Earlier this year, we shared the news that our Barbara Finnin, City Slicker Farms’ Executive Director of six years, would be transitioning out of her leadership role in June. At the time, we launched our Executive Transition Committee and opened a national search to find the right candidate. As Barb’s last day with City Slicker Farms approaches, the Board of Directors has made the strategic management decision to bring on an Interim Executive Director to implement on short-term management and strategic planning work, while focusing our search for a long-term full-time Executive Director.

Dear Friend,

In early 2008, I was recruited to be City Slicker Farms’ Interim Executive Director while our founder, Willow Rosenthal Summer, was on sabbatical. During those three months, I gained a deep respect for the organization’s well-designed programs and philosophical approach, and the community we work with. At that point, we were a team of one full time (me) and two part time employees, three apprentices, and a wonderful group of volunteers all working on a shoestring budget.

To Our Community,

As some of you may know, towards the end of 2013 we finished building an outdoor classroom at Fitzgerald Park.  Its construction marked part of the long-awaited completion of a community planning process that began in 2007, to improve the infrastructure at Fitzgerald Park for the community to share.  The intention of the outdoor classroom was to create an inclusive gathering space for our farm stand, workshops, tours, and other community events, gatherings, and learning opportunities for our participants and the larger West Oakland community.

Dear neighbors and friends,

We are writing this letter to respond to some complaints that City Slicker Farms and the City of Oakland Department of Parks and Recreation have been receiving about the outdoor classroom at Fitzgerald Park. We take these comments very seriously and wanted to share some information about the development of this Community Market Farm.

Thanks to all of you and IKEA co-workers, City Slicker Farms WON the $10,000 in IKEA Products, Services And In-Kind Donations From IKEA Emeryville! We are so thrilled and so grateful to you all for voting for us. We can't wait to design with IKEA and then show you the pictures and invite you over when we're done.

February 1, 2013 (Oakland, CA) – City Slicker Farms, a non-profit urban farming organization based in West Oakland, yesterday held a ground breaking ceremony to begin development of a new Urban Farm and Park, which was conceived in collaboration with the West Oakland community. What began in 2010 as a seed of hope is now coming to fruition following City Slicker Farms’ purchase of a vacant lot at the turn of 2013.

Groundbreaking Ceremony for Innovative West Oakland Urban Farm and Park

1.4 Acre Farm and Park Will Provide Food and Community Resources
as Vacant Industrial Lot Is Transformed into Nourishing Community Space

It was ten years ago that City Slicker Farms first sprouted. Over the past decade, we’ve worked with so many amazing people.

We're so happy to share our 2010 Annual Report with you.  Thanks to all of our staff and board members for putting it together and thank you to Querido Galdo for designing it.