Directions to Garden for the Environment

Located: 7th Avenue and Lawton Street

The buses that have stops nearby include #36 (Forest Hill Station), #43 (Munich & Geneva), and #44 (California & 6th).


Directions to Visitation Valley Greenway:

From the Golden Gate Bridge (driving):

1. Head south on 101.
2. Take exit 438 to merge onto 1-S toward 19th Avenue.
3. Slight left at Crossover Drive.
4. Turn right at Lincoln Way.
5. Make a U-turn at 20th Avenue.
6. Turn right at 7th Avenue.

From the Bay Bridge (driving):

1. Head west on 80.
2. Take exit 1B to merge onto 101-N toward Golden Gate Bridge.
3. Take exit 434A to merge onto 101-N/Mission Street toward Golden Gate Bridge.
4. Keep left at fork, follow signs for Duboce Avenue, and merge onto Duboce Avenue.
5. Slight left at Market Street.
6. Slight right at 17th Street.
7. Turn right at Stanyan Street.
8. Turn left onto Parnassus Avenue.
9. Continue onto Judah Street.
10. Turn left at 7th Avenue.

From the Mission from 16th Street and Harrison (Biking - burns 300 calories!):

1. Head south on Harrison Street.
2. Turn right at 17th Street.
3. Turn right at Sanchez Street.
4. Turn left at Duboce Avenue.
5. Turn right at Steiner Street.
6. Turn left at Waller Street.
7. Turn right at Pierce Street.
8. Turn left at Haight Street.
9. Turn right at Scott Street.
10. Turn left at Fell Street.
11. Slight left at Baker Street.
12. Turn right at Ashbury Street.
13. Turn right at Page Street.
14. Turn left at Clayton Street.
15. Turn right at Waller Street.
16. Turn left at Stanyan Street.
17. Turn right at Kezar Drive.
18. Continue onto 3rd Avenue.
19. Turn right at Hugo Avenue.
20. Turn left at 7th Avenue.

Hayes Valley Farm

450 Laguna Street

Hayes Valley Farm's mission is to serve as a community and agricultural hub encouraging San Francisco residents to connect with one another, grow their own food, and learn about sustainable ecological systems.

After the Loma Prieta in 1989, San Francisco's Central Freeway was compromised. In the years to come the ramps bordered by Laguna, Oak, Fell, and Octavia Streets were closed, and the lot was locked up. On January 24, 2010, the City activated the site for temporary green space use, and the community started pouring in. Learn more.

Gates are Open:

Sundays @ 12:30 pm - 4:30 pm
Thursdays @ 2:30 pm - 6:30 pm

Directions to Hayes Valley Farm

Location: 450 Laguna Street

Buses that have a stop nearby include #6 (Ferry Plaza), #71 (Transbay Terminal), and #21 (Steuart Terminal).

Directions to Hayes Valley Farm:

From the Golden Gate Bridge (driving):

1. Head South on 101, continuing onto Doyle Drive, and then onto Lombard Street.
2. Turn right at Webster Street.
3. Turn left at Hayes Street.
4. Turn right at Laguna Street.

From the Bay Bridge (Driving):

1. Head west on 80.
2. Take exit 1B to merge onto 101-N toward Golden Gate Bridge.
3. Contine on Octavia Boulevard.
4. Turn left at Fell Street.
5. Turn left at Laguna Street.

From the Mission from 16th Street and Harrison (Biking - burns 150 calories!):

1. Head north on Harrison Street.
2. Turn left at 15th Street.
3. Turn right at Valencia Street.
4. Turn left at McCoppin Street.
5. Turn left at Market Street.
6. Turn right toward Octavia Street.
7. Turn left at Octavia Street.
8. Turn right at Waller Street.
9. Turn right at Laguna Street.

Garden for the Environment

Garden for the Environment maintains a nationally acclaimed one-acre urban demonstration garden and offers environmental education programs about organic gardening, urban compost systems and sustainable food systems. Since its founding in 1990, the garden has operated as a demonstration site for small-scale urban ecological food production, organic gardening and low water-use landscaping.

Today, GFE’s programs include four central educational elements; a three month intensive Gardening and Composting Educator Training program, monthly Compost Education workshops conducted at the garden and community gardens throughout San Francisco, the Resource Efficient Landscape Education series, and the School Education program offered in partnership with San Francisco Unified School District and San Francisco’s Department of the Environment.
Learn more.

The Garden is located on 7th Avenue at Lawton Street.

Directions to the Free Farm

Location: Corner of Eddy Street and Gough Street

Bus #31 has a stop at this corner.

