What's Growing 2018?
As the days grow darker and cold fronts erase summer's dog days, events and festivities move indoors. This transition includes many of our farmers' markets packing up for the winter. However, this does not mean that we have to go without fresh, locally grown fruits and veggies until spring. Many local farms offer Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) winter shares. While you’re not going to find fresh peaches or vine-ripe tomatoes in your box, you will find local produce of the winter variety, plus other local foods that might offer even more product diversity than a summer CSA box. Click here for a list of Solano County CSAs that delivery to your city.
Local food is also happening at the community level! St Paul’s United Methodist Church will be our next demonstration food forest installation site. Join us for a community-building, hands-on pubic workshop this Saturday, November 3rd! We’ll be laying the foundation that will transform a barren lawn into a thriving, wise-water, edible oasis that will serve as a community garden for Vacaville residents.
Want to Grow Fresh Fruits and Veggies at Your Apartment or Church?
Our Solano Gardens program staff is currently looking for apartment complexes and churches in Vallejo and Fairfield interested in having a water-efficient, edible garden on site.These gardens will serve as a source of fresh produce for people in need across diverse communities in Solano County. If you are an apartment resident or property manager interested in participating, email gabriela@sustainablesolano.org. Sites will be assessed the month of November.
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Upcoming Events
Saturday, November 3rd
10:00am-4:00pm, Register for address, Vacaville
This is Day 1 of installation for "Shalom" public garden at St. Paul's United Methodist Churchin Vacaville! We will be laying down the foundation of this edible garden: digging on contour swales, making birms, diverting the roof water and planting trees. Break ground with friends and neighbors and learn how to use water wisely while creating an environment where life supporting plants thrive. Please bring hats, gloves, reusable water bottle and sunblock. Register here.
10:00am-4:00pm, Register for Vacaville location
Learn hands-on how to install a simple laundry-to-landscape system in your own home. You will learn how to install a simple three-way valve in your laundry room, connect the pipe from your washing machine to your landscape, and how to prepare your landscape to receive the greywater. Please bring hats, gloves, reusable water bottle and sunblock.Register here.
Saturday, November 10th
This fun cooking class will focus on ancient grains, ones you may have never heard of. Our ancient grain recipes can add a glamorous side to your holiday meal or quickly morph into a delicious grain bowl for those vegetarian or vegan guests that might join your table. Chef Lisa Núñez-Hancock will clue you in on how to cook unusual, healthy grains and build a delicious and nutritious grain bowl that will no doubt be a tasty conversation piece at your holiday dinner. Participants will get tasty samples, take away a recipe booklet, and enjoy an extra special foodie surprise! Registration is not required.
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Saturday, November 17th
Day 3 of this public installation series at "Shalom" demonstration food forest garden will focus on planting a community of plants with multiple functions that support a healthy ecosystem, surface drip irrigation and using organic matter to prevent water evaporation and build healthy soil. Register here.
2:00pm-3:00pm, Mission Solano, 310 Beck Avenue., Fairfield
We'll cover permaculture on a community scale, where massive amounts of free food are being grown by community members on both private and public land. Not only do these "food forests" nourish the surrounding community, they also help to educate and inspire, all while providing necessary habitat for local wildlife!
Following the talk, we'll take a tour of our demonstration food forest garden at Mission Solano, fed by secondary water (laundry-to-landscape greywater system, diverted roofwater). Register here.
Thursday, November 29th
Understand what money is and how it enables economic life, the origins of value creation and banking systems, forging the Financial Future, associative economics and more! This is the first talk in the series of 5 presentations about Next Economy - stay tuned for more! Register here.
Where to Find Us This Month
"The growth and development of people is the highest calling of leadership." - Harvey S. Firestone
November 14th-18th, Portland, OR
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By: Stephanie Oelsligle Jordan, Local Food Program Manager
Sustainable Solano’s Local Food Advisory Board had their third meeting on September 18, 2018. This group was formed to support Sustainable Solano’s Local Food initiative, launched in October 2017, with the help of a USDA Local Food Promotion Program planning grant. The meeting was graciously hosted by Solano Community Foundation in Fairfield, CA. (Many thanks to all the SCF staff who helped with set-up, lights and technology!) The meeting began with an overview by Elena Karoulina, Executive Director of Sustainable Solano, who stated that our original project – examining the feasibility of Community Food Centers in Solano County’s seven cities – has outgrown itself. We have gone beyond the grant and are now envisioning a larger Solano County Local Food System, which will require an alliance among farmers and other stakeholders in the County.[Read more...]
By: Nicole Newell, Sustainable Landscaping Program Manager
Permaculture enthusiasts from all over the country and beyond gathered at the Solar Living Institute to attend three days of workshops, keynote speakers, panels, skill shares, ceremonies and so much more. This was a gathering of authentic people genuinely working at creating a world that works for everyone. I walked away from the convergence inspired by the community initiatives. Here are a few that stood out: Ann Kreilkamp, the founder of Green Acres Permaculture Village, spoke about this intergenerational, intentional community. Located in a suburban neighborhood in Indiana, it includes three adjacent homes, permaculture gardens, pathways and common areas (two greenhouses, a workshop space and a chicken house). [Read more...]
