ENDLESS ATLASALEMANY FARM &

FARMERS’ MARKET

VOLUME: ONE

These San Francisco landmarks stand at the crux of the Islais Creek Watershed as symbols of our city’s long standing commitment to organic agriculture and horticulture.

ALEMANY

MARKET

FARMFARMERS’&

Islais Creek Watershed Alemany Farm Alemany Farmers’ Market

N

N

THE

FARMALEMANY

The Alemany Urban farm is on a large four-acre open space shared by two City departments in San Francisco. They are the Department of Recreation and Parks (Park/Rec) which owns St. Mary’s Park, and the San Francisco Housing Authority (SFHA), which owns the Ale-many Housing Project. The farm is on adjacent parts of both of these proper-ties and borders Alemany Boulevard.

In 1994 SLUG (San Francisco League of Urban Gardeners) launched a dy-namic program aimed at combining job training and education to make urban agriculture an avenue of economic and

educational opportunity for San Fran-cisco Housing development residents.

In collaboration with City College of San Francisco and the San Franciscan Housing Authority, 26 women and men from ages 18-40, attended horticulture and landscaping courses at CCSF, devel-oped an urban farm, and earned their wages working the land for the Ale-many, Potrero and Sunnydale communities. This program was designed to address immediate and long-term needs for employment and education as well as economic and ecological sustainability.

The early years

In the summer of 1995 SLUG’s Youth Garden Internship, comprised of 50 teens from San Francisco’s public housing communities earned competi-tive wages working to restore the site where Alemany Farm currently resides, to it’s ecological roots.

The site included a crop area, green-house, edible landscaping, a materials resource center and alternative energy sources, all integrated with the restored wetland, creek and drought tolerant areas.

The project was a collaborative effort and seeked to offer an alternative ‘green’ site for nearby communities to enjoy while providing an educational

hub for teaching the benefits of organic horticulture.

On a typical day teen interns dis-played master gardening skills in the vegetable crops and orchard areas; engineers and conservationists provid-ed pond-water retention system con-sultation and surveying services; SLUG crew members built a “compost edu-cation” amphitheater; school groups participated in native habitat restora-tion exercises; and community garden-ers droped-off pruning remains to be chipped into mulch.

With the help of generous funding from the Mayor’s office, USDA’s Natural Re-source and Conservation Service Team,

SF Recreation and Park Department, Neighborhood Beautification Fund, the Educational Foundation of America, and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, the urban farm and learn-ing oasis flourished and grew in the most unsuspecting locale. In 1997 SLUG planned for the installation of a windmill to recirculate pond water and irrigate portions of the site. That wind mill still stands today as a San Francisco land-mark along the popular thoroughway of Alemany Boulevard.

1998 Summer Crop

2 rows of corn

65 cucumbers

65 eggplants

48 Jalapeno Peppers

48 Tomatoes

315 Lettuce plants

2 rows of Collards

65 Zucchini

48 Bell peppers

260 dry beans

260 green beans

1200 potatoes

– SLUG, Youth Program Update, Fall 1998

The Farm operated for six years but came to a sudden close after the sum-mer of 2000. Rumor has it that SLUG missed the deadline for submitting a 2001 grant proposal. SLUG crashed in 2002 because of financial mismanage-ment and entanglement in City politics. The hard work and dedication to the cultivation of the land was marred by the poor choices of those in charge.

The Farm lay idle until the start of 2005, when a group of gardener vol-unteers started showing up on Sundays to weed, prune, and revitalize the Farm. They later became known as the “Gue-rilla Gardeners.” They grew vegetables and fruit, distributing the harvest to the local community, and involving them whenever possible.

– Edward Dierauf, A Brief History of the Alemany/St. Mary’s Urban Farm 1994-2005, October 30, 2005

GUERILLA

GARDENERS

THE

ALE

MA

NY

NEW

FARM

Friends of Alemany Farm is a volunteer group that manages the horticulture, volunteer, and

educational programs at the organic farm ecosystem in southeast San Francisco.

