At Randall Fall Festival, pumpkins were smashed, cider flowed and sustainability took the spotlight as students, faculty and families celebrated the season together.
The festival is hosted annually by the Stewards of Creation Club (SOC), which is Taylor’s on-campus sustainability organization that has allowed students a chance to visit the Randall Environmental Studies Center, learn about sustainability and have fun.
“[We love] having a ton of people come to Randall and hanging out, having fun, and just showing people around since Randall isn't visited by people who don't have classes there,” Natalie Staritz, a senior sustainable development major and SOC member, said.
The festival offered a variety of seasonal snacks and activities for students, visitors and faculty members. SOC provided homemade baked goods and refreshments, from fresh pressed cider to pumpkin pie and cookies.
Attendees had the opportunity to sample locally sourced apples and vote on which variety they preferred.
Pumpkin painting and carving were offered as well. The pumpkins were sustainably and locally sourced, Von Herring, a junior communications major and vice president of SOC, said.
“Pretty much the whole [festival] started because a lot of the local orchards, they can't sell their ugly pumpkins or their ugly apples that are food grade,” Herring said. “So we get all of them for really cheap, and we make handmade and hand-pressed apple cider and baked goods.”
Outside, pumpkins were laid out for the pumpkin smash. Participants were given a large hammer to break them with and would proceed to slam the hammer into the pumpkins. It was like a fall rage room, Herring said.
The SOC also provided guided tours on the trails behind Randall, showcasing the beauty of the surrounding nature.
Students who do not have classes in the building often never step foot in the building, Staritz said. The festival is a fun catalyst for students to explore Randall and celebrate it, especially before the upcoming renovation.
The environmental center is set to begin renovations next semester, so this semester is the last chance to see the current building in its entirety.
“Randall (will)… look very different come future years,” Joshua Groeling, a junior sustainable development major and president of SOC, said. “This is kind of the last time we can really capture that antiquity and beauty of the old Randall.”
The building is currently home to a taxidermy museum; however, the exhibit will be removed after the renovations.
While attendees of the event participated in the various activities, SOC gave informational talk sessions about sustainability. These conversations focused on teaching people how to practically implement sustainable habits.
“This year, we're going to have a bit of an emphasis on providing resources that can teach people easy sustainable actions that they can take, even while they enjoy the Fall Festival,” Groeling said.
During the pumpkin painting and carving, SOC educated participants on how to buy food and eat while being environmentally conscious. They highlighted the use of local sources for food, recommending gardening and purchasing from farmers markets and local stores.
The festival was also an occasion for SOC to work together as a team, Staritz said.
“I enjoy sitting with my co-parts and figuring out what we can do to better reach the demographics that we're trying to (target) and to just get sustainability spread.”
SOC wanted to ensure visitors both enjoyed their time and learned. They used ingredients from the on-campus garden to practically educate guests on environmentally friendly food sourcing, Herring said.
Through this event and through regular campus cleanups, SOC will continue their aim of stewarding God’s creation in a mindset for Christ through promoting and implementing sustainability, Herring said.
“Anything that relates to stewarding creation and making Taylor campus a more beautiful place, more sustainable place, that's our mission,” Herring said.
