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.

Read more...

Written by Brett McGuire | 09 January 2011

After having a few conversations on the subject of our one year anniversary, I was wondering what could be done to make participation in this project I love so much, even easier. My first thought was, more of the same of course! So, to mark the occasion of that anniversary--and to give our tour guides a break from having to repeat the disjointed days and times the gates are open--Hayes Valley Farm will have new hours as we move into the future. Beginning this Sunday, January 9, 2011, the gates will be open from 12:00pm to 5:00pm on Sundays and Thursdays. That is two more hours per week!

Read more...

Written by Lindsey Goldberg | 08 January 2011

The tops of the eucalyptus trees glow as the morning sun streams through the branches. I look east toward the rising sun, eyes closed, face basking in the warm rays. Inhaling through my nose, I feel the moist soil under me as I sit content on the north slope early Thursday morning. I take advantage of this quiet moment to relax, ground and reflect before the closing day of Winter WonderFarm 2010.

The sing-song playful melodies of the morning birds in their ritual dance on the farm fills my heart with joy. The wind is quieter today, only a soft breeze blows over the undulating landscape, where fava beans stand still alongside celery, lettuce, chard, spinach, kale, frizee, parsley and towers of potatoes: a hundred different shades of green.

Over the past two weeks, I have come to the farm almost everyday helping to co-create the magic of Winter WonderFarm. In collaboration with inspiring and creative educators, urban farmers, artists, worm enthusiasts, micro brewers, musicians, bakers, a wise mom from Chicago and a crew of fantastic Wonderers (the kids!) During the past two weeks I have encountered many miracles. I have learned a lot from the Wonderers about experiencing life with a Beginner’s Mind.

“The word, ‘miracle,’ is derived from the Latin verb, mirari - to wonder or marvel. And wonder, said Aristotle, is the beginning of wisdom...Many children believe anything is possible, eveything is possible! They approach life with a Beginner’s Mind. Such a Beginner’s Mind opens us up to the magic of life.”

Read more...

Written by Katherine Kugay | 05 January 2011

The last two days at the Winter Wonderfarm have been amazing. The truly amazing part has been experiencing wonderment unfold as the dynamics of SF weather inform our play, while being surrounded by flourishing fava beans, squash, lettuces, worm communities, and new friends.

This morning as everyone was settling into being at camp, I was helping Lemon and Apple Tree build a fire out of stones with the help of magic wands when I heard Sunrise Cauliflower shout over to us - "Look! Snow!!" We abandoned our stone fire and ran over to play in a light pattering of powder upon the scant pavement here at the farm. Dancing with Sunrise as the rest of the wonderers looked on in amazement marked the beginning of a day full of wonder and surprise.

Read more...

Written by Vanessa Roland | 04 January 2011

For our second day of camp the theme was CREATIVITY and we surpassed my wildest dreams with four full hours of creative expression. As the young wonderers arrived they developed their own creative activity of building a big imaginary fire by stacking rocks and sticks and lighting the "ivy fuse" with magic wands. This was a wonderful way to start off the day as we imagined the warmth from the fire while a chill formed in the air and sporadic rain drops began to fall.

For our opening circle, Sunshine Cauliflower led a short, invigorating yoga practice referencing nature and connecting us to our outdoor space. As we concluded our circle the rain held off, so we moved on to creating decoupage with rocks, wood, plants, and flowers found on the farm. We each selected a piece of wood or rock and slathered it with glue. Then we beautifully arranged leaves, stems, and flower petals on top to create original pieces of art to take home for display.

Read more...