As we approach the Winter Solstice during this cold and rainy season, all of us at Friends of Alemany Farm are taking a step back to review our many accomplishments from 2012 and to look forward to our aspirations for 2013.
Thanks to your help, there is much to mark this year as a success.
• We grew more than 10,000 pounds (five tons!) of organic fruits and vegetables and, in the process, boosted San Francisco’s food security. Much of that produce went to residents in Alemany Dwellings during our free Wednesday U-Picks and to St. Martin de Porres Soup Kitchen. The rest went of the food went to …
• Our incredible network of volunteers. This year we logged more than 5,000 hours of volunteer time at Alemany Farm. Thanks to your continued energy, we are growing an incredible urban farm oasis in the middle of the city. At each of these volunteer-powered community workdays we …
• Increased people’s farming and gardening knowledge. This year we hosted nearly 50 field trips at the Farm. Visitors included elementary school kids, high school classes, college courses, corporate groups, and faith-based organizations. These one-day field trips, along with our year-long course in ecological horticulture, give people some of the skills and inspiration they need to grow their own garden.
To help us continue our work, please make a tax-deductible donation to Friends of Alemany Farm today through our fiscal sponsor, the SF Parks Alliance.
Looking to 2013, we are especially excited to announce that we will finally repair the derelict greenhouse. In January and February we will be working with Housing Authority staff and residents of Alemany Dwellings to refurbish the greenhouse. This will mark an important step forward in the farm’s week-to-week sustainability, as we will finally be able to grow our own plant starts from seed on-site. The greenhouse should also deepen the opportunities for learning and skills-sharing at the Farm.
Of course, this will take some money — funds for lumber, new plastic, nuts, bolts, screws, nails, tools, watering system, potting soil, and other miscellaneous items.
If everyone on this email list gave just $5 to this endeavor, we would be able to cover the materials costs for the greenhouse today, with funds left over for our other annual operating costs.
So please visit our Online Donations Page and make your end-of-year donation to Friends of Alemany Farm, via our fiscal sponsor, the SF Parks Alliance.
As always, we thank you for all of your work to make San Francisco more food secure. We look forward to getting our hands dirty with you once again in 2013!
The Farm Team
PS: Please note these HOLIDAY CLOSURES. The Farm will NOT be open for regularly scheduled workdays on Monday, December 24 and Saturday, December 29.