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KSU Students Attend Field Trip to Capstone Farms

On April 5, 2025, Dr. Maheteme Gebremedhin led a group of graduate students on a visit to Capstone Farm in Pleasureville, KY. Managed by David Neville, Capstone Farm provided students a unique opportunity to engage with the real-world challenges and possibilities of sustainable farming.

The visit was designed to answer the critical questions: Can farms be truly sustainable? Is sustainability achievable and realistic? 

Neville organized his presentation under three core themes: On-Farm Demonstration, Profitability, and Site Demonstration. He openly discussed his difficult transition from a career in IT to full-time farming, highlighting both the challenges and the rewards of this shift.

Students toured the aquaponics greenhouse, a vertical farming unit, and a newly constructed Nutrient Film Technique (NFT) hydroponics system. They assisted in harvesting lettuce, clearing debris, digging holes for fencing, adjusting poles, and cleaning rafts used for hydroponic lettuce cultivation.

One standout feature of Capstone Farm is its heavy reliance on solar power. The farm operates a 32kW system that produces 4 megawatt-hours of electricity, saving approximately $24,000 annually and cutting 1,800 pounds of CO₂ emissions; the equivalent of 9 tons or three large cars. Neville supplements farm income creatively by renting goats to companies to control invasive species like brambles and poison ivy.

While promoting sustainability, Neville was candid about the struggles which included the high cost of installing the $80,000 solar system, community skepticism, and the difficult adjustment from conventional farming methods. He stressed the importance of networking, building personal relationships, and, most importantly, sharing one’s work with others. 

His key message challenged students to think beyond the classroom and to use their education wisely.
“All that learning is good, but what are you going to do with it?” he asked.

This field trip bridged classroom learning with reality, showing students that sustainability, while challenging, is achievable with innovation, resilience, and community support. Capstone Farm exemplifies how agricultural activities can contribute socially, economically, and environmentally to a region like Henry County.