Where we grow
Dig Deep Farms & Produce grows healthy vegetables in the Alameda County communities of Ashland, Cherryland, San Leandro and Castro Valley. We currently have about 8 acres of land available for farming, with three small farm parcels in the flatlands and two large parcels in the hills of San Leandro and Castro Valley. We will plant orchards on these large parcels in addition to vegetable plantings.
Firehouse
We first began to grow vegetables on the Firehouse parcel, located next to Alameda County Firehouse #3, at 1432 164th Avenue, in Ashland. The Firehouse parcel is one of our most productive farm spaces.
The Firehouse parcel, planted with fall crops in September, 2010.
Squash blossoms at Firehouse, Summer 2011.
Squash blossoms were very popular with our restaurant customers.
Pacific Apparel
Greens growing at Pacific Apparel.
We also grow vegetables at our Pacific Apparel parcel, located in Ashland behind the Pacific Apparel Clothing Store located on East 14th Street at the corner of 163rd Avenue. The Pacific Apparel parcel started out as a very hard, gravel-filled piece of land, covered with tall weeds. However in our first planting season, with the help of the Hayward Area Recreation District, we "ripped" the soil to loosen it, then covered it with compost, then build raised beds with more compost. We made our first restaurant sales of French kitchen radishes from Pacific Apparel, grown during that first planting!
Seventh Step
Seventh Step collard greens.
Seventh Step is a vital resource in Cherryland for men dealing with recovery and re-entry. Seventh Step graciously leases a large backyard space, about one quarter acre, to DDF&P. Our farm crew has continuously amended the soil with compost to improve soil fertility and productivity. We grow outstanding collard greens at Seventh Step along with other greens and brassicas. The residents at Seventh Step volunteer their time to help maintain the farm space--an activity closely tied to the mission of the Alameda County Deputy Sheriffs' Activities League, to improve the community and to create job opportunities in the Unincorporated Areas of Alameda County.
City View Farm
City View Farm is our newest farm space. City View is located on land owned by Alameda County in the San Leandro hills next to Camp Sweeney, an Alameda County Juvenile Justice facility. As an outstanding example of public policy in action, the Alameda County General Services Agency, the Alameda County Sheriffs' Office, the Alameda County Probation Department, and the Alameda County Deputy Sheriffs' Activities League (DSAL) developed and executed the legal agreements necessary for Dig Deep Farms & Produce, a project of DSAL, to farm on about 8 acres of grassland. A Community Development Block Grant from the Alameda County Housing and Community Development Department funds the build-out of City View Farm, named by the farm crew because of its beautiful view overlooking San Leandro and San Francisco Bay.
City View will have about 4 acres of vegetables planted beginning in December, 2012, with winter crops like broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, collards, lettuce, peas and spinach. In addition we will plant another 2 to 4 acres of orchard and berries. The increased production capacity provided by City View will allow us to expand our markets.
City View will have about 4 acres of vegetables planted beginning in December, 2012, with winter crops like broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, collards, lettuce, peas and spinach. In addition we will plant another 2 to 4 acres of orchard and berries. The increased production capacity provided by City View will allow us to expand our markets.
Sheep grazing at City View Farm. We will grow vegetables on the gentle slope and orchard on the steeper slopes.
Rancho del Cielo
An extraordinarily generous private landowner has given DSAL a five-year, no-cost lease for a 35-acre parcel in the hills above Castro Valley. Driving up the fairly steep slopes to this parcel evokes the feeling that we are driving to heaven--this the name in Spanish. We are in the process of clearing environmental review because the land provides habitat for three endangered species. Our agro-ecological consultants tell us that our farming methods, which use regenerative farming practices, will minimally disturb the land and actually restore natural habitat. We expect to begin building out this land for farming by Spring, 2012. In the meantime, the land serves as rangeland for a herd of very nice and friendly cattle.
We plan to plant 5-8 acres of vegetables on the flattest land areas, with an additional 10 acres devoted to orchard on steeper slopes. We will reserve the steepest slopes for pasture and rangeland for small animals, such as goats and sheep, along with chickens.
We plan to plant 5-8 acres of vegetables on the flattest land areas, with an additional 10 acres devoted to orchard on steeper slopes. We will reserve the steepest slopes for pasture and rangeland for small animals, such as goats and sheep, along with chickens.
Urban farmers Amy and Lisa, and design consultant Jocelyn Prestwich, at Rancho del Cielo.
The cattle at Rancho del Cielo are curious and respectful. Between August (photo above) and November (this photo) the rainy season started and the dry hills now have the first green shades of new grass.
With Rancho del Cielo will have assembled enough land to operate a 40 acre, diversified farm, capable of producing vegetables over four seasons, fruit and meat, with enough land for constant cover cropping rotated through the farm sites for increasing soil health. Our goal, to paraphrase Sir Alfred Howard, is healthy soil, healthy plants, healthy animals and healthy people living in our community and enjoying the food that we produce.
