Harvest Festival and Open Garden Day

Harvest Festival and Open Garden Day at the Albany Gill Tract (1050 San Pablo Avenue, near Marin Avenue) Saturday, October 25, 2003 FREE!!!! 10am-12:30pm- Free lectures by local agroecologists and sustainable agriculture advocates. 12:30pm-4pm- Music, Free Organic Food, Kids Activities, Harvesting, More demonstrations and Fun for all ages! *For a more detailed schedule of events for the day, visit http://www.gilltract.com Fresh food enthusiasts and gardeners, join in a celebration of one of the Bay Area's last remaining urban farmland. Professors Miguel Altieri and Clara Nichols will lead a walk through the farm to discuss agroecological approaches to weed and pest management. Professor Ignacio Chapela will speak about the benefits of urban agriculture as an alternative to agribusiness and biotechnology. Dr. Peter Rosset will discuss the importance of preserving community agricultural land, such as the Gill Tract, in order to ensure urban sustainability for the future. Spend the day listening to these speakers and many more. The festival will also feature music from local musicians, face painting, fresh food, and demonstrations on urban gardening, including composting, seed-ball making, and organic growing and harvesting methods. Please come enjoy and share in the harvest. UC Capital Projects is currently planning to develop the Gill Tract with graduate student housing, retail shops, baseball fields, and a community center. Unless an alternative plan that incorporates a working urban farm and garden with UC and community needs is strongly advocated by students and community, the seven acres of undeveloped agricultural open space on the northern portion of this property wil be lost to the development. If this is the case, this season's harvest might be the last at the Albany Gill Tract. Come join in celebrating this land and the bountiful harvest. This community gathering is sponsored by Urban Roots, a group of UCB students and local community members united to incorporate the values of education, community health, urban sustainability, and food security into the future plans for the Gill Tract. VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!!! Interested in helping? CONTACT: Courtney Hall (510) 597-9819 or mailto:courtchall@hotmail.com