Pollinator Garden
Providing a Sanctuary
Since 2021, hardworking volunteer Makers have been transforming the farm's "Mound" from a heavily overgrown forest of invasive mustard, radish, fennel, atop a 12' high and 40' long pile of long-decomposing sugarcane into a delightful, mammal, bird and pollinator-friendly expanse of plants.
The garden provides food, water and refuge for creatures like field mice, the American goldfinch, and thousands of insects. When exploring the garden, pay close attention to your surroundings and look closely for one of the unique insects, fungi and birds who reside here.
Documenting the Wild Things!
Together, the properties Farm-to-Market , Ploughshares Nursery, and Makerfarm create a vital wildlife corridor in the Bay Area, supporting biodiversity and providing a sanctuary for wildlife. See some of them on the Bay Area Maker Farm Project on iNaturalist. Add some of your own observations when visiting the farm!
Volunteer at the MakerFarm! Join us on the Garden Team for a day, or a year.
Check Out Our Native Plant Signs
To help other gardeners better understand the interrelationships of the species, Wholly H2O, a local watershed resilience nonprofit whose office is at the farm, brought together interns from Northgate High School, UC Berkeley, and a professional designer to design Native Plant Signs that include:
Plant names in Spanish, Mandarin Chinese
Ohlone uses
Insects and birds that rely on the plant for nectar, and pollen
Insects that rely on the plant as a host for their young.
These signs are a fantastic addition to any garden, especially well-suited for schools or similar learning environments.