Gill Tract Farm Coalition

08/21/2026

Our monarch pollinator plot expansion is underway! Thanks to the support of Ava Community Energy and Albany Community Foundation, we’ve collaborated with Berkeley Basket CSA to expand our monarch pollinator plot by adding 10 100ft rows of flowers that acts as monarchs’ food source and habitat. As an overwintering site, the Gill Tract Farm hosts hundreds of migrating monarchs each year. As they make their epic journey back to their summer breeding grounds, these flowers in our pollinator plot will give them the energy they need to make their long travels to as far as Northern Washington & Idaho!

Berkeley Basket CSA has been hard at work stewarding the land for the expansion. At the end of the overwintering season, these flowers will be harvested and distributed to the community as part of their cut flowers CSA box offering. Make sure to sign up for their CSA box and don’t miss out on locally grown, organic flowers!

Ava Community Energy is Berkeley’s not-for-profit electricity provider. They provide clean energy at lower rates and reinvest in our community through programs, grants, and sponsorships. Learn more at AvaEnergy.org!

07/22/2026

Welcome to the Back to School Herbal Circles edition at Gill Tract Farm! Let’s gather together to learn about the 7 “types” of ADD/ADHD as well as the nutritional, herbals, and lifestyle supports to navigate through challenges. Participants will take home a custom made tea blend relating to the type of ADD/ADHD you may be curious about.

Link in bio to register!

03/19/2026

During these difficult times, it’s easy for stress and lingering winter illnesses to weaken our health and general well being. Spring is a great time for an herbal reset. Come learn about several herbs that you can use regularly to help your body and mind detox, heal and be more resilient. We’ll learn about these wonderful herbal allies, visit and spend time with them on the farm and also share a detox tea blend together.

Click the link in our bio to register!

03/16/2026

Hello community,

Our third culinary herbalism class will soon be launched at UC Gill Tract Farm, following in the steps of our autumnal elderberry chutney and winter persimmon smoothie classes. Here now we have our spring tonic: wild green pesto*

Date: Sunday 3/12
2-4 pm
$15-60 sliding scale

Come join us at UC Gill Tract Farm as we learn about chickweed, plantain, dandelion, Indian lettuce and cleaver: refreshing, wild spring herbs grown on this beautiful land of emerald and azure, all great skin/ digetsive/ lymph supports... Classes are hands on, informed by collective wisdom, a joyful merger of herbalism and nutrition

We will then use a combination of foraged and market bought greens to create a pesto for you to take home. I will bring ingredients for both “traditional” cheese based pesto and vegan pesto.

*register on the link in our bio/Gill Tract Farm website/Eventbrite so we can account for kitchen supplies and materials*

Please feel free to share with community*

With care and continued hope,
Hanan

02/27/2026

EJSET, a program at Albany High School that gives students experience working outside of school, is a course that can greatly benefit many students. Instead of attending classes on Fridays, participants go to an internship of their choice, where they gain work experience, life skills, and new relationships. This week at Gill Tract Farm, Miriam Walden will teach the EJSET students how to lead an upcoming field trip to the farm. About 6 classes of students from Albany Elementary school’s and Albany middle be school will be visiting this spring to learn about the Gilltract farm.

02/07/2026

11/24/2025

🧡 Upcoming Workshop at the farm 🧡

Culinary Herbalism: Persimmons!
Sunday, Dec 7th from 2-4pm

Join us learning about the nutritional benefits of the beloved persimmon in this workshop led by Hanan Masri. Register on our Eventbrite page or on the Gill Tract website!

11/20/2025

Join us for a day of celebration as we wrap up another year of growing at our farm! We’ll have block printing and natural dyeing workshops, live DJ, food, and abundance!

We are raising funds for necessary upgrades to our irrigation system to ensure water conservation and an abundant harvest for years to come! Suggested donations are $15-25, but no one will be turned away for lack of funds!

Come make it rain with us amidst this rainy season! December 5th 11AM-7PM at the farm on 1050 San Pablo Ave., in Huchiun (Albany). Click the link in our bio or visit bit.ly/winterfarmparty to RSVP!

We hope to see you there!

11/14/2025

Let’s keep the momentum going.If you’ve volunteered or benefited from Giltract, send your email today! This will help Albany school kids by giving them funding for field trips!

Layout for your Email

[email protected]

Include:

-your name
- connection to farm (volunteer, Ect)
-that you’re writing in support of Gill Tract receiving City funding at the meeting this Monday 11/17
-Why you think more Albany school kids should get to come to the farm
-thank you

[email protected]

11/14/2025

Let’s keep the momentum going. If you’ve volunteered or benefited from Giltract, send your email today! This will help Albany school kids by giving them funding for field trips!

Layout for your Email

[email protected]

Include:

-your name
- connection to farm (volunteer, Ect)
-that you’re writing in support of Gill Tract receiving City funding at the meeting this Monday 11/17
-Why you think more Albany school kids should get to come to the farm
-thank you

[email protected]