City Slickers Farm

Rebecca Friedberg, a member of the OWA+DP Steering Committee, organized a potluck picnic and tour of the recently-opened City Slickers Farm in West Oakland, where she told us about the City Slickers organization, her firm’s design work, and the community-driven process of this project.

It was a warm, sunny day in Oakland, perfect for an outdoor event. We gathered under the generous shade of the farm’s central structure to chat and eat. Rebecca then gave us some background and led us on a tour of the lot.

City Slickers is an organization that has been operating in Oakland since 2001, with a combination of farm lots and assistance to households in setting up backyard gardens. A major challenge had been the temporary nature of the land they were able to use. At their new farm, they have finally gained ownership of land, so they can be assured of many years of working the same soil.

There were a few features that were interesting from a design perspective. First of all, they thought long and hard about how much to prioritize security. In the end, the fences built between the public park portion and the farm area are about four feet high, presenting more of a psychological boundary than an absolute physical barrier, and contributing to the welcoming feeling of the place. Similarly, in the central building, the kitchen area is surprisingly open. The sink and counter are open to all, with only an area on one side closed with a roll-down door. So far, this seems to be working out. Shade was also an important factor on the site: both shade desired over outdoor work areas, and shade to be minimized over growing areas. This determined the height and shape of roofs. I was also charmed by the chicken coop. Its run (the outdoor but enclosed area where the chickens can roam) is divided into three areas, each of which can be accessed directly from the coop. This should allow plant cover to regrow in one section as chickens forage in another. It will be interesting to see how that works out; there were no chickens in residence when we visited.

The project was made possible with many kinds of support: Lowney Architecture, Rebecca’s employer, provided design work on a pro bono basis. Matthew Wolpe, a teacher at Laney College, provided shade structures for the site through design-build projects with his students. Students at CCA provided murals and a chicken coop. Metal gates were created by apprentices at the Crucible, another West Oakland institution. Funds for construction came through Proposition 84 grants in 2010. The playground was funded through a program organized by Kaboom, which connects corporate sponsors (in this case, PG&E) with local projects.

The local community was also involved in the design process. Multiple meetings with community members eventually gave rise to a community committee that met on a monthly basis. Now that the farm is up and running, volunteers continue to be important. Youth programs frequently come to work on the farm. Individual volunteers are also welcome. For more information on City Slicker Farms, including how to volunteer, see their website at http://www.cityslickerfarms.org/

As a side note, two other OWA+DP members, Allison Kinst and Cynthia Bathgate, are working on a residential project to be built in the lot immediately adjacent to the farm. It would be interesting to visit again once that is constructed.

Of course, at its heart the farm is not about the buildings, but the soil and what grows in it. Planting just started this spring. They have already been able to sell produce at their weekly farm stand, and we could see zucchini, kale, chard and tomatoes growing. An orchard along one edge of the property is still in its infancy, but will eventually provide fruit. Some rows are not yet planted, and some soil remained to be plowed. Rebecca was clearly excited to see the design realized in both built and living form.

We are eager to highlight the work of our members both in our programs and in this newsletter. If you have a project you would like to share with OWA+DP members, please contact the Program Coordinators to arrange a tour.