Urban Tilth Farm

If you head north on Fred Jackson Way to Brookside Drive, you"ll reach the Urban Tilth farm. Urban Tilth is an organization with the goal of making the community healthier, which is why they built an urban farm in the neighborhood.

In the North Richmond Farm, Urban Tilth grows fresh produce since 2017, feeding more than 50 families in the neighborhood. Growing seasonal organic vegetables also helps keep the land. air, and creeks healthy. As Farm Collective Member Laura Navarro says, "It's about not harming the land and giving back to it instead, localizing and growing for the community, eating seasonal vegetables, and learning to cook with native ingredients." Urban Tilth has been able to secure funds to expand the farm in the near future and add spaces for community events, a kitchen, and more, which you can read about here.

On Fred Jackson Way next to the Farm, Urban Tilth constructed rain gardens with bioswales. This project, completed in 2023, filters stormwater that is created by rain that falls on the road. Underground structures clean the polluted water before it enters San Pablo Creek, to the north of the farm. Contra Costa County installed new walking and biking paths along this way. According to Farm Collective Member Chito Floriano, the community wanted these new paths, to make the area a safer place to walk and bike through. It was the community input that made this project happen.

Your involvement also helps Urban Tilth keep running! Volunteers often help out when the North Richmond Farm is low on staff. Laura and Chito hope to see more community members get involved so they can learn more about food, become engaged in the outdoors, and create a safe space for themselves. To learn more about Urban Tilth or volunteer for some of their activities, check their website:https://urbantilth.org/.