FRIENDSOF

ALEMANY FARM

GOALS•Fostering Environmental Education by intro-

ducing children and adults to the idea that local food production can be part of a healthy ecosystem, and inspiring visitors to start their own gardens at home.

•Boosting Food Resilience by providing or-ganic, healthy food to community members.

•Growing Leaders through the communal eth-ic of the barn-raising that encourages peo-ple to play an active role in decision-making.

•Promoting Ecological-Economic Develop-ment by using urban agriculture as a way to develop green job skills.

Spur

CIIS

Cla

ss

Acc

entu

re

Gre

en P

rogr

ams

Buch

anan

YM

CA

The

Ham

lin S

choo

l

Pres

idio

Hill

Scho

ol

Ener

gy P

rocu

rem

ent

Dom

inica

n Un

iver

sity

Han

dsO

n Ba

y A

rea

Stan

ford

Prid

e A

lumni

Cen

terin

gPre

gnan

cy

Emba

rcad

ero

YMC

A

Terr

ace

Softw

are,

Inc.

Food

Gua

rdia

n Pr

ojec

t

Rich

mon

d D

istric

t YM

CA

UCSF

Sch

ool o

f Med

icin

e

City

Col

lege

Eng

lish

Cla

ss

GROUP VISITS

Univ

ersit

y of

San

Fra

ncisc

o

Hay

es V

alle

y Yo

uth

Cen

ter

Cat

hedr

al S

choo

l for

Boy

s

Lick-

Wilm

erdi

ng H

igh

Scho

ol

Book

er T

Com

mun

ity C

ente

r

Cal

iforn

ia C

olle

ge o

f the

Arts

Bess

ie C

arm

icha

el E

lem

enta

ry

PG&

E N

U N

RG (N

ew E

nerg

y)

Paul

Reve

re E

lem

enta

ry S

choo

l

MEE

P IN

C./M

iralo

ma

Elem

enta

ry

San

Fran

cisc

o C

onse

rvat

ion

Cor

ps

Pros

pect

Sie

rra

Scho

ol in

El C

errit

o

Gro

win

gGre

at M

arin

City

/Sau

salito

Esth

er-M

adriz

Act

ivist

Sch

olar

s C

lub

Inte

rnat

iona

l acc

ount

ing

firm

(KPM

G)

Food

Sys

tem

Wor

king

Gro

up a

t UC

SC

Sout

heas

t Foo

d A

cces

s (S

EFA

) Wor

king

Gro

up

2010

BASIL

H

oly

• Nuf

ar

BEA

NS

Ve

rmon

t Cra

nber

ry D

ry •

Dra

gon’

