by Samee Roberts Art, nature, and urban gardening enthusiasts from all over the region will flock to Oakland’s Lake Merritt to immerse themselves in the 11th Annual Autumn Lights Festival, a one-of-a-kind interactive art experience that is always the talk of the town. Following last year’s sold-out in-person return, the wildly popular festival takes place […]
Guest Post
I Said “ADEY-os” to Ethiopia and “Selam” to Oakland
My name is Adey Hagos. In 1982, I was born in Mekelle, the largest city in the Tigray Region of what is now the northernmost part of Ethiopia. One of six children (three boys and three girls), we had a comfortable upbringing as my father was a contractor who built houses as well as farmed. […]
A Proper Goodbye and a Hearty Hello
Editor’s Note: Gary’s departure from the Grand Lake Farmers Market is like the second half of a double-whammy that began when Doug Stonebreaker concluded that he could no longer raise grass-fed cattle when the surrounding hillsides were parched from successive years of drought caused by global warming. While we’re going to miss Gary, we’d also […]
One Less Bridge to Cross?
by Ken Katz Chances are you know more about the fictional “Bridge on the River Kwai” than you do about the pedestrian overcrossing that spans 580 from MacArthur at Van Buren to Santa Clara at the westbound 580 on-ramp. That will likely change now that Caltrans has announced plans to tear it down as part […]
A Resilient and Equitable Food and Farming System in California
by Andy Naja-Riese March 16– Assembly Member Robert Rivas (D- Hollister) made an exciting announcement about a bill he introduced called the Equitable Economic Recovery, Healthy Food Access, Climate Resilient Farms and Worker Protection Bond Act (AB 125). If you missed it live, you can watch the press conference here. Agricultural Institute of Marin is […]
AIM’s 5-Year Strategic Plan
The Agricultural Institute of Marin (AIM)–an educational 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization serving the San Francisco Bay Area through the Grand Lake Farmers Market, seven other Certified Farmers Markets, and other food- and hunger-related social programs–released a new, far-reaching 3-Year Strategic Plan that seeks to create a model for a local and regional food system that is healthy […]
Rotary Nature Center Friends Lakeside Chats
ROTARY NATURE CENTER FRIENDS LAKESIDE CHATS by David Wofford Our next Lakeside Chat with Hilary Powers of the Golden Gate Audubon Society will be on Friday March 5th, 7:00pm-8:00pm. Join us as Hilary takes us to some of her favorite birding spots at Lake Merritt. She will share her perspectives on the species and ecological […]
AIM’s Path to Racial Equity
From Andy Naja-Riese, AIM CEO – In partnership with AIM’s Board of Directors, we have developed and published our Path to Racial Equity where we can contribute to creating an equitable food and farming system. Racial equity is the fair treatment of people of all races. We will achieve racial equity in the food and farming system […]
Farmers Market AIMing for a Five Year Lease
by Jerry Barclay – After two-plus years of on/off negotiations for the operation of the Grand Lake Farmers Market at Splash Pad Park, a long-sought agreement between the Agricultural Institute of Marin (AIM) and the City of Oakland is expected to be completed in early 2021. One last issue has delayed a deal, but that appears […]
From Vietnam to the Land of Opportunity
by Marcia Lam – I was born in North Vietnam. In February 1978, as property was being confiscated and relations with China were deteriorating, my parents (like thousands of other ethnic Chinese) decided to leave with their four kids (ages 8, 6, 4, and 2) plus one in my mom’s tummy. We were accompanied by […]