Road Trip: City Slicker Farms

At LEAF, we love to get out and about, take in new sights, and see how others have implemented their ideas for changing the world. In 2021, LEAF was invited to join our friends at StopWaste for a tour of City Slicker Farms in Oakland. This was an opportunity for us to see how other Urban Farms in the Bay Area are managed and to share notes and horror stories about working on a farm.

Upon our arrival, we felt right at home discussing how to get rid of bindweed, Bermuda grass and gophers. After all, we have years of experience with those pesky weeds and plant eating varmints. City Slickers is a food justice organization. Their West Oakland Farm Park is located in the light industrial area part of Oakland. It is a working educational farm with a small greenhouse, lots of chickens, a beehive, and a community garden with one of the biggest bunnies I'd ever seen—even bigger than our farm cat!

Just as we do at LEAF, City Slickers grows thousands of pounds of food to share with their community. Their cute Town Fridge is stocked with veggies from their farm and food from restaurants and stores that they provide free of charge to those in need.

City Slickers’ Backyard Gardens program has built over 500 planter boxes in their members' yards so they can grow their own food. Below is an example of one of the raised garden beds that their members can enjoy thanks to a caring team of individuals who share with them the importance of growing your own food.

This is just a snapshot of our visit to City Slicker Farms. We hope you’ll take time to drop by and see for yourself all the wonderful things they are doing. Stay tuned for more of our road trip updates that we’re eager to share with you. In addition to our blog, we'll be cataloging our travel adventures at fremontleaf.org/roadtrips.