City Slicker Farm

For a farm with a movie name, it does have a fairytale ending. This farm is responsible for giving impoverished communities second chances. From ex-felons to neighborhood kids, City Slicker is about learning, progressing, sustaining, and giving back to the community and the Earth.

Located in West Oakland, this farm is a response to the lack of nutritious food at reasonable prices. As well, this area of the Bay is grappling with pollution, poverty and industrialization. Their mission statement says: "The mission of City Slicker Farms is to empower West Oakland community members to meet the immediate and basic need for healthy organic food for themselves and their families by creating high-yield urban farms and backyard gardens".

This non-profit organization is just one example of what our state must do in order to band together in this time of crisis. This drought has done many things, most of them are negative, but there is one thing positive that could come out of it; together we can unite across county lines, creating a common cause for all classes and persons of social standings. The drought has hit poorer communities much harder, and there hasn't been much immediate reform coming from our government. Due to this, many grassroots organizations and nonprofits, like City Slicker Farm, have come to the forefront of providing a sustainable source of nutrients. This is a great first step. A better second step would be implementing a program like our Sustainable Agriculture program at all high schools. An even better third step would be to destroy the idyllic idea/reality of having grass or a lawn in the front yard. Instead, growing a garden would not only look more interesting, but it would also provide food, resource and education for the whole community. My sister, who lives in North Oakland is an example of having a large booming garden. Below is a picture of my siblings and me (from left to right, Gideon, Ruby and Violet) with a zucchini that she had grown.

--Ruby E.

For more information on City Slicker Farms, click here:
http://www.cityslickerfarms.org/

For more information on the California Drought, click here: http://www.democracynow.org/2015/8/21/global_warming_worsens_california_drought_as

http://www.liberationnews.org/water-crisis-felt-hardest-by-californias-poor-and-working-people/