and Isabella Cox, initiated the HEAP project – an initiative to screen the Hearts of Glass film in Moscow. Following the screening, community discussions led to connections that are now driving the Vandal HARVEST project. And with funding from the University of Idaho Division of Student Affairs, it is off and running! We would like to extend a special thank you to Blaine Eckles, Brandon Brackett and Tanya Miura for their generous support in getting this project off the ground. While we are still in initial stages, progress is happening fast. Keep your eyes on this space for exciting updates as they become available.