
GET TO KNOW URBAN TILTH...
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Moving Soil with Jessie Alberto
Writing and photography by Edgardo Cervano-Soto (All Rights Reserved)
At 24 years old, Jessie Alberto is a veteran Urban Tilth member. Since 2008, he has been involved in urban agriculture- building and supporting projects easing access to gardens and healthy food systems for the Richmond community. While a senior student at Richmond High
School in 2008, Alberto joined a volunteer service club called Youth Mentors and Educators (YME) that introduced him to restoring the Richmond High garden. The garden behind the campus had not been in used in over 10 years. Alberto worked as an assistant to Park Guthrie, the founder and previous Executive Director of Urban Tilth, and Jesse Kurtz-Nichol, a former teacher at Richmond High. Together, the trio laid the foundation to expand Urban Tilth throughout Richmond. Alberto is now the Project Manager at the AdamsCrest Farm located on a sunny slope in East Richmond.
Alberto's curiosity for nature grew throughout his childhood. As a kid, Alberto's family moved between the Bay Area and Central Valley because of housing costs. His parents would commute to San Francisco. "I think moving around allowed me to be more outdoorsy. I made friends but I never had a consistency in relationships. I found my consistency in outdoors because it was always there," says Alberto. But his interest in wildlife and plant biology and insects was not exactly matched by his peers or even teachers; Alberto found that schools focused on math and English too much as traditional sources for careers. People who had interests in decay, insects, and the outdoors were outcasted. "I didn't mind seeing the gross, food composting and breaking down or seeing gnats around fruit and little larvae." It was
through Urban Tilth, Alberto finally had a formal outlet to discovering the science behind agriculture...READ MORE
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Writing and photography by Edgardo Cervano-Soto (All Rights Reserved)
All photographs and profiles in this series were independently researched and written by Edgardo Cervano-Soto a Richmond based youth journalist
The AdamsCrest Farm sits low on a slope in the East Richmond hills. Located at 5000 Patterson Circle and besides the now-closed Adams Middle School, the garden is a sprawling flatland of vegetables, flowers and a surrounding ring of fruit trees planted on the curve. The garden has � acres of growing space and during the peak season of summer, it can produce between 200 to 400 pounds of food. Urban Tilth staff member Jessie Alberto is the site manager. On a sunny day he walks me through the garden. The garden is like an oasis, hiding behind hills. The beds are several in a row measuring 2ft by 60 ft. I find Jessie watering the soil of a new bed. He tells me he is preparing it for the summer. "This site, " says Alberto "was started around 2009. What used to be here was a soccer field that they really only used for PE classes." At the corner of the former field, there were a couple of fields says Alberto. The garden was at a perfect site. The hills allow rainwater to travel down the slope towards the flatland. This makes the flatland rich and beneficial to crops. Under the guidance of Alberto, the garden expanded across the soccer field and soon became � of the area. Yet, only seven months after the garden became established, Adams Middle School closed down due to a fault line running through the school. But the garden flourished and has remained open since 2010.
Every Thursday Alberto has a group of students from Crestmont, a small private school nearby, weed the beds from the garden. He plans on establishing a relationship with Mira Vista High to have students take care of the garden. "Though that hill is an obstacle," he laughs, meaning the steep hill leading to Patterson Circle. I walk around the garden and ask Alberto to name a couple of the crops being grown in the garden: Swiss chard, onions, garlic, green collards, cilantro, some broccoli, and lots of kale. The AdamsCrest Farm garden has a couple of unique features that no other Urban Tilth garden has...READ MORE
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SPRING in the SCHOOL GARDENS
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If You Grow It , They Will Eat It!
Update by Farmer Kelli Barram, Program Manager - Washington Garden
This month at Washington's Edible Education garden was filled with nutrition lessons using garden produce, Resiliency groups, outdoor garden lessons and preparing for Spring with starting new seedlings.
With the weather being unpredictable we have many garden lessons inside. Students were introduced to some new vegetables like Swiss chard and kale. We made massage kale salad, stir fry and also just prepared Swiss chard raw with a little lemon juice and salt.
