UDC’s urban farming and gardening resource program hosting a Sept. 16 listening session

UDC’s rooftop garden and greenhouse produce a bounty. (2016 photos by Sandy Farber Bandier)

UDC’s urban farming programs include a research farm in Beltsville, Maryland, a rooftop farm at its Van Ness campus – and training a small army of “Master Gardeners.” It also puts on workshops and provides resources for DC residents who wish to learn more about growing food in their own gardens, whether it’s a community plot, a space in their yard, or a few containers on a balcony.

And now, the university wants to hear from us about how its education and outreach efforts can better serve its students and the broader community.

UDC’s Center for Urban Agriculture and Gardening Education is hosting a virtual listening session on Thursday, September 16th from 5 to 6:30 p.m. You can learn more and register here.

Some of its work – both on its farm and with the DC community – was featured in an October 2020 Washington Post article. In our neighborhood, the program with the most visibility is the DC Master Gardener program, as many residents have been certified (and one Master Gardener teamed up with Van Ness Main Street to add a lot of life and color to the treeboxes along Connecticut Avenue). Master Gardeners are trained in sustainable urban gardening practices, and they go on to volunteer in their communities on garden-based projects.

The fall 2021 Master Gardener session is now under way, and Patricia Bon, the DC Master Gardener coordinator, says applications for the spring 2022 session will open in October or November. Email [email protected] or call 202-941-7923, to be added to the notification list.