History

The History of the Alemany Farm is the history of a piece of land and its tenants, and how they changed each other. Different people worked the land at different times, and each has a story. The pluralism of the Farm’s history is indicated even by all the names given to the land: St. Mary’s Youth Farm, the SLUG Farm, and Alemany Farm. Rather than attempt an incomplete history of the Alemany Farm, you will instead find here a collection of narratives and archives starting way back in 1994. We continually seek new additions to our history and archives. Please send yours to: community.gardeners@gmail.com

Most Recent to Most Distant:

From junkyard to community garden, A former San Francisco dumping ground becomes a plentiful four-acre urban farm — Christian Science Monitor, August 21, 2009

Alemany Farm, 4 1/2 productive acres in S.F. — San Francisco Chronicle, July 19, 2009

“Just Food Nation - Transforming how we eat will address poverty, public health, and environmental sustainability” appeared in the October 22, 2008 issue of the San Francisco Bay Guardian

A Farm Grows by the Freeway by Bonnie Azab Powell appeared in the fall 2007 issue of Edible San Francisco - one of our favorites!!!

A Brief Description of Current Goings-On at the Alemany Farm in the July 26, 2006 Best of the Bay issue of the San Francisco Bay Guardian by Chris Carlsson

Alemany Farm’s Volunteer Project Leader Becky Sutton gives a description of the work on the farm in 2005

Argonne Community Garden’s Ed Dierauf offers his narrative history of Alemany Farm from 1994-2005

San Francisco Chronicle article regarding the closing of San Francisco League of Urban Gardeners (SLUG) and thus, the programs at St. Mary’s Urban Youth Farm, July 24, 2003

SLUG re-opens and Welfare to Work program at Alemany Farm discussed in San Francisco Chronicle article, September 27, 2003

SLUG barred from doing business with the city of San Francisco after mayoral election fraud was uncovered by the San Francisco Chronicle, September, 2004, leading to the abandoning of Alemany Farm

A Human Interest piece in the San Francisco Examiner about where 20-somethings hang-out in the Bay Area in 1999, including volunteering at the Alemany Farm

At the California Exotic Pest Plant Council 1997 Symposium Proceedings, Carl M. Grimm discusses in detail the Alemany Farm

Articles about Alemany Farm from SLUG newsletters Update and Trowel archived by Ed Dierauf and Becky Sutton:

* Addressing Food Security Needs using Community Supported Agriculture at the Alemany Farm in 2001
* Youth Outdoor Education at the Alemany Farm in 2001
* Youth internships in 2000 at the Alemany Farm
* Youth Program gxraduation at the Alemany Farm in Fall 2000
* Youth participating in programs at Alemany Farm reflect on their experiences in Winter 1999
* Review of the Youth program at Alemany Farm, including youth-to-youth field trips and poetry by a participant about the internship program
* Review of the Youth program at Alemany Farm in Fall 1998 including harvest statistics
* A parent’s perspective on her son’s experience at the Alemany Farm
* Summer 1997 discussion of the Alemany Farm’s programs and the construction of the windmil
* Discussion of youth, economic development, and the Alemany Farm in 1996
* Landscaping changes at the Alemany Farm in 1996
* Community access and crop harvest in 1996
* Native wildlife habitat restoration at the Alemany Farm in 1996
* Community development and conflict resolution at the Alemany Farm in 1995
* The birth of Alemany Farm in 1995: Teens Turn Vacant Land into Urban Farm
* The first hints of the Alemany Farm in 1994 in the form of a partnership between SLUG, City College, and the San Francisco Housing Authority