Tag Archives: Hayes Valley Farm

Winter Hayes Valley Farm Update

by Booka Alon

December and January brought much anticipated rains, and several new milestones at the Hayes Valley Farm. Our Youth Education Program hosted Winter Wonderfarm, an urban day-camp for kids. February brought us our one year anniversary and we are enjoying sharing and eating some of our winter crops.

Winter Wonderfarm was a success. The young campers enjoyed learning about growing food, learning mapping skills, participating in worm races and turning the mulch pile, which helped provide a little warmth on a chilly day, because of the heat coming off the pile generated by decomposition of organic matter. They also got to bake and eat homemade farm pizza topped with freshly picked broccoli and feast on warm cinnamon apple sauce. They learned how to make root beer from scratch. The campers meet some furry kids, also known as goats, and were amazed by their voracious appetites. The staff led arts and crafts activities focusing on nature, such as collages made of leaves and seeds, and mini terrariums with beans to take home and steward. Parents and guardians stay tuned, the Farm will host a Spring Sprout Camp during the last week of March and a second session for one week in mid-April. Check the website hayesvalleyfarm.com for details or email kids@hayesvalleyfarm.com

Recently we have been harvesting vegetables from the brassica family from our beds which includes bok choy, kohlrabi, kale, radishes, broccoli, mustard greens and collards. In the coming weeks we expect to see more kale, red cabbage and lots of fava beans. For anyone who would like to take some home, the produce is available to the community at no cost. Please stop by the farm to pick up freshly grown veggies any Thursdays or Sunday between 3:00pm and 5:00pm.

We celebrated our one-year anniversary on February 13th with a potluck, screen-printing and acoustic music. The Hayes Valley Farm is grateful for being granted temporary use of these two parcels. We look forward to the coming seasons.

Angela Goebel writes about the celebration: “Smiles, songs, and tasty dishes marked the one year anniversary celebration of Hayes Valley Farm. Volunteers gathered on February 13th to observe the metamorphosis of an abandoned freeway into a flourishing farm and community. Everyone circled round to recognize a year of hard work and clap happy hands in gratitude of a common vision bearing fruit.

Artists Jack and Aaron Cox painted a mural composed of urban agriculture within the body of a red-tailed hawk, a symbol of ecosystemic renewal on the farm. Musicians Even Taylor and the Jugtown Pirates encouraged all to dance. Meanwhile, volunteers ate welcomly warm pizza fresh from the cobb oven and screen printed t-shirts designed by Caroline Acquistapace.”

Roots to Fruit – Celebration this Sunday

by Booka Alon

The Hayes Valley Farm will be celebrating its one year anniversary this coming Sunday, February 13th, with a potluck event. The celebration will start at 3PM. We will have acoustic music and a silk-screening station. Come bring food to share and help us express our gratitude for being granted this temporary and wonderful use of this land.

Hayes Valley Farm: A Seasonal Update

by Booka Alon

The Hayes Valley Farm was awarded a generous community Challenge Grant from the Department of the Environment on October 14th. On November 14, with support from the help of 288 individual donors across the country, the farm raised $22,600, surpassing the initial request by $2,000 on Kickstarter. com. The funds will go to new education programs and will ensure the farm can widen its reach to a more diverse spectrum of people, as well as serve the greater community by opening its gates more days each week. The farm is continuing to raise funds for their 2011 Operations Plan, and is preparing to launch some highly anticipated Winter Education Course Offerings, including fruit tree grafting and compost tea recipes. On November 30, 2010, Pesticide Watch held a press conference at Hayes Valley Farm, featuring speakers Melanie Nutter, of the Department of the Environment and Francesca Vietor, President of the Public Utilities Commission (PUC). The event outlined reports by fifty scientists – including five Nobel Laureates- condemning the use of the cancer-causing pesticide methyl iodide and its dangerous implications.

Hayes Valley Farm raises $22,660 in 45 days on Kickstarter.com.
The funds will be used for new education programs and to build infrastructure for 2011, image courtesy Booka Alon

Hayes Valley Farm will host its first ever Winter Wonderfarm, a seasonal day camp for kids ages three to thirteen, December 20th-23rd and December 27th- 30th. We are joined by local artists, musicians, worm enthusiasts, soil scientists, chefs and bakers. We invite our youth to experience the magical interconnections of the natural world, directly taste, smell and engage in urban transformation, community building and collaboration in an effort to create a holistic and meaningful experience for kids during winter break. Scholarships are available. For registration and scholarship information go to http://www. hayesvalleyfarm.com/winter-wonderfarm.

We need your carbon. Please give us your cardboard, holiday wrapping and packaging (non glossy) so we can layer it in our compost bins and veggie beds. To sign up for our newsletter, send an email to newsletter@hayesvalleyfarm.com