Fall 2024 News Share
As the daylight dwindles and the chill of winter sets in, we are paying attention to slowing down alongside the rhythms of the Earth. The farm has been lovingly put to rest for the season, blanketed in cover crops to prepare for renewal in the months ahead. This pause gave us the chance to gather as a collective for our bi-annual strategic planning retreat, where we reflected on this year’s milestones and began to dream into the year ahead.
From celebrating the close of our Bay Area Farmer-to-Farmer Training Program to hosting farmer-to-farmer skillshares and farmer wellness days, this year was one of vibrant community, shared learning, and collective care.
We Are Hiring!
Agroecology Commons is seeking a new collective member to lead our Farmer Mobilization Apprenticeships and Seed Grant Programs and support our educational programing. Through experiential learning, mentorship, mutual care, and resource redistribution, we cultivate relationship-based networks for agroecology, food sovereignty, and land-based healing.
Community Education
Bay Area Farmer-to-Farmer Training Program Graduation!
2024 Bay Area Farmer-to-Farmer Training Cohort Graduation at the Gill Tract Community Farm
In November, we celebrated the culmination of the 9-month journey that was the Bay Area Farmer-to-Farmer Training Program. Over the past months, we traveled across California, learning from farmers as far south as Fresno and as far north as Sonoma.
Remarkably, our very first day of the course began with a brilliant rainbow at the farm, and in a full-circle moment, the last day concluded under another rainbow—a magical ending to this transformative experience. The graduation ceremony was brimming with connection and community. What a joy it was for many participants' families and loved ones join us to mark this milestone. Together, we reflected on the dedication, wisdom, and shared spirit that shaped this program into something truly special.
One of the most cherished moments was the ancestral feast, featuring an array of incredible dishes inspired by participants’ cultural roots and histories. It was a beautiful way to honor the diverse lineages of food and farming represented in the cohort. The day’s music performances added an extra layer of sweetness, lifting everyone’s spirits.
A heartfelt thank you goes to Farmer Mo Browne of Berkeley Basket CSA for sharing their inspiring urban farming and CSA model. We are also deeply grateful to Effie and Neeka for guiding us in connecting with the rich history and resilience of land occupation that gave rise to the Gill Tract Farm—a thriving urban oasis and sanctuary for monarch butterflies.
As we close this chapter, we are filled with immense gratitude for the knowledge shared, the bonds built, and the collective work toward a vision of food sovereignty and care for the land.
Here’s to the graduates, the incredible network of educators and interpreters, and every person who brought their heart to this program. Thank you for making this journey unforgettable!
Learning From Bees, Farmer-to-Farmer Skillshare
Photo Caption: Yorlis Luna harvesting honey at recent beekeeping Farmer-to-Farmer Skillshare hosted at Agroecology Commons Farm
This month, we hosted a bilingual Farmer-to-Farmer Skillshare focused on the incredible world of bees. Led by the talented Nicaraguan beekeeper and community organizer of the Latin American Network of Melipona Beekeepers, Yorlis Luna, this skillshare celebrated the ecological and cultural significance of Indigenous bees of the Americas. Participants explored how bees co-create the landscapes around us, connecting ecosystems, cultures, and communities. We tasted delicious honey from all over the Americas and from many different species of bees. During the second half of the skillshare, participants practiced honey harvesting techniques and got to take home honey from Agroecology Commons hives!
Land Stewardship
Photo Caption: Bok Choy starts in the field
In 2024, we hosted eight beautiful volunteer days at the farm and we are excited to host you all again starting in January. We will send an email with more details regarding next year's volunteer schedule. Significant progress has been made this year on developing an educational space on the land, mulching our hedgerows, fine-tuning our irrigation system, getting solar panels and power on the farm, starting a vermicompost system, and so much more. We look forward to welcoming our BAFFT graduates to the incubator farm in 2025!
Networks and Solidarity
Photo Caption: NIFTI National Field School Conference in Madison, Wisconsin
NIFTI National Field School Conference in Madison, Wisconsin
This October, Lazzlo and Brooke attended the NIFTI National Field School Conference in Madison, Wisconsin, joining other farmer trainers and incubator programs from across the U.S. and Canada. They participated in workshops, network gatherings, and peer-to-peer learning sessions while also exploring local apprenticeship and incubator farms. Field trips included visits to Crossroads Community Farm, Farley Center, Urban Triage, and Squashington Farm, where they had the opportunity to learn directly from farmers and program coordinators about innovative training models and community-based farming initiatives. Lessons from this gathering will continue to shape Agroecology Commons apprenticeship program and incubator farm.
Black Urban Growers Conference in Houston, Texas
AC Collective members Lazzlo and Jeneba at BUGS!
