Free Compost from SF Rec and Park- every month

Urban Agriculture Resource Centers are a free monthly service of the SF Rec and Park Urban Agriculture Program. The resource centers will have materials for all levels of urban agriculture (backyard gardener, community gardener, or urban farmer) to pick up supplies, get educational opportunities, and build on the existing informal and formal networks of garden materials and programs. Materials on site are available to any gardener in the city of San Francisco to help green and beautify the city.

To best address as many gardeners citywide as possible, the location of the Resource Center changes every month.  Free compost, soil and mulch are always available for pick up.  Bring your own container to put materials in; drive up access will be available as well.  There are limited amounts available per person.  Thanks to Recology for the compost and Rec and Park for the mulch and soil.

Saturday, September 26, Golden Gate Park Community Garden, 780 Frederick, 9am-12pm
*In addition, join us for a class from 10-11am that day on how to put your garden to bed for the winter if you choose not to grow crops. More info at http://sfrecpark.org/park-improvements/urban-agriculture-program-citywide/support/ under ‘Events’

Saturday, October 17, Alemany Farm, 700 Alemany Blvd.
*In addition, join us for a class from 10-11am that day on winter gardening in San Francisco’s moderate cool climate. More info at http://sfrecpark.org/park-improvements/urban-agriculture-program-citywide/support/ under ‘Events’

November 7th, Golden Gate Park CommUNITY Garden, 780 Frederick, 9a-12p.
*In addition, join us for a class from 10-11:30am that day on beekeeping basics. More info at http://sfrecpark.org/park-improvements/urban-agriculture-program-citywide/support/ under ‘Events’

Farm Visit to Sunol Ag Park

A former intern has been running a farm on the Sunol Ag Park for 2 years. Here are some shots of the farms- it was so pretty!

Sunol Water Temple in the distance

Notes on some common crops -August

Oregano: a perennial herb; once it flowers, cut the flowering stalks (usually all of the plant) back to the ground. It will start to regrow soon

Cilantro: an annual herb; once it starts to flower, it’s time to pull the whole plant and re-seed new ones (if desired). It will not go back to making leaves you want to eat.

Sorrel: a perennial herb and a relatively new one to me; please cut off the flower stalks; I assume the rest of the plant will continue to grow.

Onions: once they flower they are taking the energy stored in the bulb and using it to make flowers and seeds. The center of the bulb becomes a hard core. You can eat what’s left, but the bulb will continue to deteriorate. Pull them as soon as you see flower stalks starting and eat whatever you have.

Garlic chives (flat leaves, white flowers): a perennial herb; this isn’t on the approved list and I suspect, like chives, it is very weedy. Cut all flower stalks as they form. Research if you can eat the flowers!

Dill: an annual herb; cut flowers off as they form. Eventually entire plant will need to be harvested. This will make a ton of seeds- keep on top of removing the flowers and use them- pickles!

Artichokes: a perennial veg; you should be harvesting the artichokes to eat. If they open up to a purple flower it’s too late. These are thistles and will make lots of wind dispersed seeds. Don’t let that happen!

Arugula: an annual veg; you can eat the flowers, but they keep flowering quickly so stay on top of it. Better, cut off the whole think stalk with the flowers and eat the leaves and flowers. You will likely get more leaves to grow.

Chard: an annual veg; you can eat the leaves once it starts to bolt (tall, thick stalk) but it will never go back to being a low growing, large leaved plant. Also susceptible to leaf miners http://goldengategarden.typepad.com/golden_gate_gardener_/2008/04/more-on-the-cha.html

Radish: an annual, short lived veg; sometimes fails to make an actual radish, even if it does and not picked, will bolt and flower. If that happens, pull and compost.

Romanesco: an annual veg; sometimes makes less of a head than you would like. You can eat whatever it does produce; prone to aphids (as all broccoli family members are). If it starts to open up and extend the florets it’s not going to get any larger- time to pick. Pull the whole plant as it doesn’t really make any more heads after that.

Parsley: a biennial herb here; once it flowers it’s time to remove the plant- the leaves get bitter and the plant has moved to reproduction mode.  http://bonnieplants.com/growing/growing-parsley/

Urban Ag Academy and Barn Dance

The Urban Ag Program and partners are proud to present our first Urban Ag Academy, September 12, 2015!  Please see the attached flyer for more details or read on below.  Please spread the word to your networks!

RSVP and more information can be found at urbanagacademy.eventbrite.com.

Urban Ag Academy

Grow it, Preserve it, Love it!

SF County Fair Building, 9^th and Irving, Saturday, September 12, 11:30a-5pm

Join the Urban Agriculture Program and partners for Urban Ag Academy: Grow It, Preserve It, Love It!  This one-day event will feature demonstration classes on gardening and garden-infrastructure, workshops on fermenting and canning food, tips to being a successful grower in San Francisco, access and information to expert resources for all levels of gardener, and many fun opportunities to network and meet like-minded urban agriculture enthusiasts and practitioners.  This free event is a unique opportunity for San Franciscans to gather, learn and celebrate our city-grown harvest.  If you’re just starting out gardening in your backyard or have had chickens for years, this event will have something for everyone!

Classes on Gardening and Garden Infrastructure!  Seed Swap!  Workshops on Canning and Preserving Food!  Interactive Talks on Regenerative Agriculture by Youth, Urban Ag Policy, Community Building, and Selling Your Produce in SF!  Pie Hour!  Ask a Master Gardener Clinic!  Information Tables on Permaculture, Mycological Society, Gleaning Programs, Gardening Projects Citywide, Drought-Resistant Gardening, Conflict Resolution and More!  Novella Carpenter, author of Farm City and Pam Peirce, author of Golden Gate Gardening! 

Stay through the evening time for a Barn Dance, hosted by 18 Reasons (this is a paid event).

Partners:

University of San Francisco’s Urban Agriculture Minor, Garden for the Environment, 18 Reasons, Department of the Environment, Department of Public Works, Public Utilities Commission, Recreation and Park Department, and University of California Cooperative Extension.

Thanks,

Hannah

Urban Agriculture Program Coordinator

San Francisco Recreation & Park Department  | Capital Improvement Division

City & County of San Francisco  | 30 Van Ness Avenue, 3rd Floor

San Francisco, CA 94102

(415) 575.5604  |  hannah.shulman@sfgov.org

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GFE Intro to organic gardening class series- sign up by 8/7

Hello Urban Ag Enthusiasts,

This is a friendly reminder that applications for the 2015 class of our famed Get Up! program are due this Friday. This will be out 19th class (!) and we've already begun planning this year's program. We have great staff on hand, amazing guest instructors, field trips and more.

Get Up provides an excellent introduction to organic gardening, urban composting and urban agriculture. Designed for novice gardeners, we will teach you the basic skills of organic gardening which you can use anywhere, anytime, in any garden.
View attachments on the web 

If you have any questions about the program, do not hesitate to contact us.

Thanks so much,

Maggie & the GFE team

GARDEN FOR THE ENVIRONMENT
http://www.gardenfortheenvironment.org
(415) 558-8426
Join us in the Garden on Wed & Sat.
We are in the Office on Tue, Thur, and Fri.