Join the Occupy the Farm Fact vs. Fiction Tour

In response to the establishment of the Farm at the Gill Tract, UC Berkeley Public Relations has issued false statements regarding practices at the farm. Occupy the Farm would like to clarify some misconceptions and invite members of the broader East Bay community and members of the Press to participate in a tour of the fledgling Farm.

The tour will take place at 4pm on Saturday, April 28th.

“The whole idea here is that this is an open, participatory, community-based farm. We invite all comers to see what we’re doing. Better yet, we invite you to join us,” said Stefanie Rawlings.

Established on the last, best agriculture land in the urbanized East Bay, known as the Gill Tract, the Farm is committed to the practice and promotion of sustainable urban agriculture for local communities who face increasing economic and environmental pressures. The University, which administers the Gill Tract –originally 104 acres of agricultural land — has parceled off and sold all but 20 acres, of which half is currently slated for development.

Among the false statements made by UC Public Relations is the suggestion that raw human waste is in contact with soil.

“We’re farmers. We know better than to crap on our crops,” said David Grefrath, one of many cultivating the land.

Occupy the Farm has a closed composting toilet system in which there is no contact between human waste and soil. They also have portable toilets and, thanks to neighborhood support, access to real bathrooms. Additionally, there is a comprehensive system for recycling, compost, trash, and dishwashing.

“The real health and safety issue is that they cut off the water supply,” said Grefrath.

On Monday, April 23rd at approximately 1:30 pm, UC Berkeley cut off the water supply to the Gill Tract, affecting not only the field under cultivation, but also a tree nursery administered by the City of Albany on the south side of Village Creek. The nursery is a repository for trees destined for Albany’s city streets. Tony Wolcott, a nursery manager for the City of Albany, says, “We depend on the water to keep these trees alive.” Wolcott was on site to transport several of the trees to a community garden project in Richmond, CA.

The operation of the fire hydrant on site has apparently been limited as well. A visiting UC operations staff person who wished to remain anonymous declared, “Normally the pressure gauge on the hydrant has a reading on it. Right now we’re at zero. That’s not normal.” A fireman with the Albany Fire Department confirmed that water-flow to the hyrdrant was indeed disabled.

Occupy the Farm is calling for community members to call UC Berkeley Chancellor Birgenau’s office at 510-642-7464 to respectfully demand the restoration of the water supply.

“Lying to the public and shutting off the water to our crops are tactics to get us off the land,” said Anya Kamenskaya. “But we’re resourceful, we’re peaceful, we’re farmers, and with the community’s support, us and our crops are here to stay.”

Contact:

Gopal Dayaneni: 510-847-3592

Anya Kamenskaya: 415-812-4793

Lesley Haddock: 707-293-3253

Email: GillTractFarm@riseup.net

Twitter: @OccupyFarm

Facebook Page: Occupy the Farm

Website: www.occupythefarm.org