Directions to The Free Farm:

From the Golden Gate Bridge (driving):

1. Head South on 101, continuing onto Doyle Drive, and then onto Lombard Street.
2. Turn right on Gough Street.

From the Bay Bridge (Driving):

1. Head west on 80.
2. Take exit 1B to merge onto 101-N toward Golden Gate Bridge.
3. Take exit 434A to merge onto 101-N/Mission Street toward Golden Gate Bridge.
4. Turn left at South Van Ness Avenue.
5. Turn left at Turk Street.
6. Turn right at Franklin Street.
7. Turn left at Eddy Street.

From the Mission from 16th Street and Harrison (Biking - burns 150 calories!):

1. Head north on Harrison.
2. Turn left at 12th Street.
3. Turn right at South Van Ness Avenue.
4. Turn left at McAllister Street.
5. Turn right at Buchanan Street.
6. Turn right at Eddy Street.

The Free Farm

The Free Farm is an urban farm founded in January 2010, by a constellation of non-profit organizations in San Francisco. We are located on a 1/3 acre lot on the corner of Gough and Eddy Streets on a parcel loaned to us by St. Paulus Lutheran Church. By the time of this writing (7-13-10) we have built a farm, grown and given away over 1,000 pounds of fresh organic produce, convened gardening and urban homesteading workshops, and hosted community, school, and religious groups. Learn more.

Regular garden workdays: Wednesdays and Saturdays from 10am-2pm, to visit the farm or lend a hand. Vegan lunch is shared at noon on work days.

Native Plants (Visitation Valley)

Location: This is #6 on the map to the right. Tioga Avenue between Rutland St. and Delta St.

Directions to the Native Plants lot at the Visitation Valley Greenway Community Garden:

From the Golden Gate Bridge (driving):

1. Head South on 101, continuing onto Doyle Drive, and then onto Lombard Street.
2. Turn right on Webster Street.
3. Turn left at Oak Street.
4. Turn right at Octavia Boulevard.
5. Continue onto 101.
6. Take exit 429B toward Cow Palace.
7. Follow signs for Bayshore Blvd. S and merge onto Bay Shore Boulevard.
8. Turn right at Raymond Avenue.
9. Turn right at Rutland Street.
10. Turn left at Tioga Avenue.

From the Bay Bridge (Driving):

1. Head west on 80.
2. Merge onto 101.
3. Take exit 429B toward Cow Palace.
4. Follow signs for Bayshore Blvd. S and merge onto Bay Shore Boulevard.
5. Turn right at Raymond Avenue.
6. Turn right at Rutland Street.
7. Turn left at Tioga Avenue.

From the Mission from 16th Street and Harrison (Biking - burns 300 calories!):

1. Head south on Harrison.
2. Turn left at 22nd Street.
3. Turn right at Hampshire Street.
4. Cross Cesar Chavez Street, making a slight left toward Holladay Avenue.
5. Turn right at Holladay Avenue.
6. Turn left to cross the freeway to Bay Shore Boulevard.
7. Turn right at Bay Shore Boulevard.
8. Turn left at Bacon Street.
9. Turn left at San Bruno Avenue.
10. Turn right at Harkness Avenue.
11. Turn left at Goettingen Street.
12. Turn right at Tioga Avenue.

Agricultural Beds (Visitation Valley)

Location: Corner of Tucker Avenue and Rutland St.


Directions to Agricultural Beds:

From the Golden Gate Bridge (driving):

1. Head South on 101, continuing onto Doyle Drive, and then onto Lombard Street.
2. Turn right on Webster Street.
3. Turn left at Oak Street.
4. Turn right at Octavia Boulevard.
5. Continue onto 101.
6. Take exit 429B toward Cow Palace.
7. Follow signs for Bayshore Blvd. S and merge onto Bay Shore Boulevard.
8. Turn right at Raymond Avenue.
9. Turn right at Rutland Street.

From the Bay Bridge (Driving):

1. Head west on 80.
2. Merge onto 101.
3. Take exit 429B toward Cow Palace.
4. Follow signs for Bayshore Blvd. S and merge onto Bay Shore Boulevard.
5. Turn right at Raymond Avenue.
6. Turn right at Rutland Street.

From the Mission from 16th Street and Harrison (Biking - burns 300 calories!):

1. Head south on Harrison.
2. Turn left at 22nd Street.
3. Turn right at Hampshire Street.
4. Cross Cesar Chavez Street, making a slight left toward Holladay Avenue.
5. Turn right at Holladay Avenue.
6. Turn left to cross the freeway to Bay Shore Boulevard.
7. Turn right at Bay Shore Boulevard.
8. Turn left at Bacon Street.
9. Turn left at San Bruno Avenue.
10. Turn right at Wilde Avenue.
11. Turn slightly left at Alpha Street.
12. Turn right at Tucker Avenue.

Playground (Visitation Valley)

Location: Campbell Avenue at Rutland St.

