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 Agriculture and Landscape Horticulture. Contact the program director for a tour of the CUA.
Learn More.
Sustainable Agriculture AAS Degree and Certificate of Completion Programs
https://www.mesacc.edu/programs/sustainable-agriculture
Landscape Horticulture AAS Degree and Certificate of Completion Programs
https://www.mesacc.edu/programs/landscape-horticulture
Meet Our Faculty
- Michael Gaspar - Program Director, Sustainable Crop Production (AGS165aa,ab), Plant Growth and Development (AGS164), Integrated Pest Mgt (AGS187)
- Dr. George - Brooks Jr Aquaponics (AGS166)
- Karen Litts- Landlab Technician; Gardening Practices and Techniques (AGS182aa)
- Claud Cluff - Urban Plant Care (arboriculture) (AGS192); Lawn and Turf Care (AGS284)
- Ray Gless - Agricultural Marketing, Agribusiness Mgt (AGB132)
- Rob Kater - Establishing and Running an Agribusiness (AGB130), Landscape Construction (AGL181)
- Carla Brubaker - Plant Growth and Development (AGS164)
- Jason Fowers - Landscape CAD (AGL269)
- Caryn Logan Heaps - Landscape Design 1 (AGL189)
- Gary Kudes - Plant Propagation (AGS285); Urban Plant Identification (AGS183)
- Yvonne Schultz -Agricultural Computer Operations (AGB139)
- Dr. Stacy Tollefson -Introduction to Hydroponics and Controlled Environment Agriculture (AGS217)
- Peter Conden - MCC Arboretum Director; Plant Growth and Development (AGS164); Greenhouse Design and Mgt (AGS186)
Events & Activities
We're updating our Calendar of Events for dates and times of upcoming CUA workshops and urban agriculture related events in Mesa, AZ. Stay tuned.
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.