UCCS Greenhouse and Farm: Reconnecting People, Place, and Food, The

Abstract

Today, people are disconnected from their food and their place. A global food system has lent itself to numerous challenges, including disease, social and environmental injustice, and an overall lack of food literacy. At the University of Colorado Colorado Springs (UCCS), a number of dedicated students, staff, and faculty are working to reestablish healthy relationships between people, food, and place. The UCCS Greenhouse and Farm can potentially facilitate opportunities to challenge the negative impacts of the global food system. The Greenhouse and Farm has become an educational space, utilizing permaculture techniques, as well as traditional agricultural techniques of the Hopi, Zuni, and Hidatsa. Through hands-on engagement, the Greenhouse and Farm can serve as a resource to educate people about growing organic food in Colorado, including biodiversity conservation, geographic influences like water and soil, and ecological design. The goal of the Greenhouse and Farm is to educate and empower UCCS and the surrounding community; helping to regenerate lost connections, while fostering the physical and social landscapes.