In the grand scheme of things, 100 acres doesn’t sound like much. With farms getting bigger, a few million square feet of ground might be considered an add-on to many operations. For Utah State University Extension, a 100-acre land donation supports creation of a center dedicated to agricultural land preservation.

The new Bastian Agricultural Center will provide demonstrations and education with a goal of increasing agricultural literacy, and it will be located in unincorporated Salt Lake County. The new center, according to Ken White, USU Extension vice president, will be based on four components: natural resources, small-farm education as it relates to food; small-farm education as it relates to animal production; and science, technology, engineering and math. The center will serve the needs of all ages — but especially the growing, younger population, he said.

Added White: “The programs and facilities of the future Bastian Agricultural Center will be remarkable, and our goal is to have hands-on, applied learning. Our hope is that this facility will provide education, experiences and a sense of community for those who visit.”

Plans for the new center include orchards and dry-farm demonstration plots, an amphitheater, a wetland discovery center, livestock facilities, classroom and workshop space, and open spaces for ag demonstrations and research. The university also plans to have a makerspace community work space with tools, a laser cutter, 3-D printer, sewing machines, hand tools and more. The center is part of a long-term project that will be built in phases.

David Francis, in announcing construction of the new center, noted that he’s excited about the STEM component of the facility. “Farmers and ranchers, including the land donors for this center, were some of our earliest innovators. If they had a challenge, they had to figure out a way to solve it — whether it was with a new tool or a new procedure. Today, our farmers and ranchers often have one foot in the field and one on the silicon slopes. To feed 8 billion people, we have to use technology.”

The Bastian family is donating the land to preserve its heritage of farming in the Salt Lake Valley, said Jake Anderson, a family representative. The Bastian family has been working in the valley for more than 75 years, and descendants of Elmer and Margaret Bastian were on hand for a celebration of the land donation in June.

Bastian Agricultural Center parts

Here’s a quick look at the four components planned for the new facility:

STEM Center. This will include a conference center, lodging, pavilions, and a sports and activity area. Utah 4-H reaches about 73,680 youth each year, with more than 8,000 volunteers. Currently, the 4-H program in Utah reaches 58% of youth in an urban setting, and 42% in a rural setting. The center will become a more central location for 4-H youth and volunteers to gather for conferences and other activities.

Natural resources. Focused on hands-on education, this portion of the facility will include a resource education center, amphitheater, wetland and ponds discovery area, and youth activities. The aim is to work to enhance youth and adult engagement with nature. There are statistics showing a reduction in children spending time with outdoor activities including hiking, walking, fishing and gardening. This facility aims to close that gap.

Small-Farm Education Food Production. A farmers market, classroom and workshop space, greenhouses, demonstration gardens, orchards and dry0farm demonstration plots will provide a working space to support USU Extension work to help state residents make healthy food choices. This center will help participants gain an understanding of where their food comes from, how to grow their food, and how to preserve and cook it.

Small-Farm Education-Animal Production. This part of the center will bring animal production education and experiences to an increasing urban population. Last year, more than 24,000 youth participated in 4-H livestock projects and had the opportunity to develop leadership, citizenship, self-esteem, social and livestock skills. This part of the center will become an avenue for more youth from the urban population to experience animal production activities.

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