South Central Farm facts for kids

The South Central Farm, also called the South Central Community Garden, was a large urban farm and community garden. It was located in an industrial part of South Los Angeles, California, near East 41st and South Alameda Streets. This farm was active from 1994 to 2006.

At 14 acres (about 5.7 hectares), it was one of the biggest urban farms in the United States. The land was sold in 2004, and the farmers were asked to leave in 2006. On July 5, 2006, workers started to clear the farm with bulldozers. This happened during strong protests and acts of peaceful resistance. The farmers argued in court that the sale was not fair and held protests. The farm's story is told in the 2008 Academy Award-nominated movie The Garden and the PBS film, South Central Farm, Oasis in a Concrete Desert.

The Farm's Story

Before it became a garden, the land belonged to several different owners. The biggest owner was Alameda-Barbara Investment Company, a real estate business. The City of Los Angeles bought the land in 1986. They planned to build a facility to turn waste into energy, called LANCER. The city paid about $4.8 million for the property.

However, a group called Concerned Citizens of South Central Los Angeles, led by Juanita Tate, stopped the project in 1987. After that, the land was left empty for a while.

In 1994, the City sold the property to the L.A. Harbor Department. In July 1994, the Harbor Department allowed the L.A. Regional Food Bank to use the land as a community garden. This is how the South Central Farm began.

Legal Challenges and Sale

When the city first bought the land, the original owner, Alameda-Barbara Investment Company, had a right to buy it back. This was if the city sold it for non-public uses within ten years. In 2001, Ralph Horowitz, a partner in Alameda-Barbara, sued the City. He said they did not honor this agreement.

In 2003, the City of L.A. settled with Horowitz in a private meeting. The land was sold to him for about $5.05 million. This was a little more than what the City had paid for it. As part of the deal, Horowitz agreed to give 2.6 acres (about 1 hectare) of the land for a public soccer field. The City Council approved this deal in a closed meeting. The South Central Farm's lawyer said that documents about this meeting were never released.

After this, the farmers formed a group called 'South Central Farmers Feeding Families'.

On January 8, 2004, Horowitz told the gardeners they had to leave by February 29, 2004. The farmers then hired lawyers and filed a lawsuit to stop the sale. A court temporarily stopped any building on the land. But the farmers lost their lawsuit, and the court allowed Horowitz to ask them to leave.

Efforts to Save the Farm

Horowitz initially wanted $16.3 million for the land. This was more than three times its value in 1986. The farmers, with help from The Trust for Public Land, managed to raise a little over $6 million. They continued to raise money. Farmers and famous people even protested by sitting in trees and occupying the land. They faced the threat of being forced out by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.

On June 7, 2006, the Annenberg Foundation offered to donate money to buy the farm. However, Horowitz did not accept the offer because it came after his deadline.

The Eviction

On June 13, 2006, at 3 a.m., the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department arrived at the farm. By 4 a.m., they had surrounded it. At 5 a.m., the sheriffs entered and gave everyone 15 minutes to leave. Most people left, but some argued. More than 40 protesters were arrested. Actress Daryl Hannah was removed from a walnut tree where she had been protesting and was arrested.

After the eviction, Horowitz hired a private security company to keep people from returning to the land. He told news outlets that he would not sell the land to the farmers, even for $100 million. He mentioned that they had protested at his house and made anti-Semitic comments towards him.

On July 5, 2006, workers started bulldozing the farm. Protesters tried to stop them. One person chained himself to a bulldozer, and another lay in front of one. Both were arrested. Ten people were arrested in total that day.

On July 12, 2006, a judge heard arguments from the farmers. They claimed the sale to Horowitz should be canceled because there was no public notice. On July 27, 2006, the judge upheld the sale. The farmers' lawyer said they would appeal.

By September 2008, Horowitz and Forever 21 were planning to build a warehouse and distribution center on the cleared land. As of June 2011, the land was still an empty lot. In 2022, the city approved a project for warehouses and offices on the site.

New Beginnings: Relocation Efforts

The City of Los Angeles provided 7.8 acres (about 3.2 hectares) of land at a different location. Some of the farmers moved there and started growing crops again. This new site, at 111th Street and Avalon Boulevard, can hold 200 garden plots. The Mayor, Antonio Villaraigosa, also said the city found 100 other plots for community gardens.

A few new groups grew from the original farm. These include the South Central Farmers' Health and Education Fund and South Central Farmers' LLC. Their goal is to provide healthy, organic, and affordable food. The farmers bought land in Buttonwillow, California, and Lake Hughes, California. They now sell nutritious organic food at several farmers' markets. A group of farmers from the original farm still provides healthy foods to families in neighborhoods that need it most.

Amazing Plant Life

The South Central Farm had an estimated 100 to 150 different kinds of plants. A professor named Devon G. Peña identified 37 of them. He said the plants at the farm showed its connection to "Mega-Mexico." This is a special area where many plants were first grown by people a long time ago. This area stretches from southern Mexico up to the Southwestern United States.

Many of the plants were brought back to the area by the farmers. These farmers are descendants of the first people who lived in Mesoamerica. Traditional farmers see plants differently than modern farmers. Many plants that modern farmers call "weeds" are very useful to traditional farmers. Just like dandelions or clover can be used in salads, these plants can be food, herbal medicine, or even used for spiritual reasons. They can also be companion plants, helping other plants grow.

The South Central Farmers

The South Central Farmers were about 350 families from the nearby community. They were a self-governing group. These families changed the land from a junk-filled space into one of the largest urban gardens. After they learned the garden might be destroyed, the group became very active. They gained support from politicians, universities, entertainers, and people from other countries.

The farmers had elected roles chosen from their "General Assembly." Some people, like Rufina Juarez and Tezozomoc, were public representatives. They were often seen as leaders because they talked to the public. However, all roles in the South Central Farm were meant to help the farm stay healthy and active. On the farm, women often handled many jobs, from keeping records to watching over the plots.

Famous Supporters

Many well-known people supported the South Central Farm:

Different Viewpoints

Ralph Horowitz, the owner of the land, said that his property rights were being denied by the farmers. He also claimed that the South Central Farm was not "open" to everyone in the city. Horowitz had offered to build a soccer field for the community on 3 acres (about 1.2 hectares) of the land. He said this field would be open to all city residents, unlike the farm. Horowitz also stated that he would use the rest of the property for businesses that would create jobs. He believed this would be better for the community than the farm. He also said that the farm was unfair because farmers could keep their plots forever, without making room for others.

Los Angeles Councilman Dennis P. Zine said the South Central Farm was a group that liked to argue. Some people also claimed there were problems within the South Central Farm, like farmers being forced out if they didn't support certain leaders.

Activist Juanita Tate was against the community farmers. She supported the idea of removing the farmers and building a sports field instead of the garden.

See also

Images for kids

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  A banner on the fence surrounding the former grounds of the South Central Farm

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  The son of a farmer holding seeds

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  Crops at South Central Farm

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  Kitchen at the farm

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  Dance performance at South Central Farm

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  A sign at the fenceline of South Central Farm

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  South Central Farm a few months after it was bulldozed

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  One of many cactus patches that served as natural fencing and food

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  Different varieties of tomatillos and beans were often for sale at the Sunday farmers' market at the Farm

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  South Central Farmers at their general meeting

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  A participant at South Central Farm