For some time now, I have been providing garden snacks to students when they come to spend their recess in the garden. They know that when there is a bowl or plate of something at the end of our long table that it is intended for them. On one particular day however, I was running behind schedule and was cutting the blooms and long stems off of some mustard greens so they would continue to grow and not go to seed. In the process, I haphazardly set the cuttings down on the table, near the end (where I typically set out the garden snack). The recess bell rang and the kids came running into the garden as usual. Before I had time to realize I had not cleaned up after myself and removed the cuttings from the table, the students were chomping the blooms, leaves and all of the mustard greens as if they were potato chips. I was stunned! Mustard greens are spicy and bitter, (a bit like wasabi) and needs a bit of cooking for my tastes, but these kids were having at it, raw and all, and asking for more.
There is something about being connected to your food source that inspires openness and tolerance to trying new things. Even mustard greens. I would not have believed it if I had not seen it with my own eyes, but now I know... the way to get kids to eat nutritious food, is to simply show them where it comes from and put it in front of them.
If you have been following the Edible Education Garden and would like to get involved as a volunteer, we welcome the help. If interested, please contact Kelli, at kelli@urbantilth.org -Kelli Cochran-Barram
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Adam Boisvert, Program Manager
Richmond High School Urban Ag Class and Gardens
January saw the dawn of a bright new semester at the Richmond High School Urban Agriculture Institute!
With over 41 students enrolled, we've been serving healthy portions of organically grown knowledge, information, along with delicious garden fresh beets, broccoli, spinach, lettuce, kale, collards, and onions.. All from the RHS gardens!
Our first activity of the new semester was re-forging the classroom code of conduct with new students. Involving students in the creation of a code of expectations regarding our time together improves group dynamics in relation to respect, being present, positive communication, and best-self practices and is extremely helpful in the coordination of our large scale group activities!
After establishing a strong rooted expectation in our intentions and interactions together, we charged forth into learning about some of the most beautiful, giving, and awe inspiring organisms on our planet.. Trees! This lesson teaches students about the history, use, anatomy, and two main groups of trees, Conifers (Evergreen) and Deciduous trees.
Complimenting this lesson plan in the garden, students receive a detailed workshop on a very relevant winter task, Winter Fruit Tree Pruning! Just today students gathered in groups of 4 per fruit tree to apply yesterdays lesson on tree anatomy, and pruning techniques to help guide our beautiful fruit trees skyward!
For more information about this project, or to follow it as it continues to develop click here:
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Planting from Seeds:
- Fava Beans
- Beets
- Carrots
- Collards
- Kale
- Leeks
- Lettuce
- Mesclun Mix
- Mustard Greens
- Onion (sets)
- Parsnip
- Potato (tubers)
- Radish
- Spinach
- Sunchokes
- Swiss Card
- Turnip
Planting Vegetable Starts:
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Source: Golden Gate Gardening by Pam Pierce
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Catahoula Market Stand
Every Sunday at Catahoula Coffee Market Stand*
@ 12472 San Pablo Ave.
9am - 1pm
Grab a hot delicious cup of coffee and a treat from Catahoula your favorite Richmond coffee roasterie and shop then come out and support Urban Tilth by bringing home a jar of local honey, jam, herbal hand salve, an apron, a vegetable plant for your garden or a fresh bouquet of wild flowers grown in our gardens.
* All proceeds from our Farm Stands go to support our school and community garden programs.
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2nd Saturday Greenway Gatherings
@ 6th Street: Gardens, Bioswale & Bike Repairs
@ 16th Street: Edible Forest
Saturday, March 8, 2014
10am - 2pm
Join Urban Tilth, The Watershed Project, The Native American Health Center, Rich City Rides and learn new skills, share your knowledge, meet your neighbors and help us grow a new future in Richmond!
2nd Sunday AdamsCrest Farm Volunteer Day
5000 Patterson Circle Richmond, CASunday, March 9, 2014 10am - 2pm Come out learn and grow healthy food for Richmond with your neighbors, family and friends! Dress in layers, wear closed toe shoes, gloves, tools, snacks and a good time provided.  Regular weekday Greenway Volunteer Days Join us every Friday on the Greenway @ 6th Street 10:00am - 12:00 pm For more information contact: volunteer@urbantilth.org
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Sisters in Solidarity
Honoring Our Roots, Nurturing Our Growth
Saturday March 8th, 2014
10:00am - 3:00pm
Nystrom Elementary School
230 Harbour Way South, Richmond, CA
Mayor McLaughlin and women of the Richmond beloved community invite you to the 7th annual International Women's Day 2014 community celebration. FREE
For more information call 510-620-6527
Po'Boys Kitchen
Experience the raw genius of RAw TALENT's (Richmond Artists with Talent) new production Po'Boys Kitchen.
