Notes from a Field: Reflections on Space, Gardening, and Student Learning in Southern California

The impacts of gardens are often much larger than the produce grown in them. This paper reflects upon and discusses the broader impacts associated with a garden tied to a geography class about food systems. The project was initiated by students and supported by campus faculty, administrators, and staff over the past eight years. The project's connections to ongoing debates about the history and roles of gardens in general and campus gardens are considered. Both student evaluation data and the instructor's observations over eight years suggest that the readings and discussion, combined with student participation in garden development and the regular tasks of gardening, extend student learning and may promote emancipatory work.