The discovery of Oakland Roots

I discovered Wednesday night that I might have made an incorrect assumption. I assumed the City of Oakland was the sole purveyor of community garden experiences in the area.

But an email came across my transom that indicated that might not be true. A group called Oakland Roots has apparently taken over a plot of land between 9th and 10th Streets on Martin Luther King Boulevard, which is even closer to where I live than the other plot I identified. They describe themselves as a “school of urban sustainability,” which sounds grand and impressive and official.

Their website is, indeed, mysterious and fairly underpopulated. There’s a small map, an aerial photo of volunteers prepping the dirt for the garden, and information about a mushroom cultivation workshop—the reason behind the email that went out to an Old Oakland listserv—that will be happening this weekend. I’m not going to be around, but otherwise, would definitely go check it out, if only to do some recon.

After all, what is gardening without a good spy storyline?

I’ve joined their mailing list, and I’m curious to see what comes of it. Regardless, this could turn into another outlet for my sheer lack of gardening skills.