I spent one day driving around Oakland, seeking out community farms. City Slicker has taken over five small disused urban spaces in West Oakland and turned them into high-yielding organic gardens that are farmed by volunteers and local community members. Every week, the produce harvested goes out to the community through a donation-only Saturday farm stand. City Slicker also organizes, with the help of People’s Grocery, a sort of weekly garden-raising in which a bunch of people pool their work to set up one free family backyard vegetable garden with two planter boxes, two trellises and a fruit tree.

The People’s Grocery, also in Oakland, has switched to a CSA scheme, but I could see their legendary orange truck parked at headquarters. And the view from above Alemany Farm in San Francisco, which also engages young locals to farm the land, was gorgeous, rows upon rows of vibrant green.  

I had a glass of wine and some cheese with the brilliant and very hospitable Bonnie Powell of the Ethicurean, and drooled over menus posted outside Oliveto, Chez Panisse, Delfina, and Tartine Bakery. Everywhere was evidence of an incredible awareness of the importance of eating locally, organically, sustainably. What’s taking the rest of us so long to catch up?