The campus farm was funded by Scott Ullem (class of 1989) and his wife Beth, with construction beginning in 2017. The building contains environmentally-friendly features such as a large fan instead of conventional air conditioning, solar panels to power radiant heating, LED lighting to conserve energy, low-flow sinks and toilets to conserve water and high-efficiency appliances. The building is clad with locally sourced wood and the landscape features edible, medicinal and pollinator-friendly plants.
The 12-acre property features a three-acre crop field, greenhouse, wash and pack facility, two hoop houses, experimental growing plots and bee hives. Of note, 85% of the farm’s yield is sold to DePauw’s dining services to be turned into meals at Hoover Dining Hall.
The Ullem Center was dedicated on May 10, 2019.