Wasatch Community Gardens
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Wasatch Community Gardens was established in 1989 and seeks to empower individuals and families in Salt Lake County to grow their own healthy and organic food. The organization provides land for this purpose, but also focuses on building community connections through four specialized programs: Community Garden, Community Education, Youth and School Garden, and Job Training Programs.
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The Good
- Community Gardens
- Community Education Programs
- Youth Programs
- Farm-Based Job Training
- Volunteer Opportunities
- Report, Data, and Policy Transparency
Community Gardens
Wasatch Community Gardens makes it easy to find or start a community garden. There are three ways that you can get involved in community gardening:
- Rent a community garden plot — A community garden is a shared space and it is important to remember that when you rent a plot you not only take care of your individual plot, but you also participate in overall garden decisions. You can apply for a garden plot on the Wasatch Community Gardens website and plots are assigned in order of application date.
- Organize a new community garden — To support the growth of community gardens, Wasatch Community Gardens offers three programs: Green City Growers (in partnership with Salt Lake City Parks and Open Lands), Parks for Produce (in partnership with Salt Lake County), and the Garden Leadership Network (additional resources for people organizing community gardens)
- Share a yard — The Utah Yard Share introduces gardeners to local garden spaces. To get involved you can complete a resident questionnaire on Wasatch Community Gardens website.
Community Education Programs
If you’d like to learn more about organic gardening, Wasatch Community Gardens offers both educational workshops and webinars.
In addition to in-person workshops with skilled instructors, the organization also offers virtual “Garden Coaching” sessions March through August, typically once a week via Facebook Live. Specific virtual workshop information can be found on the Wasatch Community Gardens website.
Youth Programs
To encourage children and youth to get involved in gardening and preserving the environment, Wasatch Community Gardens offers a variety of youth and school garden programs:
- Youth Garden Club — Enrichment program for qualifying partner social service agencies that work with youth aged 4–12. Youth will have hands-on experience in growing healthy, organic, and local food.
- School Garden Program — Support program for school gardens in the Salt Lake Valley. A list of participating schools is listed on the Wasatch Community Gardens website.
- School Field Trips — K–6 field trips that support the Utah State Core Curriculum with a focus on science and nutrition through hands-on experiences.
- Summer Camps — Through June, July, and August, campers will explore the Wasatch Community Gardens’ Campus gardens where they will prepare and eat healthy foods, and connect with the natural world around them.
- Group Visits — Groups can attend workshops at the Wasatch Community Gardens’ Campus April through October.
Farm-Based Job Training
Wasatch Community Gardens’ Job Training Program helps women facing homelessness by providing paid work positions on the Green Phoenix Farm in downtown Salt Lake City. This program is supported by the Green Team Job Training Program, providing farm-based employment, job placement assistance, work readiness training, and mentoring.
The Green Phoenix Farm was established in August 2016 and is a property owned by the Redevelopment Agency of Salt Lake.The farm is completely solar powered and is certified organic under the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food, and has helped turn a vacant lot into a beautiful green space in the city.
All of the food grown at the Green Phoenix Farm is donated to low-income families and never sold for-profit.
Volunteer Opportunities
You can volunteer with Wasatch Community Gardens either as an individual or in a group. In addition, some employment and internship opportunities may be available. To see what is available or to submit a volunteer application, you will need to visit the Wasatch Community Gardens website.
Report, Data, and Policy Transparency
Wasatch Community Gardens publishes financial and organizational data, as well as its policies. Financial and organizational data includes the organization’s strategic plan and annual reports.
The Bad
- No Outstanding Concerns
No Outstanding Concerns
While researching this organization, we didn’t find any concerning information for volunteers, schools, or donors. Wasatch Community Gardens appears to be a reputable non-profit seeking to empower individuals and families to grow and eat healthy, organic, and local food.
Before becoming involved with any non-profit organization, we always recommend conducting personal research to see if the organization's mission aligns with your values.
The Bottom Line
Wasatch Community Gardens is a reputable organization with a long history of empowering individuals and families in Salt Lake County to grow their own healthy, organic food.
The organization creates space for gardening education and community gardens in the Salt Lake Valley through a variety of programs for adults and youth, as well as a job training program designed to support women facing homelessness.
