As I was loading the van last week with produce for the Free Farm Stand I felt like I was walking through the Valley of Valentines. Each bag and box of locally grown produce made me feel so special and blessed. Each bunch of tree collards, or bag of fava beans, bouquet of lettuces, handfuls of rocoto peppers or lemons that were harvested in nearby San Francisco gardens or farms was truly a love gift. Each came special delivery with a kiss on each leaf or fruit.

This is the quiet revolution going on right now and it is so beautiful and precious, neighbors and friends growing food and sharing it with those in need at our weekly Free Farm Stand.It may be only on a tiny scale, but all this love energy adds up, it is the serotonin in our soil that makes us all feel happy and hopeful, and we are growing it!

This weekly this activity is going on against a back-drop of development steamrolling out of control in our magical San Francisco. People are losing their homes where they live and getting the boot and gardens/farms are getting evicted too. In the past two weeks there have been goodbye parties at Hayes Valley Farm and Esperanza Gardens (Kezar Garden and HANC Recycling Center had not only a party  a month ago but a short Occupation). The Free Farm is next in line (go to our other blog http://thefreefarm.org/ to read what is the latest there.

I really applaud those who Occupy locally and stand up and say that this development must stop for now. The Farm Occupiers in Albany across the bay who this weekend said no to development at Gill Tract Farm land are our true heroes and Engish Digger types who planted the Commons only for the agents of the landlords to bull doze what they planted (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSj1Gn2J-X4). 

It is not a time to despair, but to get back to getting our hands dirty and our green thumbs flexing. We must be in for the long haul and keep the farms and gardens growing food whenever we can. It is pretty simple really…take some time to grow food and flowers and harvest fruit from trees. Share it with those in need. Make it beautiful and fun.

While I was at the Esperanza Garden goodbye celebration party yesterday, I kept thinking if only we could get these people working instead of just standing around drinking beer or eating pizza from a cob oven (I couldn’t eat the pizza because it wasn’t vegan). I mean it is cool to celebrate the great work we have done, but I had to go home alone and unpack the van from the Free Farm Stand and deal with boxes of very ripe apricots and peaches. And across the street from me is a guerilla garden we have started growing that will produce more produce for our stand if we can only get the people to help make it happen.

Esperanza Garden will need a lot of help moving (they have to be out in two weeks). If you can give them a hand contact me and I will let them know. I think they are a bit disorganized with the move (I can understand the problem of having to move a living garden). Also, one of the main people there is a busy mom and she has been carrying a lot of the load keeping this garden happening. I also think Hayes Valley Farm still might have fine wood chip mulch to give away.

At the Stand yesterday we had a lot of locally grown love in the form of produce from various gardens/farms, a lot from Alemany Farm and the Free Farm…actually almost as much produce grown in San Francisco as we got left-over from the first batch of produce from the ferry building farmer’s market.

The second round of produce that we pick up from Stonestown Farmer’s Market was amazing. It is like we suddenly switched into summer mode and we had tons of apricots, cherries, peaches, cucumbers, and  zucchini and we actually had a challenge giving it all away. That is why I came home with so much soft fruit that I am jamming as I write.

Some photos from the Stand:

Chive flower bouquets for Mother’s Day

She said she was gathering food for a large household and bike cart was the means of transporting it

some of our Free Farm bounty and also from other farms

Here is some inspiration if you need it to become a free food activist : http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/12/us/fruit-activists-take-urban-gardens-in-a-new-direction.html?emc=eta1&_r=1&. This is the idea is to create Edible Parks and plant fruit trees in them.

There is a the urban agriculture strategic plan that just recently got passed (http://www.sfuaa.org/uploads/4/8/9/3/4893022/urban_ag_strategic_plan_final.pdf) and it is quite a read! Despite the input of “30 stakeholders” like us at the Free Farm, many of us have not been not too fond of Recreation and Park (possibly the majority of us), yet the plan recommends that agency being the lead  for the Urban Agriculture Program in the city. It is worth looking at the appendix and checking out the budget for urban agriculture so far ($4.4 million this year next year $3.6 million). Wow a lot of money going into salaries and some programs getting most of the share of the money. What we are doing at the Free Farm and the Free Farm Stand or like at places like Alemany Farms or Esperanza Gardens is showing what can be done with little money and no salaries. We need more help from the city supporting our efforts and putting money into purchasing or long term leasing  land or opening up more park land to our efforts (the problem being Recreation and Park is has been awful to work with so far).

If you want to give your input about this issue you can go to the SFUAA meeting  Tuesday, May 14, 2013. Time: 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm. Place: Global Exchange, 2017 Mission Street (@ 16th), 2nd Floor Conference Room. Representatives from Recreation and Park will be there. Also, Wednesday, May 15, 5:30-6:30 @ City Hall, Room 278 there will be an open house convened by Supervisor David Chiu, Office of the City Administrator and RPD to solicit feedback on the strategic plan.

More inspiration of a garden activist in Los Angeles who is also making changes on a truly grass roots level (http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/05/fashion/urban-gardening-an-appleseed-with-attitude.html?pagewanted=all). A number of weeks ago we posted a video of a TED talk that Ron gave that apparently went viral and now all sorts of people want to support him.

