Cottonwood Urban Farm

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United States
Los Angeles, CA
Cottonwood Urban Farm

We are a local vegetable farm focussing on the cross section of food, community, and education.

Nestled in the basin of the Tujunga Wash in the North East San Fernando Valley, Cottonwood Urban Farm (CUF) uses creative growing techniques (season extension, intercropping, succession planting, etc) to cultivate a variety of vegetables, fruits and herbs without the use of large scale farm equipment. CUF is currently in a transformational phase of becoming an agricultural enterprise that fulfills

our goals of (1) providing locally grown produce and programming for Panorama City community members; and (2) providing fresh, organic produce to serve the needs of restaurants and chefs that value sustainability. Social responsibility is a value at CUF and currently CUF runs horticulture therapy and education programming for local youth recovering from substance abuse.

01/17/2025

Our doors will be back open this Saturday, January 18th! In times like these, connecting with the earth and our community can be a beautiful way to center ourselves. CUF is open to volunteers and visitors every Saturday 9am-12pm. If you come by this Saturday, consider wearing a mask depending upon your personal health needs and comfort level.

01/10/2025

Due to the devastating impact of the wildfires and wind storms in Los Angeles, CUF will be closed on Saturday, January 11, 2025. We hope to be back next weekend when the air quality has improved (fingers crossed) and we have been able to clear some of the debris from the wind storms. The safety of our volunteers and community is important to us. Please be safe out there. We love you all!

01/08/2025

Stay safe out there everyone! As we all cope with the extreme wind and fire conditions are some helpful resources and information:

SIGN UP FOR ALERTS
Watch Duty Fire App: watchduty.org
Notify LA: NotifyLA.org
LA County Alerts: https://alertlacounty.genasys.com/portal/en

BE A GOOD NEIGHBOR
Check in on loved ones and neighbors. Share supplies, food, power,
and shelter if needed.

BE PREPARED
Visit ReadyForWildfire.org for tips about preparing for an evacuation and more.

BASIC GO-BAG CHECKLIST
Three-day supply of non-perishable food and three gallons of water per person
Map marked with at least two evacuation routes
Prescriptions or special medications
Change of clothing (and underwear)
Extra eyeglasses or contact lenses
An extra set of car keys, credit cards, cash or traveler's checks
First aid kit
Flashlight
Battery-powered radio and extra batteries
Sanitation supplies
Copies of important documents (birth certificates, passports, etc.)
Pet food and water (and carriers)

EVACUATION SHELTERS
Arcadia Community Center (Arcadia)
Padadena Convention Center (Pasadena)
Padadena Human Society (Pasadena - Small Animals)
Los Angeles Equestrian Center (Burbank - Large Animals)
Ritchie Valens Recreation Center (Pacoima)
El Camino Real Charter High School (Woodland Hills)
Pierce College Equestrian Center (Woodland Hills - Large Animals)
Westwood Recreation Center (Westwood - Accepts Small Animals)
County of Los Angeles Small Animal Shelter (Agoura Hills - Small Animals)

REPORT POWER OUTAGES: ladwp.com/outages or 1-800-342-5397

REQUEST CITY SERVICES (down tree, blocked roads, etc)

lacity.gov/myla311
call 311

12/28/2024

Recycle your Christmas Tree! Just NOT at CUF... We don't have a wood chipper so we don't have the capacity to take Christmas trees at this time. However, if you live in Los Angeles County or other incorporated areas you can set your tree curbside next to your green bin on your normal trash day and the county will pick it up! They turn those trees into mulch to use in parks and other green spaces throughout the city.

Cities and unincorporated communities across Los Angeles County are asking residents to keep in mind the following:

◾ No ornaments, tinsel, lights, nails, or other decorations on your tree
◾ No plastic or metal tree stands
◾ No trees wrapped in plastic
◾ No flocked tress (call in for a bulky item collection)
◾ No artificial trees (call in for a bulky item collection)
◾ No blocking of any sidewalks, alleys, or streets.

Link in Bio with more info about the LA City Christmas pick up and drop off locations.

If you don't live in Los Angeles, check your city's tree pick up policy!

12/24/2024

Cottonwood Urban Farm wishes you all a very happy holiday season and a plant/compost filled new year!
We will be closed this Saturday, December 28th for the holidays but we'll be back in action in the new year starting on January 4th! See you then!

12/17/2024

Our last workshop of the year was a huge hit! Thank you for guiding us through a natural dye workshop this past weekend. We had some beautiful and super creative garments made in this session. Follow us for more workshops in the new year hosted by and ! Happy Holidays!

12/15/2024

What an awesome soil lab and workshop yesterday hosted by for a great group from ! Look out for our next soil lab and workshop in January! Link in bio with more info.

12/12/2024

It is with great sadness to report that we have to cancel our movie night on Friday. ☹️
Our illustrious host has come down with a case of Covid.
Hopefully, we can reschedule in the new year! We'll keep you posted.

