MyFarm SF

A new SF for-profit company, MyFarm, will install and maintain a backyard garden for you! See the SF Chronicle article, "S.F. Firm harvests potential of unused land".

Making People Friendly Streets in SF

Famed pedestrian-centered, Copenhagen based Urban Planner Jan Gehl was recently hired by the city of San Francisco to "to look at four San Francisco spots - Jefferson Street at Fisherman's Wharf, Castro Street, Mission Street, and the Ninth and Irving area in the Sunset District - in hopes of making them more pedestrian friendly." Amazing! The city would be wise to listen his every word! "Making S.F. into a people-oriented City"

SF Gardening Op-Ed by Raj Patel

Local author Raj Patel (author of Stuffed and Starved), wrote an op-ed for the SF Chronicle which appeared today, about the Victory Garden program which GFE is running. "The Food Crisis is Over (if you want it)" by Raj Patel

Greywater and Composting Toilet Class

Grewater and Composting Toilet Class.

Wednesdays From June 18th until July 16th from 6:30 to 7:45 pm. (There
will be one field trip and one double class during these dates).

Location: West Berkeley, California. 90 Bolivar Drive at Aquatic Park, a
couple of blocks south of University Ave.

Cost: Registration through the Greywater Guerrillas (not taken for units):
$175. If you want to take this course for 3 units (6 AIA/CES/HSW units)
through SFIA (www.sfia.net) cost is $350.

This course will cover three strategies for water reduction: rainwater,
greywater, and composting toilets. We will cover a variety of residential
greywater system options, and visit a site with several different
greywater systems. We will investigate natural ways to clean water with
wetland plants, and learn how to incorporate them into on-site waste water
treatment systems. We'll also look at composting toilets as a solution to
energy and water intensive municipal sewers. Participants will gain
knowledge about the benefits and limitations of greywater reuse, practice
in how to choose an appropriate system for a specific site, and design a
system for their own living space to present to the group. Contact: laura@greywaterguerrillas.com

More Vegetables than Ever before

The NY Times reports more people are growing vegetables than ever before. A resurgence in vegetables gardening not seen since the 70's. "Banking on Gardening" in the NY Times.

Guerrilla Gardening in the NY Times Magazine

The June 8, 2008 issue of the NY Times magazine ran an excellent article, called "Guerrilla Gardening" on the eccentric and amazing British Guerrilla Gardener, and author, Richard Reynolds. His new book, chronicling Guerrilla Gardening movements past and present, "On Guerrilla Gardening."

Bicycle Powered Compost Mixer

Mix, a potluck gathering and bicycle-powered compost mixer

Saturday, June 14, 2:00 - 4:00 pm
SOEX, 417 14th Street, SF

Join Wowhaus and Southern Exposure for a community compost mixer. Bring a dish featuring local and seasonal produce, and something that generates some vegetable scraps to contribute to the mixer and pick up tips for making your own compost mixer and compost.

Continuing on after the event, gallery visitors are encouraged to bring in vegetable scraps and power the spinner by riding the compost mix bicycle. A clear door on the compost bin aids in viewing the decomposition process which, when complete, will be used to enrich the soil of Southern Exposure's and community members' gardens. The Wowhaus mixer helps overcome many obstacles to urban composting offering a compact, efficient and fun means of reducing waste and enriching garden soil.

Where Apples Came From

A new article in Orion magazine by Gary Nabham takes us to the mountains of Kazakhstan in search of the beginnings of the apple. "The Fatherland of Apples". (photo, Orion magazine)

Reconsidering Local Food

Thanks to Trilby, GFE volunteer and natural builder, for a write up of the Victory Gardens program in the Urban Alliance for Sustainability Newsletter, called Reconsidering Local Food.

Amy Franceschini to talk about her new Victory Garden at the Headlands

Amy Franceschini will speak on June 26th about the new Victory Garden which she and Michael Swaine have built at the Headlands Center for the Arts. www.headlands.org for more info

Who owns organic

Phil Howard, previously with CASFS, researches who owns organic food. See Phil Howards work at http://www.msu.edu/%7Ehowardp/organicindustry.html

Nature Deficit Disorder on KQED

Watch the KQED special on Nature Deficit Disorder.