Coming up on Saturday, September 12th is the Urban Ag Academy, hosted by Rec & Parks at the County Fair Building in Golden Gate Park. For those interested in trying out the wild world of urban agriculture and community gardening, this all-day event could be a great chance to get your feet wet.
The Academy will feature a series of classes and activities for burgeoning urban farmers and gardeners. According to Rec & Parks Urban Agriculture Program Coordinator Hannah Schulman, the idea is to "bring together urban agriculture enthusiasts and growers from all over the city." Featured speakers for the day include Pam Pierce, author of Golden Gate Gardening, and Novella Carpenter, author of Farm City.
Classes, which will run from 11:30am-5pm, will cover subjects like seed saving and swapping, how to organize a community garden, building raised beds, seasonal preserving (pickling, syrups, preserves, and more), drip irrigation installation, how to sell city-grown produce, and winter gardening.
The day's events will conclude with a free Pie Happy Hour, featuring treats from participants in the event, as well as local bakeries. In the evening, 18 Reasons will host a barn dance and dinner in the County Fair Building ($40, free for kids).
Registration for the Urban Ag Academy is free, but classes are almost at capacity, so if you're interested, sign up now. Schulman said the event is expected to fill up very soon.
