Outdoor Organic Garden Labs

2 Gardens at the U of U for Classes:

Sill Garden (1996-present)

Pioneer Gardens (2002-present)

Fred Montague teaches the class Ecological Principles of Organic Gardening (Biology 3960) as a service learning course in the summer in these outdoor laboratories on campus.

Mission of the Class :

Educate about the ecological processes that sustain us and understand where our food comes from.

Provide opportunities for students to grow fruits and vegetables and make links between their studies and food production practices that promote nutritious and ecologically/socially aware lifestyles.

Teach Social responsibility: students apply the knowledge they gain to build more gardens with local schools and non-profits like TreeUtah and Wasatch Community Gardens. The majority of the food is donated to food pantries while a portion is harvested by students to promote healthy lifestyles.

Promote the possibilities of Urban Agriculture as a viable way of creating a sustainable future for an increasingly urbanized world.

Help foster a sense of community through collective gardening activities, sharing produce, building relationships.

What do students take away from the experience?

Empowers students with the knowledge and practical skills to make deep connections between how food is grown and many of the world’s most important questions regarding global warming, peak oil, community health, culture, the environment, and the global economy.

Learn about social responsibility and to apply the knowledge they gain to build more gardens with local schools and non-profits like TreeUtah and Wasatch Community Gardens. Majority of food donated to food pantries while a portion is harvested by students to promote healthy lifestyles