Community Farm Day at the Gill Tract

COMMUNITY FARM DAY AT THE GILL TRACT
SATURDAY, APRIL 26TH, 11 AM – 3 PM
GILL TRACT, ALBANY, CORNER OF SAN PABLO AND MARIN
entrance on Jackson Ave.


A unique partnership between community members, UC Berkeley students, academics and staff has been working toward creation of a 1.5 acre urban farm, education and research center on the Gill Tract in Albany. Come join us for a Spring Planting Celebration on Saturday, April 26, from 11-3 pm, at the corner of Marin and San Pablo in Albany as we celebrate this new joint venture by planting, learning, playing, and eating together!

Community members from Albany, Berkeley and other nearby cities will be gathering with university students at the newly prepared site to start the first step in the production of fresh produce for those in the wider community who are least able to afford good food. In addition to putting seedlings into the ground, information and hands-on activities for all ages will be available. Lunch will be provided by the Berkeley Student Food Collective. Feel free to bring additional salads, snacks, or desserts to share our bounty together as a community!

This section of the Gill Tract has been the site of past academic research on Integrated Pest Management. Later it was assigned to the University's Capital Projects and slated for development. Following ‘Occupy the Farm’ events on Earth Day 2012 attention has been drawn to the need for land where local food can be grown. Since then the University of California has restored oversight of a section of this agricultural land to the College of Natural Resources for 10 years and began collaborating in a community-university partnership to cultivate a 1.5 acre section known as "Area A,". The Gill Tract Farm Coalition, an alliance of community members is part of this collaboration. This collaboration is open to community members.

Heavy rain will postpone event to May 3rd.

To learn more about the Gill Tract Farm Coalition and this event, please contact Hank Herrera at
585-317-5823, hank [at] c-prep.org

TO VOLUNTEER FOR PREPARATION AND/OR AT THE EVENT ON APRIL 26TH go to http://vols.pt/AtHGfp or just show up.

UC contact: Christy Getz, 510-207-9424, cgetz [at] berkeley.edu

Gill Tract Farm Coalition Student Organic Gardening Association
UC College of Natural Resources UC Cooperative Extension Berkeley Student Food Collective