DESIGN

From freeway to farm.

Employing Permaculture design methods, Hayes Valley Farm explores strategies for farming in the urban setting, using minimal inputs, upcycling local waste, replenishing the landscape, and maximizing community involvement and resources.

Find our more about Urban Permaculture at the San Francisco Permaculture Guild.

Bird Habitat in the Freeway Food Forest
Photo by Zoey Kroll, June 21, 2010

Vision

Hayes Valley Farm is a place where people come regularly to meet and connect with each other, where friends exchange food, recipes, stories, and knowledge about ways we can all live in greater harmony with our surroundings.

Assessment

Transforming a former freeway ramp into a farm means constant observation, responding to feedback, and adjusting our goals and strategies. We evaluate the resources available to us in the site and in our community.

Strategy

The farm utilizes community resources and local waste streams to research and develop sustainable urban agricultural methods. Through classes, workshops, events, and work days, we're building an urban farm curriculum in concert with the site's development to empower community members to participate in the transformation of the space.

Timeline

Hayes Valley Farm has an interim-use agreement with San Francisco’s Office of Economic and Workforce Development for an initial period of two years, with the possibility of extension. In the first phase of this project, we’re building community and soil to set the stage for food production.