by Colleen Lynch

School may be out, but this fall, fresh produce will be in. A total of 12 Oakland schools will be hosting weekly produce markets to begin at the start of the school year. These are open to students, parents, and local community members who want to stock up on fruits and vegetables delivered from area farmers.

Photos courtesy of Oakland Food Connection

Jason Harvey, founder of the Oakland Food Connection is aiming for a fruitful summer. In the works are three new gardens, a revamped website, community events, food parties and a booth at the Eat Real festival.

North Oaklanders looking for a community farmers market will have to go no further than the Arlington Farmers Market at 5715 Market St. in the Arlington Medical Center parking lot beginning Saturday, July 3.

The Oakland Food Policy Council, whose mission is to promote a sustainable and equitable food system, met Thursday evening at City Hall in Oakland, Calif., to discuss its 2010 priorities.

My seeds sprouted about a week ago and though the seedlings continue to stretch their tiny newborn leaves toward the sun, they still have a bit more growing to do before they’re ready for the big wide world outside. So instead of the next installment in how to grow your own food, I thought I'd talk a bit about Community Gardens.  

Straight from the Scoeity for Agriculture and Food Ecology:

The days of the hospital snack cart rolling through the waiting room loaded with candy, chips, hot dogs and French fries are coming to a close, for some Oakland hospitals at least.

Nine-year-old Orion Skye Smit-Holm will be selling the first apples, cider and dried fruit ever offered at the Oakland Community Farmers Market this Saturday.

Planting Justice is hosting a Rooftop Garden Workparty this Thursday from 10:30 am to 2 pm.  Si se te antoja trabajar en el jardin or if you are in the mood for some seeding, transplating, propagating and garden talk, email Gavin Raders at gavin@plantingjustice.org.

New partners Kitchen Table Talks and the Center for Urban Education about Sustainable Agriculture (CUESA) are co-hosting a panel discussion to explore ways to distribute local produce better. It will be held on Tuesday, March 2, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.

Our friends at Silicon Valley Debug, a part of Youth Outlook, asked five members to keep food diaries of what they ate and drank for two days. All five have different backgrounds, jobs, living situations, and consequently -- dietary habits.

Oakland has many neighborhoods where social action has improved food access, in West Oakland in particular. But many people continue to live in areas that qualify as food deserts, where there are no outlets to purchase healthy food within walking distance.