12/10/2024

What an amazing cooking workshop this past weekend with ! Scrumptious amaranth porridge with sautéed vegetables and a spicy, seed granola topping! What?! Plus, the chocolate avocado pudding with pomegranate seeds and a sweet seed granola was to die for! We had a lovely group turn out from the community and we had such a great time breaking bread with each other.

Our last workshop of the year hosted by and is this Saturday 12/14 with a Natural Dye workshop. Don't miss out! Link in bio to RSVP.

12/08/2024

Join us next Saturday Dec 14th as and host Karla Mejia from so we can dive into the world of kitchen colors at the Farm. Learn how to detect, brew and color fabrics using food waste and herbs. Karla is a natural dye artist who will teach us all about the use of foods scraps to dye cotton fibers. We will explore the science, beauty and methods on using food waste to create natural dyes.

We will be using two main ingredients found right here at Cottonwood Urban farm as well as two sources often found in your very own kitchen. we will be learning from; Rosemary, Pomegranate Skins, Onion skins and Avocado Pits.

Each participant will dye a pair of cotton socks using an array of dye baths created from the materials shared. You will also receive knowledge on how to replicate this process at home.

Link in bio to rsvp!

12/05/2024

Bring a blanket and a picnic and join us for some holiday merriment! We will be screening an original short documentary about the farm by A***n Tomar, local documentarian and USC film student who will be working with CUF and affiliates to create a “Living Library” in 2025.

After the screening we will be showing the holiday modern classic, ELF! If you know, you know, and if you don’t, hopefully you’ll get the goofiness of childlike wonder!

See ya under the Cottonwood tree!

Friday December 13th
Doc Screening + Movie Night 6-9pm @ CUF
(doors open 5:30pm)
All ages welcome!
8380 Ventura Canyon Ave., Panorama City, Ca, 91402
(Street parking available on Allott Ave. and Reedley St.)

Link in Bio to RSVP.

11/27/2024

Thanksgiving can be a great time of joy but it can also be kinda stressful. So if you need a stress reliever after spending a few days with family, help us smash some pumpkins!

Each year, around 1.3 billion pounds of pumpkins in the U.S. are sent to landfills after Halloween, where they release harmful methane gas that contributes to global warming. But there’s a better way—composting!

Join for their Annual Pumpkin Smash on Saturday, November 30th, from 10 AM – 12 PM at Cottonwood Urban Farm, and help turn your pumpkin back into nutrient-rich soil. Composting your pumpkin nourishes the Earth, reduces waste, and supports a healthier environment.

Link in bio to rsvp and for more information.

11/24/2024

A cozy and rejuvinating morning at our Meditative Team Time! Sound bath, community, and make tea with the herbs from CUF does a body good. Thank you , and for hosting another great workshop. Check out our link in bio for upcoming events!

11/20/2024

Join and this Saturday for a Meditative Tea Time! This event is a farm to teacup experience! Come harvest your choice of tea from the plants available at the farm. This unique workshop will relax your mind with a soothing sound bath, followed by a peaceful intention setting tea-sipping session. Connect with your chosen plant and create a unique artistic tea experience. Depending on the weather, enjoy your tea hot or cold—nature will decide the perfect option. We are excited to create this opportunity for you to find tranquility and creativity in nature.

Link in bio to RSVP!

11/19/2024

We had such a great time at our Tree Planting event this past weekend hosted by ! Thank you to all the volunteers that came out to help and learn the best way to plant/transplant trees. Even the chickens and children helped out. We can't wait to see these young trees mature and grow and give us shade and lots of yummy fruit.

11/15/2024

There are all sorts of little garden treasures sprinkled around the farm! These gnomes and figurines add some extra joy and magic to our space. Next time your at CUF go on a scavenger hunt and see if you can find them all!

11/12/2024

Join us this Saturday for a Tree Planting Day and help grow a greener San Fernando Valley! 🌳

and CUF invite you to a community tree planting event focused on expanding food access and building resilient urban spaces. Together, we’ll plant up to 20 fruit and shade trees to create more green spaces and fresh food sources at the Farm.

We’ll be using compost throughout the planting process to enrich the soil, and as a bonus, small brown bags of compost will be available for everyone to take home! This hands-on event is funded by and their Community Compost for Green Spaces program, making it a great way to make a lasting impact while connecting with fellow community members. No experience needed—all skill levels are welcome but over 16 suggested. Join us for a day of planting, learning, and giving back.

Link in bio to secure your spot!

11/06/2024

Join our friends for their Intro to Hiking Workshop this Saturday! They will be playing fun games and sharing resources on where to hike, what essentials to bring, and how to plan a hike!

For planning purposes, please confirm whether you will be attending this weekend by Friday, November 8th. If you are coming with your group/family, please make sure to let them know how many people total will be attending.

Link in bio to RSVP.

Address

8380 Ventura Canyon Avenue
Los Angeles, CA
91402

Website

http://www.cufarm.org/

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