They mentioned a few other areas where my help might be more needed. The HVF will not end all together when the city reclaims the plot of land, but will instead be transitioning to a new space in the Western Addition, called the Buchanan Mall.

Buchanan Mall
The members expressed that with the transition will come a need to outreach to the community in that area. On top of this, all the resources currently housed at the HVF will not fit in the smaller area of the Buchanan Mall. Because of this they will need to communicate with other community gardens and farms in the area to see who can use the excess equipment they will be left with. An additional issue is keeping the energy level high at HVF to complete existing projects and begin new projects, which is somewhat waning with the impending closure.
Keys to Transition:
Keys to Transition:
- Generating excitement and ownership among the existing community around Buchanan Mall
- Informing people about what will become available to them (ability to grow their own food and learn more about sustainable urban farming and permaculture)
- HVF to be a generator of energy for the transition in intangible and tangible ways (tangible forms including soil, seeds, physical resources)
- Existing community will not be receptive
- Existing community will not care
- Existing community will be upset due to loss of parking spaces, etc.
- The community farm will be embraced by existing community
- Anyone can grow food
- It's possible to grow food anywhere
- It can be done in the Western Addition as it can be anywhere else
- Space is not enclosed by fencing, as HVF is, which can lead to theft / vandalism
- Existing community is for the most part not involved as yet in permaculture projects and knowledge or interest of which does not currently exist in the culture of the Western Addition
- Further web site development (the current site is very well-done, but they have some ideas for expanding it)
- Finding ways to convey the HVF organizational/ governance structure to the community and outside world.
Jessie Raeder: jessieraeder@gmail.com
Curtis Schofield: curtis@ram9.cc
Natasha Zuhur: nzuhur@gmail.com
The HVF has a Root Council which consists of a board of directors. They also have an Energy Consortium which is more concerned with managing resources and on-site management of the farm. There also exists a loose transition team that I may be able to join efforts with.
root-council@hayesvalleyfarm.com
energy-consortium@hayesvalleyfarm.com
I was also given contact information for Margaretha Haughwout (title needed) and have been in contact with her.
Next steps:
- Meet with Margaretha
- Talk to more people in the HVF organization
- Settle on one problem to address
- Research other community gardens, especially in areas where permaculture is not a part of the existing culture (West Oakland / OBUGs, Bayview Hunter's Point)
- Brainstorm design solutions
"Hope is not something you hear. Hope is not something you feel. Hope is something you Do."
- Curtis Schofield
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