You may be surprised to learn that a 6-acre farm sits just one mile from Downtown Santa Rosa.
Located in a residential Roseland neighborhood, Bayer Farm is a collaboration between LandPaths and Santa Rosa Recreation and Parks. The urban community farm and park welcomes community members, the public and volunteers who want to get their hands dirty for a worthy cause: providing a green space and seasonal healthy food for the community.
The urban farm, named after Edmund and Lillian Bayer who owned and operated the farm until 2007, offers families and the surrounding community the opportunity to cultivate their own land; it has 64 garden plots in which to plant vegetables, herbs, fruit and medicinal plants. The farm also includes a red barn with pens for chickens and goats.
I recently had the opportunity to tour this Santa Rosa gem with Jonathan Bravo, the farm’s Garden Coordinator.
During my visit to Bayer Farm, Bravo showed me the many plants that currently grow on the farm – and even cut a bunch of cilantro for me to take home. He showed me a small section of tropical plants – a test garden of sorts – where he has planted bananas, pineapples, and some less common tropical fruits.
Bravo is excited about the future of the farm as he plants new fruit trees and plants, and continues to interact with the community through events, educational seminars and community work days, which are every 3rd Saturday.
At Bayer Farm, it’s easy to take a breather from Santa Rosa city living and enjoy all that a farm has to offer – the sights, smells, sounds and tastes. It can also be an opportunity to meet neighbors, connect with community members and learn a few new skills. The farm is always changing and developing as it provides seasonal, healthy produce to the community.
The farm celebrated its grand opening in March with a big event, which you can read more about in this Press Democrat article.
To find out more about Bayer Farm and LandPaths, including events and work days, visit their website. Bayer Farm Neighborhood Parks & Gardens, 1550 West Ave, Santa Rosa, (707) 544-7284 x 103.