Soil Stewardship - 2 Part Series

Soil Stewardship - 2-Part Series

Sundays November 2nd and November 9th, 2025

10 AM - 1 PM at Alemany Farm

DAY 1: Novmber 2nd: Foundations of Soil Science

DAY 2: November 9th: Land-based Soil Health Stewardship

Instructors: Cole Rainey and Zai Wang

The health of our soils is critical to maintaining healthy crops and a flourishing ecosystem, both above and underground. Yet the costs can be significant, and barriers to knowledge prevent us from acting with dignity and reverence for the lands we tend. In this 2-part series of workshops, we hope to demystify soil science, discuss the physical, chemical and biological aspects of soil health, and share easy and accessible strategies for gardeners and landworkers to improve soil and plant health!

Attending to the soil is foundational to the liberation and sovereignty of all our peoples as we struggle for self-determination and a dignified food system. Together, we can increase autonomy in our care for the soils that we depend on for our livelihoods!

In Part 1, Foundations of Soil Science, we will learn the basics of soil science, understanding how physical, biological and chemical properties affect soil health. We will run field tests together to get hands-on experience with different soil properties.

In Part 2, Land-based Soil Health Stewardship, we will discuss how to steward our soils, including planting cover crop at the farm, understanding the principles of soil health, and how to work with the soil microbiome.

TICKETS: Please register for each day that you plan to attend.

Suggested Donation: $32 for one day ($64 for both days) - no one turned away for lack of funds. Our workshops are donation-based and support the growing and distribution of free produce at Alemany Farm. We encourage everyone to make an offering commensurate with your means, and in an amount that feels powerful to you - such gifts make workshops like these possible. We also do not want money to be a barrier to entry. Please reach out if you would like to attend but are unable to donate. If you can afford to make a bigger donation, your contribution will support the work of Alemany Farm and the opportunity for others with more limited funds to attend this class.

INSTRUCTORS:

cole rainey (all pronouns) Cole is a seed keeper, agroecologist, artist, organizer, and educator. As a 5th-generation Californian and a descendent of early settlers, Cole is committed to a lifelong practice of rematriation and reparations. They believe in the radical power of Earth stewardship to heal communities, reclaim ancestral traditions, and lead us towards collective liberation. Cole earned a PhD from UC Berkeley in 2024 at the intersections of soil science and agroecology. Cole’s study of seed, soil, and liberative practice have taken many forms: conducting soil ecology surveys, conspiring with monarch butterflies to re-imagine the commons, creating land-based educational programs, conducting performance art pieces with seedlings, and supporting mutual aid efforts across the Bay Area.

zai wang (they/she) is an interdisciplinary naturalist whose background is in Soil and Watershed Sciences. Formerly a USDA-NRCS Soil Scientist, zai has worked with farmers and land conservancies to survey land and map soil types to support conservation land stewardship practices. They have gained a wide breadth of ecologic knowledge from mapping Anza Borrego Desert State Park, working with soil microbial reduction in subaqueous soils with the Wetland Pedology lab of the University of Maryland, and surveying permafrost soils in the remote Copper River Basin, AK. zai is excited to increase equitable access to knowledge of land by supporting soil sampling and site surveys for farmers, community projects, and home gardeners.

FAQs

What do I do if I cannot afford the suggested donation?

We encourage everyone to make an offering commensurate with your means, and in an amount that feels powerful to you - such gifts make workshops like these possible. We also do not want money to be a barrier to entry. Therefore our workshop is offered freely: please select the "Equity Admission" option if it applies to you. If you can afford to make a bigger donation, your contribution will support this opportunity for those with more limited available funds. We also do not want money to be a barrier to entry. Please contact us if you are not able to make a donation at this time.

What happens if it rains?

Rain will likely cancel and we will try to reschedule. If rain is in the forecast, we will be in touch with you a few days before the workshop with more information.

Can I get there with public transportation?

Yes, please see the Get Involved page on our website. Note if you are taking BART, please use the walking directions provided here (google can lead you astray).

Is there parking?

Yes there is limited parking on the farm (on the gravel drive inside the fence). There is also street parking on Alemany Blvd and Ellsworth streets.