Workgroups

Community workgroups are the backbone of Ocean View Farms. Constant effort is needed to keep our six acres tidy, pruned, weeded, watered, and the mounds of garden waste created by 500 plots shredded, composted, and ready to plow back into our sandy soil.

Gardeners are required to work a certain number of hours commensurate with the number of plots they maintain. See Rules & Regs.

To find a workgroup that is right for you, one that suits your skills and abilities, please review the following:

OVF WORKGROUPS

With more than 300 members in our garden, OVF is very fortunate to be able to complete almost all of the tasks that it faces on a volunteer basis. From accounting and carpentry to newsletter layout, plumbing and word processing, OVF would not be the place it is without the wonderful volunteer efforts put forth by its members.

Some of the largest projects require hundreds and hundreds of hours each year and are completed through the work of volunteer committees.

For more information on any of the workgroups listed below contact us.

COMMUNITY WORK DAY WORKGROUP

The vast majority of the work needed to maintain OVF is accomplished on the twice monthly Community Workdays. Under the leadership of Garden Master Ed Mosman and a volunteer workday supervisor (or two,) the community work days are held on the second Saturday of every month from 9 A.M. until 12 Noon and again on the last Sunday of every month from 1:00 P.M. - 4:00 P.M. Member's may attend all, or any portion of a work day! Community hours are awarded in 15 minute increments.

SHREDDING WORKGROUP

The Shredding Workgroup is responsible for processing all of the green waste created at the garden in preparation for its conversion into the more than 300 tons of fabulous compost created each year. Under the leadership of Garden Master Ed Mosman and Team Leader Richard Nortman, the shredding committee meets every Tuesday morning starting at 8:00 AM in the orchard. Activities usually last between one and two hours followed by coffee and pastries served under the large pine tree.

COMPOST WORKGROUP

The Compost Workgroup meets every Saturday at 9:00 AM. Under the direction of Team Leaders Karl Lisovsky and Richard Nortman, the compost workgroup begins the process of transforming the shredded green waste into wonderful, rich compost. If you are interested in working with this group arrive in the compost area below the shredder and chipper sheds at 9:00 AM on Saturday.

STABLE WASTE WORKGROUP

Under the direction of Compost Master Warren Miyashiro, this workgroup meets on Tuesday morning at 7:00 AM (concurrent with the shredding committee) to shred and process the composted stable waste delivered to OVF by the City of Los Angeles Department of Sanitation. The group generally works for one hour each week. To join this workgroup, meet at the manure bins located adjacent to the large shed between Phases I and II.

ORCHARD WORKGROUP

Under the supervision of orchard supervisor Gale Jones, the Orchard Workgroup meets on an as needed basis to prune, weed, water and feed the three dozen plus trees in our community orchard. Some members of the orchard committee may only be involved in tree pruning while others may adopt a group of trees to weed and water throughout the year.

GREENHOUSE WORKGROUP

Led by Greenhouse Keeper Nina Rumely, the Greenhouse Workgroup manages the operations of the OVF greenhouse and conducts our seedling fund raisers five times per year following the general meeting in February, April, June, October and Decemeber.

MAINTENANCE & CONSTRUCTION

Garden Master Ed Mosman leads this dedicated group in maintaining all of the physical aspects of our six acre property. From the carpenters that build the retaining walls on our hillside lot, to members that install OVF-mandated mailboxes and hose posts, to plumbers that keep the miles of labyrinthine P.V.C. water lines, scores of hose bibs and rolls of winding hoses from leaking, to the mechanics that maintain our shredding and chipping equipment and keep our fleet of wheelbarrows running flat-free, this group is vitally important to the success and enjoyment of the garden by all of the members. To volunteer for any of these tasks please leave a note stating your interest in the Garden Master's mailbox in the small shed.

GATE CLOSERS

THe Gate Closing Monitor oversees this group in securing the garden each night at sundown. Members receive community credit for successfully completing one week of gate closing, ensuring that all garden sheds, interior gates and the large double driveway gate are locked each evening. Refusing to leave the garden at sundown at the request of the gate closer is considered a grave violation and will result in immediate termination of gardening privileges. Sign-up sheets are posted in December for the following calendar year. Garden members may sign-up for a maximum of two weeks per calendar year to gain community work hours. A roster of those on duty for the current year is posted in the main shed. Visit the Gate Closing page for more details.

BEAUTIFICATION WORKGROUP

The Beautification Workgroup is designed to perform general garden maintenance tasks such as weeding pathways, trash collection and other common chores. This committee is ideal for those gardeners who cannot attend our regular bi-monthly community workdays. Members must sign up with the Beautification Committee Coordinator, before performing any work, and must also report the hours worked backn to the coordinator. View a list of current projects the committee is working on.

OVF DONATES

Alicia Bacon leads this group of volunteers that help collect excess produce donated by OVF members for distribution to those less fortunate. Produce is collected every Sunday from 3:00 P.M. - 5:00 P.M.

EDUCATION & ADMINISTRATION

This small group encompasses numerous job functions supervised by various board members, and other appointed positions. Some of the task under this group includes:

  • Serving on the Arbitration Committee
  • Newsletter contributions (both writing and production)
  • Coordinating potluck lunches
  • Docents for school tours
  • Assisting with special events
  • Website and database administration
  • And much more..

If you have a specific professional skill that you think OVF would benefit from, and would like to earn your community hours by volunteering your services, please do not hesitate to contact us.

For a list of specific positions OVF needs filled please visit our Help Wanted page.