Directions to Playground:

From the Golden Gate Bridge (driving):

1. Head South on 101, continuing onto Doyle Drive, and then onto Lombard Street.
2. Turn right on Webster Street.
3. Turn left at Oak Street.
4. Turn right at Octavia Boulevard.
5. Continue onto 101.
6. Take exit 429B toward Cow Palace.
7. Follow signs for Bayshore Blvd. S and merge onto Bay Shore Boulevard.
8. Turn right at Raymond Avenue.
9. Turn right at Rutland Street.

From the Bay Bridge (Driving):

1. Head west on 80.
2. Merge onto 101.
3. Take exit 429B toward Cow Palace.
4. Follow signs for Bayshore Blvd. S and merge onto Bay Shore Boulevard.
5. Turn right at Raymond Avenue.
6. Turn right at Rutland Street.

From the Mission from 16th Street and Harrison (Biking - burns 300 calories!):

1. Head south on Harrison.
2. Turn left at 22nd Street.
3. Turn right at Hampshire Street.
4. Cross Cesar Chavez Street, making a slight left toward Holladay Avenue.
5. Turn right at Holladay Avenue.
6. Turn left to cross the freeway to Bay Shore Boulevard.
7. Turn right at Bay Shore Boulevard.
8. Turn left at Bacon Street.
9. Turn left at San Bruno Avenue.
10. Turn right at Campbell Avenue.

Medicinal Plants (Visitation Valley)

Location: Arleta Avenue between Rutland St. and Alpha St.

Directions to Medicinal Plants:

From the Golden Gate Bridge (driving):

1. Head South on 101, continuing onto Doyle Drive, and then onto Lombard Street.
2. Turn right on Webster Street.
3. Turn left at Oak Street.
4. Turn right at Octavia Boulevard.
5. Continue onto 101.
6. Take exit 429B toward Cow Palace.
7. Follow signs for Bayshore Blvd. S and merge onto Bay Shore Boulevard.
8. Turn right at Raymond Avenue.
9. Take the first right onto Alpha Street.
10. Take the first left onto Arleta Avenue.

From the Bay Bridge (Driving):

1. Head west on 80.
2. Merge onto 101.
3. Take exit 429B toward Cow Palace.
4. Follow signs for Bayshore Blvd. S and merge onto Bay Shore Boulevard.
5. Turn right at Raymond Avenue.
6. Take the first right onto Alpha Street.
7. Take the first left onto Arleta Avenue.

From the Mission from 16th Street and Harrison (Biking - burns 300 calories!):

1. Head south on Harrison.
2. Turn left at 22nd Street.
3. Turn right at Hampshire Street.
4. Cross Cesar Chavez Street, making a slight left toward Holladay Avenue.
5. Turn right at Holladay Avenue.
6. Turn left to cross the freeway to Bay Shore Boulevard.
7. Turn right at Bay Shore Boulevard.
8. Turn left at Bacon Street.
9. Turn left at San Bruno Avenue.
10. Turn right at Arleta Avenue.

Greenhouse/Kids' Beds (Visitation Valley)

Location: Raymond Avenue between Rutland St. and Alpha St.

Directions to Greenhouse/Kids' Beds:

From the Golden Gate Bridge (driving):

1. Head South on 101, continuing onto Doyle Drive, and then onto Lombard Street.
2. Turn right on Webster Street.
3. Turn left at Oak Street.
4. Turn right at Octavia Boulevard.
5. Continue onto 101.
   
6. Take exit 429B toward Cow Palace.
   
7. Follow signs for Bayshore Blvd. S and merge onto Bay Shore Boulevard.
8. Turn right at Raymond Avenue.

From the Bay Bridge (Driving):

1. Head west on 80.
2. Merge onto 101.
3. Take exit 429B toward Cow Palace.
4. Follow signs for Bayshore Blvd. S and merge onto Bay Shore Boulevard.
5. Turn right at Raymond Avenue.

From the Mission from 16th Street and Harrison (Biking - burns 300 calories!):

1. Head south on Harrison.
   
2. Turn left at 22nd Street.
3. Turn right at Hampshire Street.
4. Cross Cesar Chavez Street, making a slight left toward Holladay Avenue.
5. Turn right at Holladay Avenue.
6. Turn left to cross the freeway to Bay Shore Boulevard.
7. Turn right at Bay Shore Boulevard.
8. Turn left at Bacon Street.
   
9. Turn left at San Bruno Avenue.
   
10. Turn right at Arleta Avenue.
    
11. Turn left at Alpha Street.
    
12. Turn right at Raymond Avenue.

Hans Schiller Plaza (Visitation Valley)

Location: Leland Avenue, between Rutland St. and Alpha St.

Directions to Hans Schiller Plaza:

From the Golden Gate Bridge (driving):

1. Head South on 101, continuing onto Doyle Drive, and then onto Lombard Street.
2. Turn right on Webster Street.
   
3. Turn left at Oak Street.
4. Turn right at Octavia Boulevard.
5. Continue onto 101.
6. Take exit 429B toward Cow Palace.
7. Follow signs for Bayshore Blvd. S and merge onto Bay Shore Boulevard.
8. Turn right at Leland Avenue.

