Garden Classroom

SSU students have maintained a food-producing organic garden on campus since the 1970’s.

The Campus Garden is a hidden gem, located next to the Environmental Technology Center. The garden serves as a demonstration and teaching tool for students, the greater SSU community and the public. Through internships, volunteering, and classroom experiences, students gain a sense of place, community, purpose, and an enriched academic experience. Showcasing sustainable landscape practices and how these contribute to biodiversity and environmental health is a primary goal of the Campus Garden along with growing different varieties of healthy organic fruits and vegetables. Well over 1000 pounds of produce representing dozens of different food crops are donated annually to local food banks including (NOAH – Neighbors Organized Against Hunger), based on Snyder Lane only a few blocks from campus and SSU's very own Lobo's Food Pantry.

We welcome your involvement, support, questions and input. Please contact the faculty supervisor Professor, Daniel Soto for more information daniel.soto@sonoma.edu.

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Sophia Pruden 2021-2022

I am a senior graduating Spring of 2022 with a degree in Geography, Environment, and Planning. Working for the campus garden is what has inspired me to pursue a career in sustainable agriculture and land stewardship related fields and is one of my favorite parts of my on campus experience. Some groups I am involved with on campus are Students for Sustainability and GEP Club. I have additionally worked for the Center for Environmental Inquiry as a Trail Steward and Naturalist. In addition to the garden, I also currently work for Green Valley Community Farm and the Community Soil Foundation. When not in the fields I enjoy crocheting with my cat, swimming in the river, hiking, and cooking. My favorite part about my job is finding frogs in the irrigation boxes, making connections with the people receiving our weekly harvest donations, and making new friends on volunteer days.

Edgar Munoz Corona 2023

I am a transfer student from Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut, CA. My major is Environmental Science, Geography and Management. I was born in a town named Autlan in the south western part of Jalisco, Mexico. I grew up very connected to my natural environment but when I moved to LA County, at the age of 10, my perception shifted dramatically due to the change of milieu. As I grew older, I became more aware of subjects such as environmental justice and food justice. This led me to seek community engagement, at a time when the pandemic was at its peak. While supporting community events I came across a food movement that re-illuminated my passion for the natural environment. I became engaged with building community gardens in low income areas I realized this food movement challenges several systems that were designed to marginalize certain communities while strengthening the social unity of the community with the gardens. Now, working at the Garden Classroom is a way for me to immerse myself back into that same connection while engaging the school community, providing produce for food banks and passing on the knowledge of what the garden has to teach us. Currently, I also work at Coyote Family Farms located in Penngrove, CA, where we grow organic produce. When not in the fields I enjoy playing soccer, trying new food, exploring new trails, and learning indigenous languages. One of my favorite things about my job is seeing how the garden changes throughout the seasons and making new friends on volunteer days.

Want hands-on garden-based work for academic credit? Take Agroecology in Practice (GEP 318)

This course provides a broad introduction to the design and management of agroecosystems. Students explore the theory and practice of agroecology and how it's principles address social and environmental problems in the global food system. Students are introduced to agroecological production methods, including soil management, water systems, biodiversity development, integrated pest management, flower production and urban gardening methods, and applications of these methods in a student garden. Approximately half of this course is classroom-based instruction while the other half is hands-on garden-based work. Credit / No Credit only. May be repeated for credit up to a maximum of 4 units.

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Geography, Environment, & Planning

Garden Classroom

SSU students have maintained a food-producing organic garden on campus since the 1970’s.

cosmos

Campus Garden Stewards