s To

ngue

BEET

S

Chi

ogga

• To

uchs

tone

Gol

d • C

ylin

dra

BRO

CC

OLI

D

eCic

cho

• Gai

lon

• Gre

en La

nce

• Bel

star

BRUS

SELS

SPR

OUT

S

Igor

CA

BBAG

E

Car

afle

x • F

omos

a • R

ed E

xpre

ss

CA

ULIFL

OW

ER

Vero

nica

• Sk

ywal

ker

CA

RRO

TS

Cos

mic

Pur

ple

• Whi

te S

atin

• C

hant

enay

Red

Cor

e

CEL

ERY

Ta

ngo

CH

ARD

Im

prov

ed R

ainb

ow M

ix • R

ed

CH

OI

Blac

k Su

mm

er

CO

LLA

RDS

Cha

mpi

on

CUC

UMBE

R

Lem

on •

Mar

ket M

ore

• Poo

na K

heer

a

EGG

LAN

T

Orie

nt E

xpre

ss

GRE

EN B

EAN

S

Tave

ra •

Roya

l Bur

gund

y

KALE

Tu

scan

o • R

ed R

ussio

n • W

inte

r Bor

e

LEEK

S

King

Ric

hard

LETT

UCE

Bi

g Bo

ston

• May

Que

en •

Little

Gem

MA

RJO

RAM

ON

ION

W

alla

Wal

la

PARS

NIPS

La

ncer

PEA

S

PEPP

ERS

Pa

dron

e

POLE

BEA

NS

Fo

rtex

POTA

OES

Re

d G

old

RAD

ISHE

S

Purp

le P

lum •

Mun

chen

er N

abie

r

SQUA

SH

Rond

enise

• Be

nnin

g’s

• Mid

nigh

t • B

lack

futz

u

STRA

WBE

RRIES

SPIN

ACH

N

ew Z

eala

nd

THYM

E

TOM

ATO

ES

Sung

old

• Cos

talut

e G

enov

ese

• Ora

nge

Blos

som

CROP PLAN 2011

Islais Creek WatershedCommunity Farms & Gardens

N

FARMSGARDENS&

Original Site Current Site

N

– SFGov

FARMERS’ALEMANY

MARKET

THE

The Alemany Farmers’ Market was founded in San Francisco on August 12, 1943. It was the first farmers’ market in California, and is now one of 520 certified farmers’ markets in the State. The market was initially established at Duboce Avenue and Market Street

as a wartime measure to provide an outlet for surplus and distressed crops from neighboring counties. On August 4, 1947, the market moved to its pres-ent 100 Alemany Boulevard location where it still operates rain or shine, every Saturday of the year.

All Star Tamales

A wide variety of very tasty tamales including traditional

meat ones, gooey cheese ones, and wholesome veg-

etarian and vegan ones for breakfast or lunch

Cater Thyme:

Breads, Cookies, Pastries, Coffee

Coconut and Spice:

Exotic and simple Malaysian Cuisine including vegetarian

and non-vegetarian foods, as well as desserts

Copper Top Ovens

Wood fired Gourmet Pizzas, Made Fresh on site

Cuneo Bakery:

Italian Breads and Cookies

Delicious Crepes:

Savory and Sweet Specialty Crepes, Made Fresh on site

Delicious Kettle Corn:

Made fresh on site

East and West Gourmet Afghan Foods:Specializing in packaged foods- primarily a variety of flat

breads and a wide array of dips and sauces

El Huarache Loco:Genuine Street Food of Mexico City, Made Fresh on site

Estrellita’s Snacks:Mexican and Salvadorian Foods including handmade

Pupusas and Pastelitos, Made Fresh on site

Fava Yerba Buena:Healthy, nutritious Egyptian fava bean recipe in bread

pockets

Good Foods:Variety of Great Barbecue Meals, Flatbread Meals,

Salads, Desserts

Great Harvest Bakery:Breads, Sweets, and Treats

Il Pastaio:

Specialty Pastas

Martin and Hunter Foods:Deli Sandwiches, Barbecue, Snacks, and Drinks

Panorama Breads:Breads, Pastries, and Beverages

Rita’s Catering:Filipino and Mexican Foods, Sandwiches, Desserts, Candy, Drinks

Ritual Coffee Roastery:Connoisseur Coffees Brewed or Packaged to Go

Sabors Del Sur:South American Cuisine, Including Empanadas and Alfa-jores, Lattes, Coffee

Spring Hill Cheese:Great Variety of Artisan Cheeses

Sukhi’s Quick-n-Ezee:Gourmet Indian Foods, Including Curry paste, Chutney, Spices

Taqueria Angelica:Tacos, Burritos, Tortas, Drinks

The Hummus Guy:Variety of Flavored Hummus, Pita Breads, and Pita Chips

FARMERS’

FOOD CONCESSIONS

MARKETTH

EATALEMANY

N

ALEMANYFARMERS’ MARKET

PRO

DUC

EVE

ND

ERS

Capay Baariani

De SantisPhan Farm Miramonte

Regier FarmsFerrari FarmsJ&J Orchards

Twin Hill RanchViva OrchardsFar West Fungi

Rodriguez FarmsNash’s Olive OilBlue House Farm

Zuckerman’s FarmTwin Girl Farm Bella

Hooverville Orchards