Written by Aimee Hill | 30 January 2011

I arrived at the farm today after having accepted the fact it would be raining just as it stopped.

Right away, a guy with a old-timey newspaper reporter hat and a crazy camera was directed my way. He wanted to talk to me about the importance of soil.

I pointed out important historical battles and truces in the development of soil fungus and bacteria soil cohabitation. Two groups of little creatures you cannot see fight over air, food and space just like all other living things. In the end, they make homes for each other and allow each other to survive. They create their own habitat, replete with air holes, water drainage, and living spaces designed and used by each other.

Life processes of plants are made possible by the nutrient bucket-brigade bacteria and fungus provide to plants. Without this most basic level of biological organization, the rest of life would not be possible. Plants could not survive with out constant external attention to their nutrient needs which microorganisms provide both on purpose and by coincidence. In other words, soil is alive and is far more than the sum of its parts.

Written by Kacie Loparto | 28 January 2011

Imagine Johnny Apple Seed. Now imagine taking a bite into one of his feral apples and what it might taste like. Think about the texture. Were you one of the lucky few? Was your apple sweet and crisp? or Astringent? Tart? Chances are your salivary glands would probably go wild. This has something to do with the man’s technique.

You mean if you throw your favorite apple seed into a pot or out in the yard the apple that grows may not be so delicious? Right. Luckily, the California Rare Fruit Growers CRFG and lots of locals know the secret to growing a diverse selection of pretty tasty fruit. Diversity is key to our landscape! And you get the good fruit by grafting.

I had the opportunity to go to the recent Scion Exchange in El Sobrante, hosted by the California Rare Fruit Growers. I didn’t really know what I was in for because I am pretty new to growing fruit. Years ago I helped a friend graft a bunch of apples trees that are now establishing themselves in the Blue Ridge Mountains. At the scion exchange a bunch of fruit growers and people interested in growing shuffled around a room full of tables with zip lock bags full of cuttings from their favorite trees. The idea is that people leave some and take some. I didn’t have any to give and that was ok. Maybe next year I can hunt down some great trees to clip. Along with filling baggies full scion wood we also watched experts graft the scion wood onto root stock for people to take home. My favorite part was the amazing citrus I left with! I tasted my first Cara Cara.

Written by Casey Gold | 21 January 2011

San Francisco Friendship Circle visited the farm in honor of Tu Bshvot, the Jewish New Year of the Trees. This week, the trees of the earth turn one year older. One more year of wildlife habitat, windbreak, and food forestry. And on that very same page, we rejoice this week as Hayes Valley Farm celebrates one year of existence. What an amazing alignment of celebration!

The Friendship Circle works to cultivate community amongst special needs children and their families, while at the same time providing leadership opportunities for middle and high school students. Children are partnered with mentoring teenagers in an effort to meaningfully contribute to each other's lives. Today’s friendship circle focused on the connection we share with trees and the connection shared amongst all living creatures.

We introduced ourselves in welcome circle, and each new friend chose the name of a tree as his or her nature name of the day. Olive trees were in plentiful bloom, as were fruit trees like apricot, cherry, and fig. Garden Educator Janelle chose to personify the oak tree, and one perceptive Friend connected oak tree to Oak Street which borders the farm. Trees of all forms and manifestations surround us everywhere, she said.

We meandered the farm- up the onramp, down the berms, through the compost station, across the river, and up to the cob oven. I’ve given the farm tour a number of times, and I’m amazed how it grows in new dimensions with each new group of participants. The farm tour was reinvented today in the context of trees- the strength of their roots, the shelter of their canopy, and the nourishment of their fruit. We were inspired by the following Tu Bshvot agenda:

A Tree's New Year Checklist:

• Did I shelter the seedlings that live in my shade -- so they will grow up to be a next generation like myself?
• Did I grow towards the sun as a tree should, reaching up higher and higher towards that which I can never grasp, but which nurtures me all the same the more I strive towards it?
• Did I make sure my roots remain firmly planted in the soil that nurtures them, and did I drop my leaves there in the fall to give back life to that which sustains me?
• Did I ensure that my fruits were sweet and nourished all that came to enjoy them? Did everyone walk away from me with a smile?
• Did I bend gently in the wind, accepting what G-d sends but never breaking or giving up hope?
• Did I grow in strength and wisdom with each new ring this year?

We closed the morning with snacktime- fruits of the earth- and songtime- melodies of our souls. Thank you, Friendship Circle, for reminding us to celebrate the trees.

Written by Janelle Fitzpatrick | 19 January 2011

We opened our gates in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Monday, January 17, 2011 to welcome families and neighbors to spend day connecting to each other and sharing in the spirit of service. We were fortunate to connect with Richard Johnson, Co-Founder of Community Partners United, and London Breed, Executive Director of the African American Art & Culture Complex, who hosted a rally and a one-day volunteer initiative throughout San Francisco.

The AAACC had about 150 volunteers show up to their location down the street from the farm on Fulton and Webster. They got to meet Edwin Lee, the new Mayor of San Francisco, who spoke and then sent them off to their respective volunteering sites.  About 20 volunteers came to Hayes Valley Farm, some who live in the city and had been here before, and others who had traveled from as far as Modesto to participate.

Written by Katherine Kugay | 09 January 2011

At this point, it would probably sound redundant to say I had a magical time at the farm today. In any case, it was an excellent day for pretending it was a great day to cob an oven: clear skies, good company, and a temperature of 45 degrees. But though the straw, clay, and sand we used were damper than ideal, conditions were ripe for testing the endurance of our foot soles as we slammed our bare heels into the mixture.

After thoroughly blending the mentioned three ingredients, we slathered a layer over the existing structure of urbanite and cob to create a regular contour. The surface of this layer was gritty enough for a next layer of just clay and straw to latch onto; to which the final layer of clay and sand snuggled right into.