URBAN FARMERS ROCK THE EAST BAY!

by Leonor Hurtado

This February the East Bay Urban Farmer Field Schools (EBUFFS) held their workshop at Adams Crest Farm in Richmond. It rocked! Doria Robinson, Daniel Miller, Luis Chávez and Hank Herrera held active, half-hour participatory learning exercises for 20 aspiring farmers on: planning, greenhouse management, soil enrichment, and community sovereignty. The Farmer Field School’s methodology allows participants to share knowledge and practices from their own experience, building leadership and strengthening the local food justice movement, farmer-to farmer.

EBUFFS—first convened in 2013 by Dig Deep Farms and Food First—brings urban producers, food activists and food justice leaders together in practical ways to promote positive social change. Presently, ten different East Bay organizations are learning and working together in EBUFFS.

The EBUFFS workshops address social equity as well as food security and sustainability. Leaders and activists of color, along with white allies, work to ending racism in the food system

The EBUFFS workshops address social equity as well as food security and sustainability. Leaders and activists of color, along with white allies, work to ending racism in the food system. The monthly workshops build deep connections valued by both newer and more experienced farmers and activists, all committed to building a powerful  food justice movement.

In each workshop EBUFFS promotes our core principles:

• Anti-racism and anti-oppression.
• Openness and respect.
• Sustainable and ecological practices.
• Building a unified food sovereignty movement and creating systemic transformations.
• Discover, work, and learn at every field school event.

To learn more about the East Bay Urban Farmer Field Schools contact Hank Herrera at hank@c-prep.org.

EBUFFS—is a project of Food First, Urban Tilth and the Center for Popular Research, Education and Policy, Inc.