Don't let the sun go down on me

Getup grad Sophie sent this report of Saturday’s workday to accompany the photos below:

This week at the Free Farm there was a huge harvest. There was the last of the chard, tree collards, collards, strawberries and a new addition, potatoes.

Along with the harvesting there were a lot of other activities going on. There was a huge pile of manure dropped off by Dave that will work wonders for the soil at the Free Farm. Also, Les stopped by to talk about a potential flower project at the Free Farm.

We also held the Farm Stand on Saturday. In addition to handing out the days harvest to customers, we also handed out tomato plants. I look forward to hearing the neighborhood residents stories about growing their own plants. Hopefully they are inspired to begin growing their own food, in concert with our activities at the Free Farm.

See everyone next week! - Sophie

Ready to harvest potato tower
Julia & Sara check-in with workday leader Pancho
Adding compost to potato beds
Sara harvests tree collards
Rainbow chard
Varsha waters quinoa beds
Sifting soil
Rev. Valerie McEntee of http://sfnightministry.org/ offers in-person counseling & referral to anyone in crisis, 10 pm to 4 am, every night of the year.
Tree holds kale
Kris & Byron at labyrinth, Julia & Sara harvest chard
Stanley harvests strawberries
Colorful plants
Squash planted 2 months ago
Admiring lamb's quarters
Pia brought home-made chocolate chip cookies
Joyce & Pia share a laugh

Tree holds up curvy cucumber

Tree thanks Dave for trucking in horse manure

Builder Byron & Painter Page. Dig Page's Jackson Pollock-inspired drip paint on khaki pants!

Shoveling horse manure from Dave's pick-up truck

Unloading manure to heap below

Dumping every bit of manure

Sophie sorts harvest

Page compliments Pancho's shirt which he receives in gratitude

Pancho put on new shirt before lunch

Lunch spread by Getup grads

Gratitude circle inside greenhouse

Rice bowl

Sophie & Stanley chat with stand visitors
Hibiscus is state flower of Hawai'i

Brody asks: "Excuse me, can I eat stem?" Answer: De-stem for compost & then eat whole strawberry including greens for nature-balanced bitter + sweet flavors
Marty & Brody walk labyrinth
Strawberry fields forever
Sara holds up leaf against sky
Tree holds up flowers wrapped in collards

Public Service Announcements:

Wed., June 1, 2011 at 1:30-3:30 pm SF Food Security Task Force MeetingCity Hall - 1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place, Rm. 278, San Francisco, CA 94102
http://www.sfdph.org/dph/files/mtgsGrps/FoodSecTaskFrc/agendas/FoodSecTaskFrcA06012011.pdf
SF Sustainable Food Directive Report at http://www.sfgov3.org/Modules/ShowDocument.aspx?documentid=503

Through Thurs., June 30, 2011 Give Feedback: SF Graywater Design ManualThe SFPUC has developed a technical resource for homeowners and professionals who want to install graywater systems for outdoor irrigation in San Francisco. The manual provides a detailed step-by-step process for designing and installing laundry-to-landscape systems, as well as the basic steps for designing and installing branched drain and pumped systems. The manual provides an overview of the benefits of graywater systems, when and where to install different systems, permitting requirements, what products to use, and operation and maintenance requirements. The SFPUC would like to make the San Francisco Graywater Design Manual as useful as possible. If you would like to provide us with suggestions on how we might improve it, we will consider comments in making future refinements to the manual. Please use the form comment sheet at http://sfwater.org/detail.cfm/MC_ID/13/MSC_ID/168/MTO_ID/758/C_ID/5421
and email your feedback to landscape@sfwater.org by June 30, 2011.