MESA, Ariz.—The Center for Urban Agriculture at Mesa Community College and Brooks Community School is sponsoring a nearly year-long series of environmental workshops titled “Urban Farming: Healthy Foods and Healthy Living." The workshops are free to the general public.
The Center serves as a community hub for K-12 and college STEM education through horticulture, sustainable urban agriculture and aquaponics.
Workshop attendees can learn about a variety of environmental topics on the fourth Thursday and Saturday of each month beginning Jan. 24 and continuing through October, the Nov. workshops will be held on Nov. 19 and 21 because of the holiday.
Thursday workshops will be conducted at 6 p.m. at MCC’s Southern and Dobson Campus in Mesa (1833 W. Southern Ave.). Saturday workshops will be held at 10 a.m. at the George B. Brooks Sr. Community School (3146 E. Wier Ave., Phoenix).
“The workshops are fantastic opportunities for community members to learn and participate in urban agriculture projects in a fun, educational setting,” said Peter Conden, Director of MCC's Urban Horticulture Program. “Our desired outcomes are successful, clean, healthy, sustainable, revitalized communities where people can work and live in safety.”
The initial workshop, “Urban Farming: Healthy Foods and Healthy Living,” will be part of the Az Scitech Festival. Visitors will be able to see for themselves how differently home-grown food tastes. Local community partners will support the event to showcase the variety of cuisine arising from the urban agriculture and present a working example of public-private-educational collaboration.
Schedule of Workshops:
Jan. 22 & 24 -- Urban Farming: Healthy Foods and Healthy Living
Feb. 26 & 28 -- Vegetable Garden Design
March 26 & 28 -- Nutrition & Health
April 23 & 25 -- Aquaponics
May 28 & 30 -- What is S.T.E.M. Education?
June 25 & 27 -- Composting and Soil Amending
July 23 & 25 -- Integrated Pest Management
Aug. 27 & 28 -- Water and Energy Conservation
Sept. 24 & 26 -- From Backyard Hobby to Business Enterprise
Oct. 22 & 24 -- Backyard Orchards
Nov. 19 & 21 -- Healthy Cooking
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Contact
Dawn Zimmer, 480-461-7892, dawn.zimmer@mesacc.edu
About Mesa Community College
Mesa Community College provides outstanding transfer and career and technical programs, workforce development, and life-long learning opportunities to residents of the East Valley area of Phoenix, Arizona. MCC excels in teaching, learning and empowering its more than 40,000 students who attend annually to succeed in a local and global community. Mesa Community College is one of ten colleges that comprise the Maricopa County Community College District. For additional information please visit http://www.mesacc.edu.
About the Center for Urban Agriculture
The Mesa Community College Center for Urban Agriculture (CUA) is designed to promote education and public awareness of healthy eating and living through sustainable urban agriculture, aquaponics, and local food production. Learn more online at mesacc.edu/cua.
The Maricopa County Community College District is an EEO/AA institution and an
equal opportunity employer of protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.