It feels like summer in spring though San Francisco summers are cool. Maybe things are warming up.  The thing I love most about the Free Farm Stand and why it gives me a boost of energy, are all the different people that show up every week…from volunteers to neighbors. Andy is a relatively new helper at the stand and in the garden and he is the one who brought us the Easter Egg hunt recently. His energy is jubilant everywhere and besides that he is so great with kids. Plus he is so funny and it is contagious  This week he organized a water balloon activity and got all the kids in the park playing (the perfect day). Later he corralled some kids to work in the garden weeding planting  , tomatoes, and then at the very end I saw our 6 year old neighborhood Tatiana and another girl cleaning up…Andy leading the effort! He also handed out tickets and stood at the front of the line and took them from people, plus unloaded the van. Then there was yoga going on in another part of the park, I would have liked to join them but I was busy because we were a bit short handed. A number of neighbors brought by lemons from their tree (about 60 pounds I think) and Maria, another neighbor who lives nearby, brought me a bag of old chili peppers she rescued from a trash can or dumpster. I have known her for years and she is so good at collecting old produce…she is one of my main sources of chayotes. I wish I could share photos of all these radiant people, but I get too busy at times. There is the thought of setting up a photo booth at the Stand and taking of everyone with our without their produce. I think it would make a beautiful collection and history of the stand. I think we have the photographer we just need the booth. Wayne showed up and gave out some homemade spread from his blender on bread. Shh! Don’t tell anyone as we technically aren’t supposed to be doing that. Though with the new cottage food law passing  and the fact that we have a hand washing set up on site, the powers that be might chill out on our activity, but better not to let them know. 

The things that make life grand:

 water balloon fun on a hot day

yoga…but where are the old dudes like me?

lots of seedlings

lots of free flowers

lots of free lemons from the hood

free duds from the local really really free free store on the lawn

Right now we have little produce from the Free Farm, partly because we are in between harvests and partly because I have been a bit distracted in thinking about moving the farm at the end of the year and trying to keep the produce coming.  Our neighbors saved us again by bringing us 3  separate loads of local lemons (say that really fast) . We do have a lot planted  at the faarm and the summer squash will be coming in by a month.  To make up for the lack of the produce we have been giving out a lot of summer seedlings mostly of basil, tomatoes, and  hot peppers. Mr @ who is at the table says he talks to everyone about how their plants are doing and gets lots of feedback and lots of empty pots returned (so people are planting them).

If anyone is in Kalamazoo Michagan there is now a Free Farm Stand there. I got a message from a visitor a while back named Katie who wrote:

“…I also spent the day with you at thee Free Farm Stand in the Mission. I was the one with the new born baby. I just wanted to let you know that I too have started a Free Farm Stand here in South West Michigan. I wanted to let you know that your work has been very inspiring to me, and has had a ripple effect across the country. I hope you are well. Peace! Katie

 I just learned that Tabitha was a woman raised by the dead in the Bible by Peter. She was a woman loved by a lot of people because she was humble and did good work helping others. Great name for a farm that helps others in a simple way. I remember Katie because she told me how her town helps people get vacant land . Somehow there was an empty lot next to her house and she was able to get it for free to use for agricultural purposes. I looked this up (thank you internet for pollinating us all) and found this: At no cost to you, the Land Bank is offering a unique opportunity to adopt vacant properties to maintain as your own. The possibilities are endless; whether you adopt the property to grow a vegetable garden, plant trees, make a pocket park or play area for kids, you and your neighbors will benefit!” The link is here: http://www.kalamazoolandbank.org/programs/. Here is another quote and is probably what she did: “Homeowners in the City of Kalamazoo with vacant Land Bank property adjacent on either side of their home will be eligible to purchase property for $20 plus minimal administration fees to expand their lot. Applicants that show plans for gardening or other improvements for the property will be given first priority.” Angie is always saying we should move the Midwest.

This leads into thinking about Earthday which is officially today, but has been celebrated this past weekend.  I read in yesterday’s Chronicle online  that San Franciscans claim “we are the country’s greenest city” which is hard to believe. I know we have recycling down which is really good and curbside compost bins, but I think of green as trees and gardens. In this month’s Bayview Footprints  it says “Most concerning are NAP’s plans to cut down 18,500 trees, or 16% of urban forests in NAP, simply because they are not native. We are not talking about dangerous trees, which should be removed. At Bayview Hill, Rec and Parks will take out 511 healthy trees.” NAP is Natural Areas Program of Rec and Park.   I think we all need to get more serious about Earth Day, when I hear about things like this.  We need less hype and more happening. It is more than saving and washing our plastic bags  or even sharing on yerdle which is all good. Let’s save our trees that we have and then plant more!

One of the things I have been dreaming about is perhaps the Free Farm should be reborn into a Free Food Forest/Free Community Orchard and the fruit be given away to those in need. If anyone has an idea where we can grow one that is the first step to making it happen.

I think the Free Farm Stand will not be as much fun for me when we close the Free Farm. So I encourage everyone out there to say a little prayer and help us manifest another beautiful project that will bring some do it ourselves local produce to our stand on Sundays.

