Written by Lindsey Goldberg | 04 August 2010

Photo by Mark McQuillen, July 29, 2010

Yoga, a Sanskrit term meaning union is a practice rooted in mindfulness. Mindfulness of breath, of movement and of thought. The union experienced through a holistic yoga practice is a connection between the breath and body, the heart and mind and in our case between the aforementioned as well as farming, community and connection to place. 

Yoga on the farm is not like yoga offered in studios around the city. We stretch out our mats on homemade soil, or on concrete reminding us of the old freeway we are transforming. Some folks lay out one to two pieces of donated cardboard in place of a traditional yoga mat. We look up at the sun and the branches of swaying Eucalyptus trees overhead during our sun salutations. The rich aroma of fresh manure sometimes permeates the air where we practice. The subtle soundscape that fills our ears is the ever-changing composition of horns, buzzing traffic, a myriad of human sounds, and a dog or two barking nearby. Even though we are in the heart of the city, it’s interesting how it all seems to melt away in the one hour that we gather to practice. Together we bathe in the sun’s rays, the cool breeze blows over our bodies and our breath slow and rhythmic dances through us.

I believe Yoga is beneficial to all people, irrespective of age, cultural background, gender, and political persuasion or spiritual/religious affinity. Yoga has the power to heal physical injuries, emotional wounds and inspire a positive sense of self. Yoga relaxes, refreshes and rejuvenates the mind and body. Yoga is a wonderful complement to one’s life at any stage along the path. I consider it a gift to be able to share this practice with the community!

It is my hope that through this community practice on the farm, that people will roll up their mats or put away their cardboard, walking taller, feeling more at ease in their bodies, their mind a little clearer, feeling refreshed and ready to take on whatever the rest of their day brings with heightened clarity and mindfulness. I think that practicing yoga outside deepens one’s connection to place. The time we dedicate to being at the farm each week enriches our relationship to this place. As the group of us practicing together each week grows, yoga feels like a celebration. A celebration of community, a celebration of the farm we are co-creating and a celebration of being alive!

I think that the vitality, the prana (life-force) we cultivate throughout our practice ripples out to the greater farm, infusing the soil, all the plants, trees, insects, worms, dogs, kids, teens, adults, moms, dads and elders who are making the Hayes Valley Farm what it is, with love and good, healthy energy. 

Join the practice! Every SUNDAY from 11:30am-12:30pm right before the Sunday Work Party!

See you on August 8th. 

Love,
Lindsey

Written by Jay Rosenberg | 03 August 2010

Kitchen Garden Workshoppers! 

Tonight we will be convening at the African American Arts & Culture Complex for the Ninth Annual Western Addition National Night Out

What: 9th Annual Western Addition National Night Out

Where: African American Arts & Culture Complex, 762 Fulton St (at Webster), SF

When:   Tuesday August 3, 5-8pm

You can help setup from 4-5pm

Free Food at 6pm, resource fair and entertainment

See photos from last year's event

Click for Larger Map & Directions

Written by Jay Rosenberg | 01 August 2010

Photo Recap of Sunday Work Party, August 1

Written by Jay Rosenberg | 23 July 2010

The staff and community at Hayes Valley Farm wishes to thank all of those who have shared their sympathy and offered support over the attack on our honey bees. If you would like to help us rebuild, here are the ways which you can help.

New Hives: To help us bring honey bees back to the site, please make a donation by visiting the "Support" section of our website and click on the "Donate" page. To earmark your donation toward bees, please be sure to enter "Bees" in in the box next to "This donation is in honor of". If you would like to contribute to the general descretionary fund, please enter 'Hayes Valley Farm" in the aforementioned box, or Hayes Valley Farm will not receive your funds.

Additional help wanted: If you are in the security industry and are willing to provide advice, personnel or hardware to help us deter future violence against the honey bees, please contact us at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Additional supplies wanted: If you have extra beekeeping suits, hive boxes in good condition, unused frames, other beekeeping tools or supplies you would like to donate for SFBC's use, contact us at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

To our neighbors and volunteers, if you have concerns about the beekeeping program at the Farm, beekeeping in the community, or anything else related to the bees, we want to hear you. Please don't remain silent. Feel free to send your comments or inquiries to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . Please understand we are overwhelmed by the outpouring of responses at this time, so it may take a few days to respond.

If you wish to help prevent senseless acts of violence against honey bees, dispel unwarranted fears and increase public understanding and appreciation of honey bees, become a "honey bee ambassador" by educating yourself and others. Read up on honey bees on the Internet or in books, learn to distinguish honey bees from wasps, talk to beekeepers, take one of our honey bee or beekeeping classes at the farm or take such a class offered elsewhere.

Join us for Honey Bee Basics on Sunday, August 1 at 10am and Honey Bees for Kids on Sunday, August 1 at 1pm.

Karen Peteros, Head Beekeeper at Hayes Valley Farm.  Photo by Booka Alon, July 22, 2010

Written by Karen Peteros | 21 July 2010

Sometime between the late afternoons of Monday July 19 and Tuesday July 20, an unknown person(s) intentionally sprayed pesticide into the entrances and ventilation holes of the two San Francisco Bee-Cause (SFBC) honey bee colonies at HVF.  The same person(s) tried to do the same to a third, smaller colony on site, belonging to Chris Burley.

The killing of the two mature SFBC colonies was complete.  The thousands of bees that died immediately or rushed to the entrance for fresh air fell onto the screened bottom board and clogged up the entrance to the hive, making escape impossible for any of the other bees and turning each hive into a gas chamber.  Chris Burley’s colony sustained a loss of approximately 60-70% of its individuals.

The distinct scent of household pesticide could be smelled around the entrance and ventilation holes of the SFBC hives, and around the piles of dead bees.  A sample of the residue from around the ventilation holes and a sampling of the dead bees have been preserved for analysis.  A police report has been filed.

Each colony was healthy and thriving at HVF, and likely consisted of 60,000-100,000 individuals.  Each was well on her way to producing 20-30 medium frames of honey that we planned to sell to support the work of SFBC.  The honey was to be extracted during a HVF Honey Extraction class to take place on August 1^st and another to be scheduled for September/October.  We will proceed with the Honey Extraction class on August 1^st but we will extract honey produced by SFBC’s Alemany Farm hives.

When considering the replacement cost of the equipment and hive contents which must be discarded, the market value of the thriving colonies, as well as the market value of the honey in the hives and to be produced by the colonies into October, the economic loss is in the range of $1,000 per hive.

Beyond the economic loss, however, is the emotional loss and the loss of educational opportunity the hives were to provide at HVF.

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