Koshland Gardener Feature: Sara Vasquez

Next time you see your neighbor, stop and say hello! They might just share some wisdom with you.

Sara Vasquez is a new Community Gardener at Koshland Garden as of May 2025. She grew up helping her parents on their farm in Spain and mostly helped them with harvesting, but now is growing her own fruits and vegetables here in San Francisco! She stumbled across the garden while on a walk with a friend and became entranced by its beauty and whimsy and she just knew she had to get involved. After 2 years on the waitlist, she finally got a plot! Starting a garden may be hard, but is much easier when you have a large community behind you. This garden has given her a network of people who share a common goal and love to exchange expertise.

Every gardener knows the feeling when you’ve watched your precious crops grow all season long, and right when you’re ready to harvest… they mysteriously disappear. Since Koshland Garden is an open garden to the community, she has had to become clever while planning her crops. Instead of planting bright red tomatoes that stand out from the leaves, she chose to grow Smurf Cherry Tomatoes that turn an almost black color to camouflage them from predators. With a little planning, and a lot of play, you may have a larger harvest than you hoped for. Though sometimes Karl the Fog does not help… unfortunately mold has spread over a few of the gardener’s crops! But Sara stays positive and flexible and has learned to let go of expectations with the effects of the changing weather, pests, and other uncontrollable factors.

Sara’s excitement for gardening has spread to other community members that meander through the colorful garden rows. She tells a story about a mom and her child walking around the garden admiring the beautiful flowers. She shared with them the delicious scent of pineapple sage and the child’s eyes lit up. This sparked a sense of wonder and the child began to wander around the garden smelling every plant their little nose could reach. Sara has been on the receiving end of mentorship by Bob, another community gardener, who introduced her to many unexpected edible plants. Being able to share these experiences with others is important to pass down knowledge and traditions.

If you would like to check out Sara‘s plot, make your way to #22. She’s currently growing tomatoes, lettuce, zucchini, parsley, and potato volunteers!

Disclaimer: Koshland is a space for anyone to enjoy, but please be aware that harvesting is only to be done by the individual community gardeners of the plot. Please do not take produce, herbs, or flowers from the garden. If you would like to get involved in the garden, apply to be placed on the waitlist or join volunteer days!