Photograph by Amy K Senese

Urban Agriculture on Public Land

If you want to grow food on public land, start by checking out Nathan McClintock's report, "Cultivating the Commons." You can also use Nathan's Interactive Urban Agriculture Map to see if the site you are interested in is publicly owned, and to look up some of its basic characteristics.

More resources on how to get starting growing food on public land COMING SOON!

Urban Agriculture on Private Land

First of all, if you don't own the land you'd like to use for growing food, find out who owns the property. The Alameda County Office of the Assessor should be able to help you.

Yard-Sharing Projects

Are you an Oakland resident with an excess of front yard or back yard green space? Would you love to see the space cultivated, but you lack the time to do so yourself? Why not offer your surplus green space to a neighbor in exchange for a share of the produce grown on your land?

Backyard-sharing projects are gaining in popularity, and aside from the two most well-known groups, Hyperlocavore and Sharing Backyards, we now have a backyard sharing project in the East Bay. Neighborhood Vegetables is a backyard-sharing project benefiting residents of Berkeley, Oakland, and Richmond, whereby those with surplus backyard space offer their land to their neighbors with less growing space.

To join the project, visit the website and join the group that best describes the neighborhood in which you live. At the bottom of this page, there will be a list of recommended nurseries and upcoming plant sales where you can purchase seeds and vegetable starts.

Food Bartering Projects

Forage Oakland

Forage Oakland is a backyard barter network based in Oakland, California, whereby residents barter their surplus backyard fruit with their North Oakland and South Berkeley neighbors. Click here for link

Other Resources

Berkeley and Oakland Nurseries

The Spiral Gardens: 2850 Sacramento Ave at Oregon St. Spiral Gradens' Mission is to "create healthy sustainable communities by promoting a strong local food system and encouraging productive use of urban soil."

Nursery Hours: Tuesday, Wednesday, & Saturday; 10:00 am until 5:00 pm