City Slicker Farms is doing amazing stuff at its Peralta/Helen location. It's not just a…read morefunctioning urban farm with a farm stand, chicken coop, greenhouse hand garden plots for the neighbors, but it also offers a playground. CSF is truly a community asset!

What an amazing place! If you love/like to garden or not, you will find City Slicker Farms a very…read moreinviting place. Opportunities are endless. I attended a composting class recently that was just filled with very pertinent information. The ability of each of us to help decrease climate change by little things we do in our gardens. They also have volunteer hours if you happen to want to roll up your sleeves and dig in the dirt. Don't miss out on this jewel! Lori and Trevor have a wealth of knowledge to share.

This is a small gated community garden surrounded by fencing on Lapu Lapu alley in SF. I passed by…read moreto check it out while in the area last Friday. There was more dirt than flowers and vegetables to be seen, but beautiful nonetheless with an interesting history to go along with the creation of the garden, a result of the dedication and determination of neighborhood residents who also maintain the planter beds. Inside the serene space, there's a shipping container showcasing a vibrant and colorful mural (City Life Oasis) by Michael Rios, as well as a massive manila village mural on the building across the street. Also within the garden, a bit of seating can be found available for community members and visitors to enjoy the carefree atmosphere and growing plants all around.

I live in one of their buildings on Mission St.and make use of this community garden. The folks…read morethat you meet there are really friendly. I have three boxes that I am currently using what they called victory garden project, following along those same guidelines. Right now I have corn, tomatoes, strawberries growing. But when you go you will find a variety of different types of vegetables growing all maintained by the residents. A shout out to TODCO maintenance man Van. He does a bang up job on taking care of the small things that need be worked on over there.

This is one of the reasons I love SF I've lived here 20 years and just discovered this place. It's…read morehuge! And SF park and recs hosting a camp for my daughter is how I discovered this hidden gem You are allowed to pick a small amount of items .. we picked fresh squash blossoms which we had for dinner. Plums and apples... tomatillos... herbs... peppers... wow!!!!

I volunteered for the first time on a Saturday and all the coordinators were extremely helpful,…read morekind, and informative. I learned a lot about planting and gardening, and even though it was definitely tiring work, it was so worth. At the end, you get to take home some delicious, organic produce!

I went here a couple of times in the past month for the first time and had a blast volunteering!…read moreThe people are really nice and they do an awesome job for the beautiful Presidio... Ely is bright and sunshine-y like the sun! And she loves what she does and it shows! She loves teaching, especially kids, about plants... This is a great place for people who don't have a garden of their own; you can get closer to nature and feel great knowing you're helping to take care of and grow native plants... 5-stars plus!

Unbelievable operation. It's amazing that volunteers and interns do all of this. I once knew an…read moreintern there. It was a different time, long since passed. Lots of tummy clenched emotion during those times. But like the cycle of native plants, when something is out of place... it won't flourish or grow as it should. It can't adapt or find it's rhythm with the surrounding topography. Understanding native plants might actually help with your broader understanding of life. It did for me. =)

Artillery shells, four local soils, reclaimed wood, and recycled carpet all went into the…read moreconstruction of Berkeley's latest LEED certified architectural wonder. Having opened just last week as one of the Bay Area's premier green office and event spaces, the Brower Center aims to inspire social action by providing an incubation ground for the collaboration of progressive organizations and citizens. Currently it houses half a dozen non-profits from those supporting local agriculture (CAFF) to community builders and environmentalists. The 180-seat theater, galleries and restaurant provide the pollen for the curious, active swarms to engage and mobilize. The execution is gorgeous: the building uses no artificial light during the day and collects vast amounts of energy from the rooftop solar panels. Rain is also channeled to water the patio gardens and toilets. It feels expansive and open but is a bit lacking in warmth. However, the Salgado photography exhibit on the ground floor is not to be missed; heart wrenching and thought provoking, they hit the (reclaimed) nail on the head with this one. I'm hoping to see some interesting community programs for youths. The key here is in utilization. We'll see what comes...

