Celebrating 30 years of Dilmun Hill Student Farm

Christian Kanlian ’20 helped manage Dilmun in summer 2019 and is now an urban agriculture teacher in New York City schools. He oversees his school’s three indoor hydroponic systems and its 1/8-acre garden, where his students grow “all the classic veggies” plus flowers to attract pollinators. 

“In a place that’s very gray and concrete, I want them to feel some connection to plants and animals and the natural world, and to know that the land itself is always a place they belong and are welcome to come back to,” Kanlian said. Dilmun Hill had served a similar purpose for him as a student. “It was this incredible sense of ownership and stewardship that we were trusted with the responsibility to take care of this land. It felt great to be needed and to belong somewhere in this giant institution that is Cornell.”

Dilmun Hill encompasses 12 acres of land, with multiple veggie patches, several outbuildings, and areas of tree and small fruit crops – students practice agroforestry in some of these areas, growing crops like pawpaws and shiitake mushrooms. The farm also offers a home for student clubs, research projects, and classes on topics like insect ecology and soil science. Between volunteers, event participants, classes and farm tours, over 1,000 people participate in on-farm activities at Dilmun Hill every year. Dilmun extends its reach off the farm in many different ways – offering over 40 CSA shares to students, faculty and staff each summer, stocking Anabel’s Grocery shelves in fall, running campus markets, and donating produce to local food pantries.

Emily Wine ‘14 served on Dilmun Hill’s student steering committee from 2011-2014, the organization that supports the farm’s community, decides which clubs and organizations to collaborate with, and helps managers coordinate events and volunteer work parties. It was through this committee that Wine discovered and became president of the Cornell Beekeeping Club, one of many organizations that utilize Dilmun Hill. She went on to a career supporting pollinator health, including as the state apiarist for Delaware, and now as the grants manager for California’s Integrative Pest Management program. The first colony she ever established was at Dilmun Hill. 

“We had a lot of colonies die during that first season. It took a lot to figure out how to manage bees, as someone who’d never done it before, but also how to manage that collectively as a club and share responsibility,” Wine said. “It was very much hands-on, experiential learning, which is what Dilmun Hill is all about. Dilmun really gave me a taste of how much more effective learning is when you’re actually getting first-hand experience.”

Students in a variety of disciplines conduct independent projects at the farm. Wine remembered one student who wanted to try growing giant pumpkins. He was so successful that by the end of the season, he and his friends were able to use them for a “Pumpkin Regatta” on Beebe Lake.

Coco Poopat ‘26, a 2024 farm manager and current steering committee member, has been helping to organize Dilmun’s 30th anniversary activities. She sent an email survey to all 120 previous farm managers on record, and received 54 responses. 

“Response rates are almost never that high. I think it really speaks to the lasting community of Dilmun and what sort of relationship it fosters with the people involved,” Poopat said. “A lot of people said Dilmun helped them explore their passions or consider something they hadn’t considered before. But the main thing that came up over and over in our alumni survey was how positive Dilmun was in helping people find a community and a sense of place in a big university.” 

Bryn Terwilliger ‘27, an incoming 2026 farm manager, was looking for just that kind of community when she transferred to Cornell last fall. Terwilliger was on a pre-veterinary track at another institution, but after spending a summer working at a small sustainable farm in her hometown, she fell in love with farming and applied to Cornell; she mentioned the opportunity provided by Dilmun Hill in her application letter. 

“Having an on-campus, educational farm was something I was really excited about, because a lot of places don’t have that opportunity,” she said. She and the other 2026 managers have already started meeting, ordering seeds, planning crop rotations, growing seedlings, and preparing for the summer’s labors. They’re planning for more peas and tomatoes, per feedback from members of the farm’s CSA customers, and Terwilliger is especially excited to continue diversifying the farm by growing more cut flowers and strawberries, and increasing vegetable varieties. 

“I’m looking forward to all aspects of what we can do with Dilmun and how we can serve our community,” she said. “The past managers have done such an amazing job helping us along the way and setting us up for success. Especially during such a monumental year, I’m excited to support the wonderful opportunity that Dilmun is and to learn a lot.”

Ryan Maher is organic coordinator for Cornell AES. Among his responsibilities is supporting and training student farm managers. Over the next 30 years, Maher hopes that Dilmun Hill will continue to grow as a thriving outdoor classroom for workshops, independent projects, and formal classes that bring students’ coursework to life, and as a vibrant hub where Cornell and off-campus communities can connect and learn. 

“Dilmun Hill has had a real impact on the student experience at Cornell,” Maher said. “It has a special ability to integrate hands-on learning, leadership, and community – all through food and agriculture. Looking forward, we see opportunities to bring Dilmun into the hands of more and more students.” 

*To celebrate Dilmun’s 30th anniversary, Dilmun hosted an alumni speaker series, and will host an open house during Cornell reunion weekend (June 4-7) on Sunday, June 7th from 9 am - 12 pm. Another anniversary celebration event is slated for the fall. Learn more and stay connected with Dilmun here. 

Krisy Gashler is a freelance writer for the Cornell University Agricultural Experiment Station