Taking care of Utah State’s permaculture garden
Tucked behind Aggie Ice Cream and the Nutrition, Dietetics, and Food Sciences building, members and visitors of Utah State University Sustainability Club gathered to clean up the university’s permaculture garden. The permaculture garden provides Aggies with a sustainable way for gardening using native Utah plants and natural pesticides.
“Permaculture takes indigenous knowledge and ecological methods and tries to mimic the closest it can a natural ecosystem,” said Natalia Bustos, an intern working at the garden.
The garden uses methods that model a natural growth process to ensure the most sustainable produce. Because the garden aims to be as sustainable as possible, its goals align with that of the sustainability club.
“The overall goal is to get students involved in sustainability on campus and within Cache Valley,” said Mercy Smith, club president.
To promote this, the club collaborated with the permaculture garden to clean up the old vegetation and teach attendees about permaculture and living sustainably.
Smith said the most interesting thing to her about sustainability is the outdoor side of it. She said getting to learn about gardening and water conservation is one of her favorite parts.
Maddy Guillory, club vice president, said she wanted those attending the event to leave with tools for how to implement sustainable living into their lives.
“I think it would be really awesome for them to get hands-on experience with different ways to live sustainably,” Guillory said.
The event was organized in hopes to familiarize USU students with the permaculture garden and reached not only students but even some members of the Logan community.
Those who came to the event volunteered to clear most of the vegetation in preparation for winter. After everything was cleared, the group was left with a large pile of roots, stems, leaves and more. In true sustainable fashion, members of the club gathered the remnants to be transported to the Utah Conservation Corps. The corporation accepts these leftovers and composts them at its facilities.
“I wanted to do an event that would first of all increase awareness of the permaculture garden and be somewhat educational but also a service project so we could help and be actively doing something,” Smith said.
This was the first time the club collaborated with the permaculture garden.
“It’s not very well known among the general student body,” Smith said.
Leaders of the club and permaculture garden want students to know the garden is more than a decoration — it is there as a tool for students. The garden offers more than a relaxing environment. It also provides fresh produce for Aggies.
“Students can get fresh and organic produce that is literally coming from 10 minutes away,” Bustos said.
Produce from the permaculture garden is available for students to take not only for ingredient use but for labs and experiments, Bustos said.
“We grow anything from vegetables, fruits, herbs, flowers, culinary herbs and medical herbs and also pollinator attractors,” Bustos said.
The garden includes mostly native plants, but according to Bustos, there is other vegetation planted to keep away unwanted pests. These plants are not always native to Utah.
To promote the garden, Bustos said she gives tours like the one at the sustainability event as a part of her internship.
As another effort to spread the word on sustainability, the club has more events on the way. According to Guillory, they plan to do a clothing and book swap this month. The swaps are run by True Blue Reuse & Repair through the Christensen Office of Service & Sustainability.
Smith said these swaps happen throughout the year as a part of the club’s goal to promote sustainability. They also donate clothing to local thrift stores and are eager to donate when other opportunities arise.
Other events include Earth Week and the club’s February Film & Food Fest, where they show a documentary on sustainability. Smith said the documentary has not been chosen yet, but she is working on finding the best one for the event.
By doing these events, the club hopes to bring attention to the need for sustainability.
“What I hope to do with the club is help students be more aware of what sort of organizations already exist that they can get involved with,” Smith said. “I’m hoping to expand the audience of some of these things that are already happening.”