Filed under: trips
In the center of this bustling city of San Francisco lies a small organic garden that manages to survive, despite the city’s difficult climate and soil. I felt that this excursion was very informative, not only about the history of the garden itself, but it also showed me ways that we could improve our garden since they are geographically close (and therefore an easier reference for microclimates, soil and rainfall than just our textbook).
I felt really inspired by the cob oven and I’d like to see that reproduced in our outdoor kitchen. Plus the use of raised beds over plants seems like an efficient use of our limited space.
This trip really ties into our garden and by learning how they deal with local situations we can use their experiences (good and bad) to help the USF Garden. I felt very informed concerning the soil: how to reduce pollution with raised beds, how local sandy soil doesn’t hold water or nutrients well and finally about composting using hot boxing or red wiggler worms.
Overall I enjoyed this excursion because it taught me to really observe the garden, as well as giving me a chance to assist the organization by weeding. For more information check out their website at http://www.gardenfortheenvironment.org/.
-Susanne Umbenhower
For this blog, we have decided to post one of the group member’s written field trip reports for each field trip taken. Our first field trip/field trip report assignment was to go to a farmer’s market in San Francisco….
Field Trip Report (Ferry Building Embarcadero Farmer’s Market):
”Today (9/9) I went to the farmer’s market next the Ferry Building in San Francisco’s Embarcadero. I arrived during the last hour of the market and came across Chue’s Farm Fresh Vegetables, a vegetable stand from Fresno, CA (just under 200 miles from San Francisco. As the vegetable stands at this particular farmer’s market were scare, I decided to stop and talk to the farmer at Chue’s. I learned which vegetables are meant to be grown in the fall and winter growing seasons in both San Francisco and Fresno. I learned that eggplants are suitable to be planted in the fall and winter growing seasons in both parts of California; however, a particular species of eggplant (the Chinese eggplant) can only be planted in Fresno area. I also learned that herbs such as mint are very suitable for the fall and winter growing seasons.
In terms of criticisms, I was surprised to learn not only that many of the farmers with stands at the Embarcadero Farmer’s Market were from 200-plus miles away from San Francisco, but also that Chue’s Farm Fresh Vegetables in particular uses synthetic fertilizers (with “natural compounds”). As much as I don’t have a specific knowledge of the effect of chemical fertilizers on plants and the environment, I know enough to know that these fertilizers affect the plant’s chemistry as well as the soil and ecology of surrounding areas. I think these are interesting aspects of the Ferry Building Farmer’s Market because most people assume that all farmers’ market food is very localized and chemical-free. Now I know to ask the farmer explicitly. For my vegetable to be planted in our garden, I chose bok choy on the basis that it was not currently growing in the garden and the fact that the vegetable is highly suitable for the fall and winter growing season. Also, it is a common staple is soups and stir fries-two of my favorite meals!”
-Elyssa Bairstow
For more information regarding farmer’s markets in the San Francisco Bay Area please go to http://www.sfgate.com/food/farmersmarkets/.
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Hello All! Welcome to the Garden Project Living-Learning Community and USF Community Garden Blog! With 20 male and female students from all over in the group, the Garden Project is a little different this year than last.
Formally, the Garden Project is a community that “offers a rare opportunity for students to engage in community design and gardening through the active cultivation of the university’s 1⁄4 acre organic garden nestled in the heart of campus. The Garden Project is an innovative living-learning community for first-year students of any major– no previous gardening experience necessary. Established in response to student interest in how to cope with rapidly changing and interconnected global conditions, the Garden Project creates an opportunity for students to form a tight-knit community to learn about climate change, water rights, food security, and social and economic justice as they relate to food production.The study of community supported agriculture, through historical research, analysis of organic garden strategies, hands on experiments, and field trips will assist students as they take the lead in the designing, cultivating, managing and harvesting USF’s community organic garden.”
Even though school has been in session for less than two months, the group has already accomplished so much. Check out our next few upcoming posts for information regarding the group’s field trips, accomplishments in and out of the garden, and online resources collected thus far. Also, don’t forget we hold USF COMMUNITY GARDEN MEETINGS ON THE LAST TUESDAY OF EACH MONTH AT 12:30 PM (NEXT ON 10/28) LOCATED IN THE USF COMMUNITY GARDEN ACROSS THE PARKING LOT FROM THE SCHOOL OF EDUCATION ON TURK STREET AND A COMMUNITY GARDEN WORK PARTY ON NOVEMBER 8TH FROM 10 AM-2 PM.
For any further questions or information, please don’t hesitate to contact Elyssa Bairstow (enbairstow@dons.usfca.edu) or Susanne Umbenhower (seumbenhower@dons.usfca.edu).
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Check out our new Flickr Badge on the right. Blogroll coming soon 
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Hey all. Aren’t you excited about finals coming up? No? Well then, have some pictures from our community meeting from last semester!
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Last semester, we also went on an overnight trip to Santa Cruz and visited UCSC’s Farm and Free Wheelin’ Farm. It was a great trip! We stayed at a hostel and made dinner and breakfast. Yum yum. Ask us about it sometime!!
Last semester, we visited the Dearborn Community Garden. Pam Peirce, author of Golden Gate Gardening and Wildly Successful Plants: Northern California, gave us background on her and also gave us a tour of the garden. Pam Pierce has her own blog – http://goldengategarden.typepad.com. Please check it out. It’s pretty cool…
We also saw some amazing murals in the Mission. Take a look and if you like what you see, comment! Also check out the Flickr set we have for this trip: Dearborn and the Murals
nalini and her precious, deteriorating cow bones, originally uploaded by USF Garden Project.
Where did the bones go?
Originally uploaded by USF Garden Project
Hey all,
We, the Garden Project, invite you to our Work Party on Saturday, April 12 from 11am – 4pm. Snacks and drinks will be provided, so drop by whenever you can, and bring your own cup (if you have one). Also, wear your grungy clothes and if you have tools, bring them!
Please R.S.V.P. by Wednesday, April 9th so that we know how much food to make. Send your response to usfgardenproject@gmail.com and if you need directions to the garden, please email us.
Hope to see you there!
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Originally uploaded by USF Garden Project
If you haven’t already been to Mission Pie in the Mission District, we suggest you do! The pies there are scrumptious and the ingredients are all grown on Pie Ranch. How cool is that? Visit Mission Pie at http://www.missionpie.com and Pie Ranch at http://www.pieranch.org!
