CANTON -- When St. Lawrence University’s Sustainability Semester begins on Jan. 21, students in the program will have help from a Maine seed supplier in meeting some big goals.

Among the things they want to do is produce vegetables for students in successive semesters to eat.

Johnny's Selected Seeds, a Maine firm that has donated a wide variety of vegetable seeds to the program, has chosen the inaugural Sustainability Semester as an aid to learning about the impacts of a globalized food system through growing and raising their own food.

One of the goals is to produce all of the vegetable needs for the following spring and fall using organic methods. The first year plan also includes raising chickens for eggs and meat, pigs, and some field corn, wheat and other grains for human and livestock consumption.

Students will participate in workshops on topics such as the variety of food preservation techniques, seed starting, garden planning and management, seed saving, and other sustainable living skills.