The Edible Campus Program (ECP) addresses local food insecurity by repurposing underutilized spaces for sustainable food production, turning waste into food, and engaging students as growers and producers. We train students in practices that address social, economic, and environmental aspects of sustainability and help them to reclaim their personal connection to the land and their food.
ECP started in 2015 with the Urban Orchard, in which we planted 7 citrus trees on campus, and has since grown to include the Student Farm in 2019 and support for six additional community gardens: the Family Student Housing Gardens (Storke and West), Greenhouse and Garden Project, IV Community Center Garden, Methodist Community Garden, and St. Michael's Community Garden.
In partnership with the AS Department of Public Worms, the Student Farm is a space that fosters community and education while connecting students back to their food source and the land. All of the food grown at the Urban Orchard and the Farm is harvested and distributed through the Associated Students Food Bank.
ECP offers educational workshops, garden tours, and presentations on topics related to community gardening, sustainable food systems, neighborhood engagement, water wise practices in the garden, and more! Most workshops are led by student interns trained as garden educators who typically offer 2-4 workshops each week to a variety of multi-generational audiences. ECP also regularly serves faculty by guiding class visits to our gardens, giving presentations in classes, and hosting faculty-led programs in the garden or on the Farm.
In addition, community gardens and farms bring the community together and support well-being on many levels. ECP offers a wide variety of volunteer programs, both group and flexible solo/small group opportunities, including partnering with a wide variety of organizations that are interested in team building by volunteering together.
Join us in making a positive difference in our community.
To engage with the Department as either a student or partner, contact Katie Maynard, Director of Student Sustainability Initiatives at kcmaynard@ucsb.edu
To make a contribution in support of the Department or any of its giving opportunities, contact Delene Bliss , Senior Director of Development at delenebliss@ucsb.edu or Office: (805) 893-6002, or Mobile: (805) 708-4101