Frequently Asked Questions (F.A.Q.)

 

How do I get some of the garden produce?

The easiest way is to volunteer to help tend the garden.  With a few exceptions, gardeners get first pick of any harvest.  Otherwise, you can keep an eye out for email messages saying that freshly harvested items are available. Usually they are placed in the lobby conference room of the main building, the water coolers in the main building, or the conference room in the WAB.

 

Can I just pick them myself?

NO . Please do not harvest from the garden yourself.  The garden harvest goes to either a local food bank or the workers here on location. Many people have put a lot of work into raising these crops, please do not steal the fruits of their labors.

 

How did it start?

Please see the webpages "Garden Info" and our "Photo Story of our Garden"

 

Is it really organic?

The garden is not certified organic but the starts are organic and no chemical pesticides or herbicides are used in the garden.  Weed suppression is done via hand weeding and mulching, pests are fended off with netting and careful planting.

 

Who maintains the garden and decides what to plant?

A group of enthusiastic volunteers from this location tend the garden and meet a few times a year to determine what to do with the garden next.

 

What are we growing?

After the succcess of our first year, the interest is in high-yield seasonal produce.  Because everything is rototilled under at the end of each growing season, the focus is on annuals.  We have grown: zucchini, lettuce, green beans, cabbage, beets, corn, basil, artichokes, kale, brussels sprouts, sunflowers, carrots, fennel, delicata squash, butternut squash, pasilla peppers, jalapenos, and garlic.  We have also planted cover crops of barley, fava beans and vetch.

 

How do I volunteer?

Please visit the Volunteering section.  Note that currently volunteers are limited to people who work at this location.

 

I can't help out in the garden or I don't work at this location but I want to be involved, what can I do to help?

There are other ways to help out, especially when it comes to submitting recipes, suggesting contacts, helping maintain the webpage, taking photographs, etc.

 

Where does the garden produce go?

The bulk of the harvest, especially when it is a lot of produce, is donated to local food banks and soup kitchens such as CityTeam Ministries in Oakland, CA and the Alameda County Food Bank.

 

I am not familiar with some of the garden produce or techniques, how do I learn more about it?

Please visit the Garden Tips section

 

How do I cook it?

Please visit the Recipes section

 

 

 

Have more questions? Please email the webmaster