The mission of the Mesa Community College Center for Urban Agriculture (CUA) is to promote education, beautification of the world around us, and public awareness of healthy eating and living through sustainable urban agriculture, aquaponics, and local food production.
About the Center
The Center for Urban Agriculture located at MCC's Southern and Dobson campus includes organic teaching gardens, an organic urban farm, a state of the art teaching greenhouse and vertical farm which support students in the Associate of Applied Sciences degree and certificate programs in Sustainable Horticulture. Contact the program director for a tour of the CUA.
Learn More.
Sustainable Horticulture AAS Degree and Certificate of Completion Programs
https://www.mesacc.edu/programs/sustainable-horticulture
Meet Our Faculty
- Peter Conden - Program Director & MCC Arboretum Director; Plant Growth and Development (AGS164); Plant Propagation (AGS285)
- Michael Gaspar - Co-Program Director: Curriculum , Plant Growth and Development (AGS164), Integrated Pest Mgt (AGS268), Introduction to Hydroponics and Greenhouse Management (AGS217), Sustainable Livestock Production (AGS212); Safety and Standard Operating Procedures for Sustainable Horticulture (AGS100).
- Karen Litts- Landlab Technician; Gardening Practices and Techniques (AGS182aa), Sustainable Crop Production (AGS265)
- Rob Kater - Landscape Construction (AGS210)
- Jeff Prince - Irrigation Design (AGS262); Introduction to Landscape Design (AGS160)
- Sheri McLane - Soils (AGS260)
Erik Mauel - Southwest Landscape Plants: Identification and Care (AGS200)
Partnerships & Media Coverage
Partnerships
We're proud to be members of the Arizona Nursery Association, Arizona Landscape Contractor's Association, Maricopa County Food Coalition, and the Sustainable Agriculture Educator's Association.
We give great thanks to the following organizations and individuals for their program assistance and generous donations to help our students achieve an excellent science-based, hands on education:
- Evergreen Turf
- Native Resources International
- Sea of Green
- Whitfill Nursery
- Greenfield Citrus Nursery
- Maya's Farm
- Rhiba Farms
- TLC Landscape Design
- Steadfast Farm
- J&E Nursery
- Treeland
- Mountain States Wholesale Growers
- V&P Nursery
- Agave Farms
- University of Arizona Controlled Environment Agriculture Center
- Rosie on the House radio
- John Eisenhower
- Leroy Brady
- Steve Sheard
- Vern Swanson
- Crooked Sky Farm
- Botanicare Inc
- Civano's Nursery
- Mesa East Valley Rose Society
Media Coverage
We're in the spotlight. Local media is spreading the word about the Center for Urban Agriculture and our mission. Learn more.
Photo Gallery
We've been busy! New Greenhouse, Arboretum, School gardens, Urban Farms, and Aquaponics learning, oh my!
Check out our story in photos.