(Albany, Calif.), April 22, 2012 – Occupy the Farm, a coalition of local residents, farmers, students, researchers, and activists are planting over 15,000 seedlings at the Gill Tract, the last remaining 10 acres of Class I agricultural soil in the urbanized East Bay area. The Gill Tract is public land administered by the University of California, which plans to sell it to private developers.
For decades the UC has thwarted attempts by community members to transform the site for urban sustainable agriculture and hands-on education. With deliberate disregard for public interest, the University administrators plan to pave over this prime agricultural soil for commercial retail space, a Whole Foods Market, and a parking lot.
"For ten years people in Albany have tried to turn the Gill Tract into an Urban Farm and a more open space for the community. The people in the Bay Area deserve to use this treasure of land for an urban farm to help secure the future of our children," explains Jackie Hermes-Fletcher, an Albany resident and public school teacher for 38 years.
Two to three hundred people marched from the Earth Day rally at Ohlone Park in Berkeley to the Gill Tract at the intersection of San Pablo and Marin Avenues in Albany. This is the last best farmland in the East Bay, but the University of California intends to sell much of it to private developers so that a shopping center with a Whole Foods grocery store and a parking lot can be built. Immediately upon arrival, people began to clear and till the land. Organizers are asking supporters to tell friends, come down, and learn what urban farming is all about.
UC police arrived within an hour and announced that those present were trespassing and enforcement might come after 10pm. When informed of the presence of families with children, the two UC officers said plenty of notice would be given before any possible police action. The officers also said that journalists covering the farming would not be arrested. About two hours later, one of the two officers returned and notified people present that they were subject to arrest and fines. Another UC officer was with him videorecording ever person they passed.
The following email went out Sunday about a movement by activists to take over the Gill Tract, owned by the University of California, and turn it into an urban farm.
According to one local activist with SF Bay Food Shed, about 300 protesters and food justice advocates marched from a Berkeley rally "and occupied the Gill Tract around 1:30. They immediately started working the land and planting the 10,000 veggie starts they have with them. They are also in the process of setting up chicken coops and other farm infrastructure."
(A later estimate by one member of the occupying group placed the number at closer to 200 activists.)
According to the city of Albany and university planners, the Gill Tract spans about 15 acres on the corner of a 77-acre piece of land that composes University Village. The land is used for agricultural experiments by UC Berkeley’s School of Natural Resources.
In 2010, Damon Lisch, who was a research scientist in plant and microbial biology at UC Berkeley, said "About half the field is for research by the USDA Plant Gene Expression Center, and the other half is U.C. Berkeley research. Some of the world's premier research in plant biology is going on in this field."
As of about 12:30 a.m. Monday, University police had not responded to a request for information about how they planned to deal with the occupation, and there had been no coordinated police activity within the site.
Two UC police officers spoke peacefully with Occupy participants at 12:30 a.m., and asked them to keep the area clean, and said the action would likely garner much more attention from authorities Monday.
Activists said, via a live-streaming video feed, that police told them to leave the property by 10 p.m. Sunday, or possibly face consequences.
One Albany man, Ulan McKnight, said Sunday that at least 15 Albany residents had come to the Gill Tract to talk and learn about the activity, and that a number of them planned to stay overnight.
McKnight said, in the comments below, that local students, gardeners and farmers had been planning the action since November: "Green houses as far away as Santa Cruz have been nurturing more than 15,000 starts for us to plant."
McKnight said, at about midnight, there appeared to be 40-50 tents, including a "community tent" with 20 people sleeping in it.
"I think maybe 50 people are still up talking about how to make the world better. There are probably less than 100 people sleeping here tonight but well over 300 have been here throughout the day," he said. "We had a nice meeting of about 25 Albany residents right after the 'General Assembly.' Everyone was super concerned that this action stay 100% children friendly and non-confrontational. No fires or drum circles ;) And guess what? Everything is super chill and positive."
McKnight said a community potluck and sign-making party is planned for 6 p.m. Monday.
"We welcome everyone to come down and see what we are doing," he wrote.
According to one local activist with SF Bay Food Shed, about 300 protesters and food justice advocates marched from a Berkeley rally "and occupied the Gill Tract around 1:30. They immediately started working the land and planting the 10,000 veggie starts they have with them. They are also in the process of setting up chicken coops and other farm infrastructure."
(A later estimate by one member of the occupying group placed the number at closer to 200 activists.)
According to the city of Albany and university planners, the Gill Tract spans about 15 acres on the corner of a 77-acre piece of land that composes University Village. The land is used for agricultural experiments by UC Berkeley’s School of Natural Resources.
In 2010, Damon Lisch, who was a research scientist in plant and microbial biology at UC Berkeley, said "About half the field is for research by the USDA Plant Gene Expression Center, and the other half is U.C. Berkeley research. Some of the world's premier research in plant biology is going on in this field."
As of about 12:30 a.m. Monday, University police had not responded to a request for information about how they planned to deal with the occupation, and there had been no coordinated police activity within the site.
Two UC police officers spoke peacefully with Occupy participants at 12:30 a.m., and asked them to keep the area clean, and said the action would likely garner much more attention from authorities Monday.
Activists said, via a live-streaming video feed, that police told them to leave the property by 10 p.m. Sunday, or possibly face consequences.
One Albany man, Ulan McKnight, said Sunday that at least 15 Albany residents had come to the Gill Tract to talk and learn about the activity, and that a number of them planned to stay overnight.
McKnight said, in the comments below, that local students, gardeners and farmers had been planning the action since November: "Green houses as far away as Santa Cruz have been nurturing more than 15,000 starts for us to plant."
McKnight said, at about midnight, there appeared to be 40-50 tents, including a "community tent" with 20 people sleeping in it.
"I think maybe 50 people are still up talking about how to make the world better. There are probably less than 100 people sleeping here tonight but well over 300 have been here throughout the day," he said. "We had a nice meeting of about 25 Albany residents right after the 'General Assembly.' Everyone was super concerned that this action stay 100% children friendly and non-confrontational. No fires or drum circles ;) And guess what? Everything is super chill and positive."
McKnight said a community potluck and sign-making party is planned for 6 p.m. Monday.
"We welcome everyone to come down and see what we are doing," he wrote.
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