SEEd Project Garden

Sustainable Edible Education

garden entrance

The SEEd Project (Sustainable Edible Education) garden provides opportunities for students to directly engage in Cal Lutheran's sustainability efforts and supports the nation-wide movement that encourages people to grow and purchase local produce.

Since the garden’s establishment in September 2010, the SEEd Project has also partnered with on-campus food services for a vermicomposting program. During a typical academic year, the garden holds a weekly Farm Stand on The Spine, distributing crops and other goods to the campus community, such as tea bags harvested from the garden’s plants, or fresh eggs from the garden’s hens. Additionally, once a month on Saturday mornings, the SEEd Garden hosts a SEEd Saturday event—a three hour long volunteer event. 

The garden can be used by anyone! Faculty use the space so students can conduct experiments in a living lab or enjoy a lecture in the fresh air. Students, community members, faculty and staff can also host an event in the garden space—there’s even a pizza oven there to use!

Visit the Garden

The garden is located on north campus, just a short walk past Hutton Field. 

Find the SEEd Garden on the Campus Map

Follow Us

Check us out on Facebook and Instagram to see what we’re up to in the garden!
 

Garden-to-Table Project

Cooking in the gardenThe Garden-to-Table Project takes students from different classes and majors on a months-long creative, immersive and interactive journey. They plant, harvest and prepare their own and other locally sourced food. They create pottery vessels and plates for serving and eating this food at a banquet they host for 100 people in the SEEd Garden.

In the spring 2020 semester, seven classes participated in the project:

  • Ceramics students explored the relationship between pottery, food and meaning.
  • Ancient Art students gained hands-on experiences in plate-making and glazing workshops to complement their study of ancient practices of working with clay.
  • Students in the Food and Religion class got to learn in an outdoor classroom—the SEEd Garden.
  • Student journalists in the Writing for Mass Media class were able to interview ceramics students as they worked on their vessel projects.

Created by Professor Neuwalder, this annual project builds community among students, staff, poets and local farmers. The result is an experience for community building centered on pottery, local sourced and communally prepared food, and the sharing of a bountiful meal in a beautiful setting.

  

 

Student Managers of the Garden

2023-24 Academic Year

Mari

 Animal and Pollinator Manager

Currently, I am a junior majoring in Film and Television and minoring in environmental science. One day I hope to make documentaries about the various beautiful places on earth! I'm from Hawaii so i can a deep appreciation for nature and taking care of the land and I hope to help educate others about how we can be helpful to the environment!
Josh

 Coordinator/Scheduler and Volunteer Manager

I am a sophomore and a psychology major and I am minoring in philosophy. The reason why I wanted to work in the garden is because I grew up with gardens around me all my life, and I love to be around nature. Some fun facts about me are that I’ve been to a Totoro-themed parade in Japan, and I have a golden retriever named Charlie!
Jasper

 Farmstand/Food Pantry Manager

I've always had a deep appreciation for nature and enjoy observing various plants and insects. I'm currently a second-year philosophy major with minors in sociology and art at California Lutheran. What I find most enjoyable in the garden is the process of harvesting ripe produce and identifying different plant species.
Rudy

 Marketing, Social Media and Graphic Design Manager

I have always wanted to get in touch with nature. Learning about sustainable growth and promoting it on our social media platforms is just a part of my wonderful job. I am heavily involved in the music side of campus. I teach piano on the weekends as a hobby. I learn so much from the garden and I hope to contribute back as much as I can.
Cristiann

 Compost Manager

I will be Graduating in 2026, I am the Compost Manager. I work with Sodexo and other partners to receive food scraps. I also work with the other garden managers about soil health and work to amend the soil.
Jacob

 Greenhouse and Raised Bed Manager

I'm a senior here at Cal Lutheran studying Environmental Science with a minor in Business. I am the Greenhouse and Raised Bed Manager at the SEEd Garden and some of my responsibilities include taking care of the raised beds, planting seeds, and planning what to grow next. I love working at the garden because I get to help out the community while working outside with nature! Besides gardening, some of my hobbies include hiking, going to the beach, and playing soccer.
Natalie

 Community Outreach and Special Events Manager

I am a senior at Cal Lutheran, double majoring in Environmental Science and Business Administration. I am the Community Outreach and Special Events Manager for the SEEd Garden, the point person for the garden's broader community events. I love traveling, camping, hiking, and most of all, the garden! Please reach out if you have any outreach or community event questions!
Cece

 Native Plant, Herb, and Cut Flower Manager

Since I’m a senior Psychology major, my favorite part about the garden is being immersed in nature and seeing all the wildlife come and go; it’s a nice reminder of how humans are part of the ecosystem and not above it. A fun fact about me is that I have an old english sheepdog named Clifford and a crested gecko named 100 gecs (but he also goes by sir-gecs-a-lot and mr.gecs).

Want to get involved?

You can become a SEEd worker (paid position), volunteer at drop-ins or even schedule a garden tour—this is a place for students of all majors!

For more information about the SEEd garden and its opportunities, please contact Dr. Fung at mkfung@CalLutheran.edu.

Bianca Flores

The SEEd Garden is a place where you can destress from classes and give back to the earth by planting and caring for the plants we cultivate on campus. It is a quiet, safe space to meditate and enjoy nature. You can also work on your own independent research projects there! I was able to conduct an experiment for a pollinator garden which resulted in beautiful vibrant red tulips. It is a rewarding experience when your seedlings grow into healthy and strong plants.

Bianca Flores ‘21
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