Yesterday we had quite a bit of much needed rain at our Free Farm Stand. The sun would be out and then it would rain heavily.   The photos Mike took make everything look so beautiful. I love the rain and when I have my rain gear on I feel like I can be in it no problem. Most people unfortunately were not prepared for the downpour and I think they got pretty wet. Fortunately people are so gracious  that come to our Stand and can smile through it all. We had a lot of vegetables and fruit so it pretty much all worked out fine.

Two volunteers Andy and his friend, who besides organizing

two Easter egg hunts, planted some pumpkins in the orchard. They are the kind of

people that make the Stand so much fun.

We are growing lots of starts in our greenhouse at the Free Farm so look for them if you come by the Stand some Sunday.

This is a shout out to growing cities that are truly green. Green with trees, green with gardens, green with farms, green with jars of sprouts on a kitchen counter, green with neighborhood drop off centers for compost, so we can make dark brown steamy compost locally,  green with brown sweet-smelling worm poop, green with neighbors with green thumbs or fresh soil under their fingernails,  and homes and buildings that are green with roof top gardens and living roofs,  places for the down and out that are green and tranquil and car free, and green shelter for unemployed farmers in green jeans.   The Free Farm Stand and Free Farm are good examples of  how  urban agriculture can be fun and help people in need get some  fresh organic produce to boot.   I just visited Alemany Farm to check out their new greenhouse and if you haven’t visited them please do and see how cities should be with farms like that throughout the city (minus the car noise).

if you walk up the hill at Alemany Farm there are many more trees

and plantings in between the treeswith annuals and other perennials

 Go also to Hayes Valley Farm before it is gone and see how beautiful nature can be in the city (pick up some composting fine dark wood chips and plant your own green, even if it is in a re-purposed 5 gallon container picked up from Rainbow). Green cities make people smile, especially children who love to be in green, if not they have  beginning nature deficit disorder.

this boy is helping harvesting the greens from the garden next to the Free Farm Stand

our new volunteers who smile because they got a strawberry plant to grow,

but it is also fun to give the greens away to people who need a little help

We need more green to grow food for us poor folk who are getting pushed out of the city because of gentrification pure and simple. Recently in an earlier blog post a I quoted an article from the Utne Reader called  Race, Class, and Community in San Francisco’s Mission District.  The article was rather long and I didn’t read  it all, but on Sunday I ran into a friend and we were talking about the Mission and what is going down (actually all over the city) with evictions and condo conversions, and she said the Free Farm Stand was mentioned in the article.  So I went back and read the whole thing and yes we were mentioned, though I don’t know how the reporter got her information about us. It wasn’t entirely accurate.

“Gentrification is turning vulnerable residents into tumbleweed, and it’s gradually transforming the Mission. The change is slow, and mostly invisible, but you can see it in the changing food establishments…We think of gentrification principally in terms of real estate, race, and class, but I more often find that food is the thermometer reading the temperature of gentrification.” I agree with her and  a part of the urban ag movement is tied to that gentrification and unfortunately to eating fresh local organic produce (where? at your neighborhood expensive local food dinner) .

We  need to avoid green wash and foodie faddism though any thing that promotes planting gardens and farms in cities I suppose is good.  Any guerrilla gardening, grafting, or interim site gardening is ok and any occupied garden digger style (reclaiming  unused growing spaces) might be the best we can do right now, but we need to give voice to  preserving any open space left in the cities vs development, and we need politicians to show some will to make sure we really make our cities green rather that talk about making them green, or that the only green that is happening is rich people making green moola.  I must admit I have mostly not depended on government too much to really do what they say they want to do or to do the right thing, but sometimes maybe it is worth a try.

My friend Antonio is sending out a note asking for help getting the San Francisco Urban Agriculture legislation off the ground. Here is what he says:

Tree (and other Free Farmers, please feel free to forward this)-

Don’t know if you’ve been following much, but the legislation the SFUAA  [San Francisco Urban Agriculture Alliance] helped pass last year (to increase and improve the city’s support for urban agriculture efforts) has stalled. We were supposed to have already heard by December 31st about which agency would house the program (a crucial first decision by the city before the UA legislation can be implemented), but instead we’ve heard nothing…even after repeated inquiries to the Office of the City Administrator (the agency in charge of releasing the report).

If you could take a moment to fill in this Template letter (and read the instructions for where/to whom to send it), we’d really appreciate it. We didn’t want to be a thorn in the OCA’s side, but without this report being finished and released, any and all the programs and benefits of the SF Urban Agriculture Program will continue as ideas, not realities. And we’d like to see those benefits start being spread among the urban farming community in SF!

Thanks for your support!

Antonio

How To Send Letters mar_2013        SFUAA Template Letter to Jumpstart UA Program

Here is another TED talk that Sharing Gardens  in Oregon posted on their blog. “Roger Doiron is founding director of Kitchen Gardeners International, a network of people taking a hands-on approach to re-localizing the global food supply”. I like the idea of growing potatoes in shopping carts and his idea of a garden stimulus package.