Today's workday brought another batch of lively volunteers new and old to a space that continues to build community and ownership. With Joyce graciously greeting workers and Tree educating and directing duties, smiles were abound despite the cool weather. Tasks today included planting in the row beds, de-slugging the labyrinth, turning and managing the compost, watering the hot house, weeding, and harvesting the crops ready to go! The day's harvest yielded a whopping 46 lbs 3 oz that included red chili peppers, collard greens, lettuce, purple kale, bok choy, broccoli, and cabbage. YUM! At the farm stand, we gave away about half of that yield to a total of 10 customers. I'm always amazed at the instant camaraderie and solidarity that is created within the team of volunteers. Everyone recognizes the beauty within the farm and the whole team functions with graceful efficiency. Another lovely day indeed.
Another lovely day at The Free Farm! 
The Free Farm Container Garden keeps on expanding week by week 
White Garlic looking great! 
Vibrant Rainbow Chard 
The day's harvest: Red Chili Peppers, Collard Greens, Lettuce, Purple Kale, Bok Choy, Broccoli, and CabbagePublic Service Announcements:
Wed., Feb. 15, 2012, 5:30-7:30 pm Green Connections Kick-Off Event
LGBT Community Center, Rainbow Room, 1800 Market St., SF
Green Connections will increase access to parks, open space and the waterfront, by re-envisioning City streets and paths as ‘green connectors’. Green Connections is a two year project, funded by planning grant from the State of California Strategic Growth Council. In the first year, the focus will be to map a Citywide network of green streets that can be built over time, improving pedestrian and bicycle access to parks, open space and the waterfront. The second year will build on this framework to design green connections for specific neighborhoods, including Bayview-Hunters Point, Chinatown, Potrero Hill, Tenderloin, Visitacion Valley, and Western Addition. http://www.sf-planning.org/index.aspx?page=3002
Thurs., Feb. 16, 2012, 11 am-12 noon Webinar: Equitable Strategies for Growing Urban Agriculture
A vibrant movement is afoot in cities across the country farmers, activists, and community organizations are improving the health, economic outlook, and vitality of their communities through urban farming. Advocates are illustrating that urban agriculture is a pathway to making healthy food more available for low-income communities, a key to shifting economic revitalization efforts, and catalytic for battling the challenges of blight and abandonment.
Building from the recently released PolicyLink Urban Agriculture Tool, PolicyLink will be hosting a mini-series of webinars focusing on how low-income communities and communities of color are incorporating urban agriculture into their community development efforts and into policy infrastructures supporting this work.
This first webinar will feature Green City Grower's CEO Mary Donnell, Ian Marvy, the Co-Founder and Executive Director of Added Value, and Malik Yakini, Chairman of the Detroit Black Community Food Security Network. Each panelist will discuss challenges and strategies for growing and sustaining urban agriculture projects in low-income communities and communities of color. Register online https://cc.readytalk.com/cc/s/showReg?udc=7hz49fhw3vc3&msource=urbagwebinar
Feb. 18 - 26, 2012, 10am Tours Daily, Tulipmania at PIER 39
Experience botanical bliss as PIER 39 transforms into a Bayside floral wonderland during Tulipmania. Thousands of tulips and other whimsical floral displays adorn PIER 39's two levels throughout this colorful event. Garden enthusiasts are invited to take a free Tulipmania tour, guided by one of PIER 39's own landscaping experts, daily at 10am beginning in PIER 39's Entrance Plaza. http://www.pier39.com/
California Center for Public Health Advocacy has launched their Kick the Can: Giving the Boot to Sugary Drinks advocacy website at http://www.kickthecan.info/
Related articles: UCSF scientists declare war on sugar in food (http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2012/02/02/MN891N1PQS.DTL) and Abolish the Food Industry (http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2012/02/abolish-the-food-industry/252502/)
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