Learning Gardens

Sustainability

Learning Gardens

This page is currently being updated, if you have any questions, please reach out to the folks listed below.

Here at PCC, we have a learning garden on each campus and at our Newberg Center. These spaces are always open to PCC students, staff and faculty with various work parties and volunteer opportunities. PCC Learning Gardens provide students the opportunity for hands-on outdoor learning as well as fresh food growing in the gardens.

Cascade Urban Learning Garden breaks ground!

Garlic harvest with volunteers in the Learning Garden

Events

Earth Week – April 20th-26th!

Find all the event details on our Earth Week Google calendar.

Our learning gardens are hosting a variety of events, including potato and tomato plant and seed giveaways, garden tours and planting parties. Join us to get your hands dirty, prepare for spring planting or sharpen your gardening skills!

Questions? Email sustainability@pcc.edu

Volunteer

All are welcome to stop by the gardens at the below times to volunteer your time. No experience or tools necessary. We are excited to welcome volunteers back!

Cascade Campus: Tuesdays and Thursdays, 10am-1pm
Rock Creek Campus: Monday-Friday, 9am-1pm
Southeast Campus: Mondays, 12:30-4pm and Wednesdays, 10am-1pm
Sylvania Campus: Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 11-2pm

Jobs

Please see the PCC Work Study page for available positions or email sustainability@pcc.edu. Please note that not all positions may be available at this time.

Now Hiring at some gardens! Check out the PCC Job Board.

Resources

Sylvania Environmental Center

The PCC Sylvania Environmental Center promotes sustainability, education, and action. We invite students to protect and sustain our local and global community. We are located in the Science Technology building, ST 213. Our office hours are Monday and Wednesday 8:30am-5pm, Tuesday and Thursday 8:30am-2:30pm, Friday 9am-3pm. Email peter.ritson@pcc.edu if you have any questions.

Rock Creek Garden Community Plots

Calling all gardeners! Interested in caring for a plot in the community beds at the Rock Creek Campus Learning Garden? Sign-up info coming soon.

Panther Pantries

We know that keeping students fed is imperative to equitable student success, that diverting food waste lowers PCC’s carbon impact, and that projects like the Learning Garden and Food Forests build community resilience to the impacts of Climate Change.

Panther Pantries are on all four comprehensive campuses and provide food for students in need: Cascade (Cascade Hall, Room 102); Rock Creek (Building 5, Room 113); Southeast (Mt. Tabor Building, Room 152); and Sylvania (CC Building, Room 215).

Visit the food pantry website for current schedule updates.

Staff

Cascade and Southeast Learning Garden

Moonrose Doherty (They/Them, Elle) – Learning Garden Coordinator

Moonrose loves being part of community change, the tending of plants, and the sharing of knowledge. As the Rock Creek Learning Garden Coordinator, they focus on providing students access to free, healthy food from the garden through donations to the Rock Creek Panther Pantry, programming around Food Insecurity, and increasing Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) access through the Rock Creek Learning Garden Farm Stand. Moonrose grew up food insecure and knows the barriers and stigmas. They are passionate about students positively accessing free food and all things food justice related. Prior to this position, Moonrose managed the PCC Newberg Center Learning Garden with a focus on community-building and food liberation through hands-on education and knowledge-sharing. They also taught PCC Community Ed classes on Companion Planting, Organic Gardening, and Native Plant Garden Design. Moonrose is also a small-scale, urban farmer and medicine-maker in their free time. Recently, they furthered their medicine craft and learned tinctures, oxymels, and salves. Moonrose feels safest, wildest, and most grounded when in community with plants and sharing knowledge with people. They enjoy rollerskating, dance, backpacking, and dreaming. Find them in the garden and come say Hi. Contact Moonrose at moonrose.doherty@pcc.edu.

Hailey Swain – Learning Garden Assistant

Hailey has been working in urban school gardens across the city since graduating from high school in 2019. They’re passionate about showing people how to grow fresh food within the city to promote sustainability, accessibility, and community. Contact Hailey at hailey.swain@pcc.edu