This fall, Lazzlo and Jeneba had the incredible opportunity to attend the Black Urban Growers (BUGs) conference in Houston. The gathering was a vibrant celebration of Black land stewardship and an inspiring space for learning and connection.
While there, we explored topics ranging from ranching and beef processing to the magic of biofertilizers and the wisdom of planting with lunar cycles. And of course, we couldn’t leave Texas without perfecting a few new line-dancing moves!
We were especially grateful to share space with Ali and Sophi from Feed Black Futures and Jalal from Sweet Freedom Farm, deepening relationships with fellow land stewards who share a vision of liberation and abundance. BUGs is more than just a conference—it’s a powerful reminder of the resilience and brilliance within Black agricultural communities nationwide. Lazzlo and Jeneba returned energized, full of new ideas, and grateful for the deep connections forged with fellow land tenders from across the country.
New Article In The Knee Deep Times:
Check out Agroecology Commons’ recent feature in Knee Deep Times a digital magazine covering climate change resilience in the Bay Area in Beyond. Read the full article here.
Farmer Wellness Day
We look forward to welcoming our BAFFT graduates to the incubator farm in 2025! In early November we hosted our annual Farmer Wellness Day, which brought together fifty farmers from across Northern California. This gathering was a space to share our deep gratitude to celebrate and honor those who bring food to our tables. The event was a powerful day of mutual care, connection, and rejuvenation.
This event was co-organized by the Freedom Community Clinic, whose incredible network of healers offered wellness sessions to farmers including massage, acupuncture, yoga, herbal medicine, and more. Oakland Bloom provided a delicious, nourishing meal with some veggies grown on the farm.
Farmers had the opportunity to connect with valuable resources and receive legal consultations from our partners at the Sustainable Economies Law Center. They also explored resource tables hosted by Southwest Regional Food Business Center, Urban Tilth, Richmond Certified Farmers Market, Western Regional Agricultural Stress Assistance Program, the Farm Service Agency, the Natural Resource Conservation District, the University of California Agricultural and Natural Resources, Sol Root Farmers Collective and many more.
Throughout the day, our community enjoyed a lively seed exchange, engaging rounds of Farmer Bingo, hands-on herbal crafting, and cozy photo sessions on the iconic Watermelon Couch by artist James Shields.
To our farmers: we see you, celebrate you, and honor the hard work you do. Thank you for being an essential part of this community and for all the ways you nourish the land and people around you!
Photo Caption: Farmer receiving bodywork during the wellness day
Collective Organizing
This year, we poured countless hours into refining our internal systems to streamline scheduling, programming, budgeting and reporting. It wasn’t without its hurdles—delays, pivots, and restructuring challenged us at every turn—but we remained focused on the bigger picture, determined to create systems that are effective, accessible, efficient, and transparent.
Looking ahead to 2025, we’re proud of the strong foundation we’ve built. These efforts have positioned us for a smoother, more spacious year—one where we can focus more fully on what truly matters: growing and enriching our programming.
But that’s just the beginning. Our 2025 revamp also includes expanded administrative support, enabling us to sustain momentum and amplify our impact even further. Here’s to stepping into the new year with renewed clarity, capacity, and confidence—ready to make 2025 our most impactful year yet!
Victoria Deal is a proud graduate of the 2022 Bay Area Famer-to-Farmer Training (BAFFT). In 2023, she completed a 500-hour apprenticeship at Cultural Roots Nursery sponsored by Agroecology Commons, where she gained valuable hands-on experience in nursery and field production. This training inspired her to launch her own business, Seed to Skillet Youth Gardening Program. Victoria is passionate about teaching the principles of agroecology and sustainable gardening practices she learned during BAFFT to youth. She continued on to complete the Civic Farmer Urban Agriculture class at UC Davis. Victoria was recently featured in two documentaries: PBS’s"American Heartland" (2023) and a collaborative film with Agroecology Commons, Feed Black Futures, and Acta Non-Verba that will be shared in 2025.
BAFFT Alumni Spotlight- Victoria Deal
Victoria Deal is a proud graduate of the 2022 Bay Area Famer-to-Farmer Training (BAFFT). In 2023, she completed a 500-hour apprenticeship at Cultural Roots Nursery sponsored by Agroecology Commons, where she gained valuable hands-on experience in nursery and field production. This training inspired her to launch her own business, Seed to Skillet Youth Gardening Program. Victoria is passionate about teaching the principles of agroecology and sustainable gardening practices she learned during BAFFT to youth. She continued on to complete the Civic Farmer Urban Agriculture class at UC Davis. Victoria was recently featured in two documentaries: PBS’s"American Heartland" (2023) and a collaborative film with Agroecology Commons, Feed Black Futures, and Acta Non-Verba that will be shared in 2025.
Caption: BAFFT Graduate Victoria Deal, photo credit: heyzinahphotography
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Agroecology Commons Collective