Friday March 7th & Saturday March 8th
De Anza High School Theatre 5000 Valley View Rd, El Sobrante, 94803Tickets can be purchased in advance at: https://poboyskitchen.eventbrite.com/Advanced tickets: $10 youth, $20 adultsAt the door: $15 youth, $25 adultsVIP tickets: $45 (all ages) *includes premium seating & a signed copy of the "Po'Boys Kitchen" book
Following the incredible success of their first play "Te's Harmony", written and directed by 24-year-old Donte Clark, Richmond-based youth arts organization RAw Talent (Richmond Artists With Talent) will present Clark's new full-length play "Po' Boys Kitchen" on March 7th and 8th!
Support what is PHENOMENAL in Richmond!
*Parental advisory warning: this play contains strong language, recommended for mature audiences
Join the Richmond Food Policy Council every 3rd Monday of the month to work toward increasing access to healthy food in our neighborhoods, schools and community organizations.
Next Meeting: Richmond Food Policy Council Meeting Monday, March 18, 2014 6:30 - 8:00pm Richmond Community Foundation 1014 Florida Ave, 2nd Fl Community Room Richmond, CA
2014 SPRING EQUINOX <3
Take a moment to give thanks for the seasons... plant a tree, flowers or a plant that will give you food. Sit down and enjoy the San Francisco Bay or take a walk with a four legged friend.
Thursday, March 20th, 2014
ALL DAY
Planet Earth
Length of the day equals the length of the night, ushering in the birth of Spring in the northern hemisphere!
TEAM TILTH at the 2014 Oakland Running Festival!
Come out and cheer on Urban Tilth's first ever Running Festival Team...

Sunday, March 23rd, 2014
7:00am - 12:00pm
Urban Tilth is overjoyed to host our 1st ever Oakland Running Festival Team: TEAM TILTH!
We have 33 Runners who have been training for 3months or more while helping to raise funds to support our work. We even have 8 Richmond Runners running the 1/2 marathon!
There are a number of Runners who have not yet made their goals and time is running short!
Please SUPPORT their efforts by making a
to runners who need a little help reaching their fundraising goal, then come out help us ALL cross the finish line by cheering on TEAM TILTH and TEAM RICHMOND <3
Sending our infinite gratitude to ALL of our Runners for your valiant efforts, your commitment to your own health and your support for Urban Tilth!
SAVE THE DATE: Bike to Cesar Chavez the MOVIE!
Help celebrate the heroic life and work of Cesar Chavez
 Friday, March 29, 2014 TIME and MEET UP LOCATION: TBA Invite your friends and family to see and learn about the man and Movement that inspired some of the hardest working people in the United States to stand together for justice. Please check our Facebook event (link below) closer to the release date March 28th for more information. As soon as we know which theaters it will be playing the film we will create a route and meet up location and times.
Discover Nature and Practice Good Health join Youth Enrichment Strategies and a host of supporting organizations including Urban Tilth for Walk 2 Nature.
 Saturday, March 29th, 2014 9:00am - 3:00pm Walkers register at the Richmond Civic Center at 9:00 A.M. or the Richmond Greenway at 6th & Ohio at 9:30 A.M. Travel by foot from starting points to Miller Knox Regional Shoreline & arrive by 11:00 A.M. Bus transportation back to starting points provided from 1:30 - 3:00 P.M.
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Urban Tilth is HIRING!
We are proud to offer the following employment opportunities:
- Project Manager - North Richmond Farm
- Apprentice - North Richmond Farm
- Cooperative Facilitator - Food Cooperative Incubator Project

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THANK YOU and JANUARY PROGRAM STATISTICS
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THANK YOU!
In January 2014 we :
- Started 1714 seedlings
- Taught 57 classes in WCCUSD schools
- Hosted 1191 unique program participants (NOT counting Martin Luther King Day or repeated recess visits to our school gardens)
- Hosted 6 organized community Volunteer Days
- Installed rainwater catchment systems at 1 site
- Completed the design and began building a new garden for Sojourner Truth Presbyterian Church
- As well as completed a host of other projects and tasks while having innumerable informal moments of epiphany and awe
We are looking forward to a brilliant 2014 with many new projects FINALLY taking shape... so STAY TUNED!
We send our deepest gratitude to all for your continued support and hope to pass time with you in a garden sometime soon...
With deep respect and gratitude,
- The Whole Urban Tilth Team
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