In 1978, four University of Montana students began a backyard farm where Missoula’s Northside community could grow their own food. There was a severe economic depression in Montana at the time, and the founders wanted to show people how they could live well while spending less money. The students formed the non-profit Down Home Project (DHP) in 1981, and started Garden City Seeds, a company providing quality seeds to the Missoula community.

In 1991, a new batch of students renamed the farm the Missoula Urban Demonstration Project, or MUD. These visionary students worked hard to build up a number of great community programs, some that MUD still conducts today. Around this time our mission also expanded, moving beyond the Northside to encompass the entire community of Missoula, helping people live fulfilling, abundant lives while using fewer resources. Click here to learn more about our programs. You may also read more about the history of DHP/MUD through the following links: