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Fifteen years prior, what is now a flourishing, 10-acre educational farm originated as little more than a rundown cattle track, according to UGArden founding member Mary Carlson Streiffert. Presently, UGArden stands as a beacon of sustainable agriculture at the University of Georgia: it is also a beloved community garden created by and for students, enabling them to cultivate food organically, connect with the earth, and serve the wider Athens community.

In 2010, Streiffert, the inaugural president of the UGArden Club, was among a small cohort of students fervent about environmental issues and sustainable agriculture. They established a collective known as the Campus Community Garden Initiative and drafted the proposal for a student-run teaching farm.

With backing from the Department of Horticulture in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences and the UGA Grounds Department, the group’s vision took root on an empty, sunlit plot of land just 2 miles from the main campus adjacent to existing horticultural greenhouses. A year later, through a U.S. Department of Agriculture Higher Education Challenge Grant, UGArden commenced offering structured courses.

The objective of UGArden is straightforward yet significant: to cultivate a community of students centered around sustainable food frameworks. This aim has led to initiatives like UGArden Herbs — a student-run venture selling herbal teas and spice mixtures — along with collaborations with organizations such as Campus Kitchen at UGA, Concrete Jungle, and Fresh Express to combat food insecurity in the Athens region.

The educational farm also functions as a multidisciplinary research facility offering an array of opportunities for teaching faculty and research scientists.

Since 2010, UGArden has contributed over 150,000 pounds of produce to individuals and families facing food insecurity within the community. The farm has served more than 4,000 students, hosted over 15,000 tour attendees, welcomed 7,000 local schoolchildren, and engaged upwards of 8,000 volunteers who have dedicated more than 42,000 hours of service.

The post UGArden celebrates 15 years of nurturing food and community with gala appeared first on UGA Today.

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