About Farm Alley

The Land

Situated at the base of Mt Barnaby, in West Marin, Farm Alley is a five acre property with a 50 year old walnut orchard, a stunning light-filled art studio, and a seasonal flower farm. From the natural elements of the land to our hand-built gardens and structures, Farm Alley offers a variety of spaces that we’ve naturally curated and designed to inspire creativity. Whether you’re sitting under the shade of a walnut tree, binding handmade paper to make a book in the art studio, or eating a snack in the glass house, we hope you feel like a part of the land when you’re here. 

Camps and Workshops

Farm Alley offers a variety of camps each year that are inspiring, educational, and fun. We encourage and teach campers how to use natural materials with a focus on handmade paper. We engage with and appreciate the environment and we lead structured art projects on textiles, paper making, and natural dyes. We allow kids to discover their own resourcefulness and in doing so, learn more about themselves. We foster a cooperative group dynamic while also honoring the individual learning styles of each child. 

In addition to our summer camp program, we also offer various workshops and private events throughout the year. If you’re interested in hosting something on our land, please reach out. We would love to coordinate with you.  

Come Visit Us

What we love most about this place is that is it forever evolving. We are constantly creating new spaces, growing botanicals in the garden, and designing workshops based on the seasons and the natural changes of the land. Whether we’re planting seeds during camp or picking walnuts in the fall, we’re reminded of the dynamic landscape that surrounds us. We look forward to inviting you to Farm Alley again and again to experience the changes yourself. 

Julie Benjamin has always had a deep appreciation for the outdoors, children, and creative exploration. With a degree in Studio Art and training in early childhood education, Julie has taught preschool and elementary school in a variety of locations from coast to coast. She is a spontaneous artist, who can create beauty out of any found object. She encourages kids to explore their own questions and individuality through artistic self-expression, collaboration with other campers, and by simply "being" in nature. Julie lives at Farm Alley with her husband Alex, daughter Myla Rose, and a handful of animals! 

Deepa Natarajan is a bright star full of creative energy, spunk, compassion, and knowledge. With a degree in Anthropology and recently finishing a MSc in Ethnobotny, she is fascinated with new perspectives about the world and nature. When not at Farm Alley, Deepa is a permanent fixture at the University of California Botanical Garden at Berkeley and heads up their educational programming. She is well versed in teaching, workshops, and family programming. She is passionate about natural dyes and textiles, South Indian dancing, horticulture, herb crafting, and sharing time with her son Loka, husband Gautam, and her two pups.