You Call That Art?…read more On a rainy Tuesday evening, I came out to the David Brower Center for a fun workshop with Visual Thinking Strategies on finding new and interesting ways to engage with art. We used the DBC's new gallery exhibition, "Land, Use", as our examples. I particularly enjoyed the discussions around the "Trojan Horse" and "Victory Garden" pictures. It was a fulfilling group exercise and made me realize how much information I miss during a museum visit, as I mostly breeze through. The DBC Exhibit Space is handsome and inviting and staff was more than accommodating. I also had a Kismet moment while looking at Fernando García Dory 's "Shepard's School" display about his work in Northern Spain. Gayle and I had marveled over those same Picos de Europa mountains and may have observed a few of those very nomads during our walk that one October day above Fuente De.

I walk a sweet senior Norwich Terrier who lives in the area throughout the week and we only just…read morediscovered this STUNNING garden a couple months ago! I wouldn't normally think I could bring my albeit, only 13lb and mellow as heck, dog inside to visit once we first came upon it on a dusky afternoon at Christopher Playground, but the sign in front said DOGS ARE ALLOWED ON LEASH so we were overjoyed! The flowers and vegetables are lush and healthy, living in harmony with Glen Canyon Park as a gorgeous back drop to this little piece of heaven. Had to FaceTime my mom who's a member of a community garden back east, as I knew she would appreciate it. Denali was very relaxed strolling through it with me, too. Hope to visit it again, with or without her!

On April 29th, my family and I were verbally assaulted by a woman working in this garden. This…read morewoman was not an employee of S.F. Rec and Parks but a neighborhood volunteer or an individual with a plot in the garden. While exiting Glen Canyon Park by the garden, this individual began to yell at us to "wear masks on the street." When we calmly informed her that you were not required to wear masks while exercising, she continued to berate and harass us. She told us to "get off of her street and to get out of her neighborhood." We are residents of the neighborhood. Our young son was present and she brought him into her tirade, saying we should be "better examples" to him. He was traumatized and crying throughout the incident. I am a person of color and her assumption that we did not belong in the neighborhood smacks of the worst kind of prejudice. I'm sure the garden is a lovely place but we were made to feel extremely unwelcome and threatened by just being in the vicinity of it. I would hope that this was a singular incident and not reflective of the surrounding area or of the other people who manage plots there.

Came here for the spring exhibitions opening reception and had a great time. Was a bit surprised…read morethat masking was still required indoors but they provided masks at the front. The exhibits were nicely organized and flowed well. The Richmond Art Center seems well-maintained overall and they did an excellent job with the opening reception, including the yummy food and drinks in the courtyard. I just wish they had more seating during events. While making my way around, I saw artwork from local students as well and the classrooms in the back which was cool. If you're an East Bay local, I highly recommend stopping by the Richmond Art Center at some point or checking out their class offerings.

I registered for a 10 am workshop, but arrived shortly after the art center opened so I had time to…read moreleisurely view the works on display in the main gallery and in other smaller galleries. I am always impressed by the caliber of the work on display, regardless of whether it's the work of professionals or young children who have taken classes at the center or work from area schools in coordination with their art teachers. Workshop participants created a paper plate "succulent" to take home. Although the workshop required pre-registration, it was free. Many parents worked along side their young children,?while teenagers clustered together. The presenter's own sculptures reminded me of Dr Seuss drawings come to life. It was evident that a fun time was had by all.

This heavenly place is one of more than 35 community gardens and growing throughout San Francisco,…read moreprovided by Urban Agriculture Program (Urban Ag). It is a community garden and plots are available to the public for growing plants and vegetations. Membership in the Bernal Heights Community Garden is open to any San Francisco resident. Garden plots are assigned on a first-come, first-served basis. You can apply for a plot by contacting the Garden Coordinator at bernalheightsgarden@gmail.com, and provide your name, address, email, and phone number. There is a wait however, there are plenty more all over San Francisco, so do go to their website and find a location near you at: http://sfrecpark.org/park-improvements/urban-agriculture-program-citywide/community-gardens-program/ If you find the gates unlock at the garden, please welcome yourself in and enjoy the beauty and the view. There is a lovely bench located to your right as soon as you enter. Urban Ag is a fantastic organization, and I have been to several of their other locations in the city. The Tenderloin Community Garden is one of my favorite where they provide access to fresh vegetables and affordable food for the many poor and low-income residents. San Francisco, you are an awesome city. ~ Enjoy! Cheers! :p