Campus Community Garden

Fall 2023 HOURS

The garden is open and thriving from our summer heat!

August 28 - December 8

Volunteer Hours:
August 28 - December 8
Tuesdays and Thursdays 8:30am-11am & Saturdays 9am-11am
Please register at https://linktr.ee/SJSUGarden.

Open Hours:
August 28 - December 8; Mondays 8am - 2pm

Who We Are

In 2014, the SJSU Campus Community Garden was established as a result of a student-led initiative. The garden was created to provide students a space to gain access to healthy food, learn about sustainable organic garden practices and earn service learning hours.

The garden is located at 372 E. San Salvador Street (across from the Dining Commons)

Purpose

The garden is on a quarter acre of land and it includes multiple fruit trees, compost and gray water system. The garden exists to provide the SJSU students, staff, faculty, and the surrounding community with an opportunity to participate in food justice, accessibility to fresh and healthy food while engaging in cultural exchange and cooperation. While at the garden, SJSU members learn the ins and outs of a maintaining a small garden. SJSU members will learn how to harvest, prune, water and seed vegetable starts in a sustainable and environmentally friendly way. Garden volunteers are allowed to take home produce harvested after a workday!

The community garden is a place where students can learn and participate in the process of growing food sustainably, but it does not end there! Students can also harvest and enjoy organic, free, and locally grown produce. This space provides a place for student initiative, cooperation and cultural exchange using the growing of food as an exploration of community involvement.

Summer Video Update

Garden Events Calendar Fall '23

Garden Movie Night: Bee Movie 
Wednesday, September 6th, 7:30pm-9:00pm
Come enjoy a free showing with some snacks and good company

Garden Open House
Thursday, September 7th, 10:00am - 3:00pm
Garden Tours every 30 minutes. Come learn what we do and try some free produce

Harvest Festival
Thursday, September 28th, 11:00am - 4:00pm
Enjoy mooncake making, cooking demos and bountiful harvests!

Latinx Garden Movie Night: No Place to Grow & Campesinos
Wednesday, October 4th, 6:45pm - 8:30pm
Join us for two films about Latinx Communities who choose to grow food and family, despite oppressive forces against them. 

Succulents & Sunshine
Tuesday, October 10th, 10:00am - 12pm
Come learn about succulent care and take home your own succulent arrangement

Garden Environmental Poetry Night
Wednesday, October 18th, 4:30pm - 7:00pm
Enjoy an evening of Poetry and music! Come just to listen, or perform yourself!

Planting with Pride
Tuesday, October 24th from 4pm-6pm
Come to the garden and learn about nature's disruption of the gender binary

Indigenous Farming Garden Movie Night: Gather
Wednesday, November 1st, 6:15pm - 7:45pm
Join us to learn how Native communities are reclaiming their spiritual, political and cultural identities through food sovereignty.

Garden Cultural Kaleidoscope
Friday, November 3rd, 10:00am - 1:00pm
Join us in the garden for a cross-cultural learning event where we will share stories, food, and crafts from our different backgrounds. 

Garden Movie Night: Biggest Little Farm
Wednesday, December 6th, 4:50pm - 6:30 pm
Join us for our semesterly showing of The Biggest Little Farm, a heartwarming story about a regenerative farm in California. 

Sustainability at the Garden

The community garden is chemical free (organic) which means that we do not use any pesticides or synthetic fertilizers. Furthermore, our garden is designed around the principles of permaculture and regenerative agriculture, meaning that we try to imitate the natural process. In the garden we have over sixty different plant species from perennial fruit trees and flowers to annual vegetable crops. Our garden ecosystem is diverse with multiple pollinators and creatures.
We have our own composting and gray water system that allows us to reuse and reduce our organic waste. Everything is incorporated into our garden again using sustainable methods.

Volunteering at the Garden 

Volunteers are welcome on first come first serve basis. To reserve your spot for volunteer days, please sign up here: linktr.ee/sjsugarden.

We encourage students to bring a water bottle and a grocery bag or container to help transport harvest from the garden.

Request a Garden Tour, Project, or Use the Space (Program Closed Until Further Notice)

Interested in bringing your staff or classroom to the garden? Want to do a class project related to sustainability and food? Come to the campus community garden!

Groups bigger than 4 must fill out a Campus Community Garden Request Form to reserve space. Please note that this is a request, not a confirmation. All requests will be reviewed. A follow up email will be sent between 3-5 business days after the request has been submitted. Please submit your requests at least 5 weeks in advance.

For faster inquiries, please email sjsucommunitygarden@gmail.com with the subject line: "Project Request" or "Tours at the garden".

Next Generation: Garden Fellowship

Next Generation: The Campus Community Garden Fellowship Program offers students an opportunity to dive into the topic of environmental justice efforts that ties into scholarship, intersectionality, and practicality. Throughout this program, students will learn and network with experts in the environmental justice movements with a focus on intersectionality such as race, gender, class, etc. Additionally, students will receive hands-on experience on how to include environmental justice practices  in their everyday lives through learning basic gardening and environmental justice skills at the campus community garden. 

LEARNING OUTCOMES/BENEFITS FOR STUDENTS 

• Students will gain a deeper understanding of environmental justice issues impacting marginalized communities through observation and learning from experts.
• Students will  find their agency and authentic voice by expressing their needs and experiences through our programs and events. 
• Students will feel empowered to explore their passions and further gain confidence in leadership.
• Students will enhance their critical thinking skills by examining and challenging personal acts of oppression, identify and articulate the values and processes that lead to an inclusive and democratic community, and encourage students to take action in their local and global communities.
• Students will gain an understanding of how to work with and advocate for marginalized communities. 
• Students will have a clear understanding of how to be environmental justice philanthropists and advocates in both personal and professional lives. 

BENEFITS 

• Gain a deeper understanding of environmental justice issues 
  Develop confidence in leadership skills 
• Meet students with similar passions and interests in environmental justice 
  Learn basic gardening/farming skills
• Earn $1,000 stipend after successful completion of the program 

QUALIFICATIONS

As long as you're passionate about environmental justice and can articulate that in the essay section, you are qualified for the program!  

Other qualifications: 
Good academic standing 
GPA of 2.5 and higher 
Good conduct standing

Application Link: https://tinyurl.com/nextgenS23

IMPORTANT DATES 

Friday, October 20: Applications open
Friday November 17th: Applications Close
Tuesday, November 21: Acceptance letters sent out
Wednesday, November 29: Students Commitment to program

MANDATORY MEETING DATES

**ATTENDANCE FOR ALL SESSIONS IS REQUIRED TO RECEIVE THE $1,000 STIPEND

Retreat: Friday, February 9, 10:00am-3:00pm
Session 1: Friday, February 16, 9:00am-12:00am, Volunteering: 12-2pm
Session 2: Friday, February 23, 9:00am-12:00pm,Volunteering: 12-2pm
Session 3: Friday, March 1, 9:00am-12:00pm, Volunteering: 12-2pm
Session 4: Friday, March 8, 9:00am-12:00pm, Volunteering: 12-2pm
Celebration: Friday, March 15, 12-2pm, Volunteering: 10am-12pm

Questions?
Contact Matthew Mangoni, Garden Coordinator, at matthew.mangoni@sjsu.edu. This event is wheelchair accessible. Please contact Matthew at the soonest for any sign language interpreter or other accommodation requests.