From the Bay Bridge (Driving):

1. Head west on 80.
   
2. Merge onto 101.
   
3. Take exit 429B toward Cow Palace.
   
4. Follow signs for Bayshore Blvd. S and merge onto Bay Shore Boulevard.
5. Turn right at Leland Ave.

From the Mission from 16th Street and Harrison (Biking - burns 300 calories!):

1. Head south on Harrison.
2. Turn left at 22nd Street.
   
3. Turn right at Hampshire Street.
   
4. Cross Cesar Chavez Street, making a slight left toward Holladay Avenue.
   
5. Turn right at Holladay Avenue.
   
6. Turn left to cross the freeway to Bay Shore Boulevard.
   
7. Turn right at Bay Shore Boulevard.
   
8. Turn left at Bacon Street.
   
9. Turn left at San Bruno Avenue.
   
10. Turn right at Leland Avenue.

Directions to Visitation Valley Garden

The Visitation Valley Greenway Community Garden (VVGCG) is comprised of 6 lots on Arleta between Alpha and Rutland.

Buses that have stops near the Greenway include #9 (San Bruno), #56 (Rutland), and #15 (Third).

Activities at Visitation Valley Greenway will take place at the six different lots. Please see each lots' blog post for more information:

1: Hans Schiller Plaza (directions)

2: Greenhouse/Kids' Beds (directions)

3: Medicinal Plants (directions)

4: Playground (directions)

5: Agricultural Beds (directions)

6: Native Plants (directions)

Directions to Visitation Valley Greenway:

From the Golden Gate Bridge (driving):

1. Head South on 101, continuing onto Doyle Drive, and then onto Lombard Street.
2. Turn right on Webster Street.
3. Turn left at Oak Street.
4. Turn right at Octavia Boulevard.
5. Continue onto 101.
6. Take exit 429B toward Cow Palace.
7. Follow signs for Bayshore Blvd. S and merge onto Bay Shore Boulevard.
8. Turn right at Raymond Avenue.
9. Take the first right onto Alpha Street.
10. Take the first left onto Arleta Avenue.

From the Bay Bridge (Driving):

1. Head west on 80.
2. Merge onto 101.
3. Take exit 429B toward Cow Palace.
4. Follow signs for Bayshore Blvd. S and merge onto Bay Shore Boulevard.
5. Turn right at Raymond Avenue.
6. Take the first right onto Alpha Street.
7. Take the first left onto Arleta Avenue.

From the Mission from 16th Street and Harrison (Biking - burns 300 calories!):

1. Head south on Harrison.
2. Turn left at 22nd Street.
   
3. Turn right at Hampshire Street.
4. Cross Cesar Chavez Street, making a slight left toward Holladay Avenue.
5. Turn right at Holladay Avenue.
6. Turn left to cross the freeway to Bay Shore Boulevard.
7. Turn right at Bay Shore Boulevard.
8. Turn left at Bacon Street.
   
9. Turn left at San Bruno Avenue.
10. Turn right at Arleta Avenue.

Growing Home Community Garden

Winner of the 2010 NEN Community Challenge Grant Award, the Growing Home Community Garden’s (GHCG) mission is to provide a community garden where both homeless and housed San Franciscans work side-by-side to grow nutritious food, access green space, and build community.

53% of the gardening work at GHCG is done by homeless and formerly homeless individuals. Project Homeless Connect, in collaboration with the Department of Public Health, Department of Public Works, San Francisco Clean City Coalition, Farms to Grow, the Hayes Valley Neighborhood Association, and many others, are working to make Growing Home a functional, sustainable, and educational green space while increasing efficient use of the city’s resources for our homeless population.

Seeding Resilience is the Growing Home Community Garden's (GHCG) new project to increase access to mental health services and increase employment opportunities and skills. A two year innovation project with major support provided by the Mental Health Services Act (MHSA), the Seeding Resilience project is 75% focused on the GHCG (Octavia & Lily) and 25% on Urban Agricultural leaders in San Francisco to build a citywide network of support for mental health consumers.

Visitation Valley Greenway Community Garden

The Visitation Valley Greenway Community Garden (VVGCG) is comprised of 6 lots on Arleta between Alpha and Rutland. 4 of the lots are fully ADA accessible. VVGCG is a model of how city and neighborhood groups can work together to create green spaces, provide educational opportunities, divert rainwater that would otherwise end up in the sewers and create a laboratory for the communities gardening needs.

Below, check out photos of the 6 lots that make up the community garden:

Playground and park space
Agriculture beds Green House and Kids Raised Beds
Herbal garden
Natural plants
Hans Schiller Plaza