The Narratives of Permaculture
By: Gabriela Estrada, Sustainable Solano Project Coordinator
As a new member of Sustainable Solano, I have had the pleasure of interacting with different members that play key roles in advancing a message of Earth Care, People Care and Fair Share. While the message is clear and the work that has been put forth just as fantastic, it has been even more interesting discovering the instances and uniqueness of everyone’s relation to different aspects of sustainability and permaculture. [Read more...]
Last year, the Chinese government tightened its restrictions on recyclable trash exported by the U.S. China has historically imported 45% of the world’s plastic and paper waste since 1992 with contamination rates as high as 5% per bale. Now, China only accepts bales containing less than 1% of those impurities. It is a big change that will be challenging to meet. [Read more...]
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December Preview
Sustainable Solano will be converting a 3.5-acre campus into a resilient, mixed canopy urban forest! Learn the benefits of urban tree planting and join us in reducing greenhouse gases through this hands-on community project! We will be planting up to 20 Carbon Sequestering Trees and building healthy soil through adding organic matter, reducing water evaporation and creating conditions for thriving trees. Cork Oak, Italian Stone Pine, Coastal Live Oak and Camphor are just a few of the shading-providing trees that help mitigate climate change. Register here.
Dive deeper into the unseen aspects of permaculture, also known as “The Invisible Structures”, all of which are basic human needs. Learn how incorporating a permaculture approach to meeting these needs can provide us with security and resiliency during challenging times. Following this one-hour talk, we’ll take a guided tour of our demonstration food forest garden, fed by secondary water (laundry-to-landscape greywater system and roofwater diversion) at Mission Solano. Register here.
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Partners and Community Member Events
Tuesday, November 6th is Election Day!
Click here for the Official Voter Information Guide.
For a candidate guide, polling place information, to verify registration status and more, click here.
Master Gardeners at Benicia Library
Benicia Library, 150 E L Street, Benicia
Benicia All-Star Plants: November 5th, 12:30pm-1:30pm
Kids and Gardening: November 19th, 2:00pm-3:00pm
Gardening in Small Spaces- November 16th, 1:30pm-2:30pm
Master Gardeners will be at Benicia Library this month covering an array of topics that are sure to vamp up your home and school gardens! Registration is not required.
November 17th, 10:00am-11:15am, 419 Farragut Avenue, Vallejo
Learn about growing and harvesting lovely items like Bachelor Buttons and other flowering plants! Feel free to bring harvested items for gardener show and tell, or questions about your garden! Share plans about your winter garden too! This event is FREE and open to the public.
Cultivate Community Food Co-op Wants to Hear From You!
Cultivate Community Food Co-op’s (CCFC) Outreach Committee wants to hear from organizations throughout our local food community. If you are interested in scheduling a brief, 10-minute information presentation to share with groups who want to learn more, please contact kim@cultivatecommunityfood.coop.
Only 42 new owners are needed to reach the year-end goal of 160 share owners. It can be done! Let's spread the word.
December 6th, 9:00am-3:30pm, Solano Land Trust, 700 Main Street, Suite 210, Suisun City
Local women landowners in Solano, Yolo, and Napa Counties are invited to attend this conservation learning circle. Women for the Land is an American Farmland Trust program that supports female landowners in accessing resources and building strong networks around conservation.
Hosted in partnership with Solano Land Trust and NRCS, the topic of this learning circle is on whole farm conservation planning. Participants will meet and network with other women landowners, connect with local conservation agency staff, learn about creating a whole farm conservation plan, and tour a farm to see conservation practices at work.
Lunch will be provided.
Farm Camp for School Holidays at Connolly Ranch
Connolly Ranch, 3141 Browns Valley Road, Napa
November 02, 2018, 8:30am-12:30pm
November 12, 2018, 8:30am-4:00pm
When school is out, what are the kids going to do? Unplug with a drop-off day camp on a 12-acre farm! Kids enjoy new hands-on, seasonal activities to keep children engaged and having a great time while learning about farm animals, gardening and the many lessons nature has to offer. There will also be corporative games, music and unstructured play on a natural playground. Programs: Ages 3-15. Half-day options for ages 3-5. Click here to register.
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Community Conversations
Sustainable Solano's Conversations Initiative is expanding countywide to bring you inspirational, engaging and meaningful talks on sustainability topics you care about. Global sustainability, our local economy, sustainable landscaping, waste--what speakers would you like to hear speak on these topics? Any relevant films that you feel we should show? Email your requests, thoughts, and ideas to
marcella@sustainablesolano.org. Visit our calendar for upcoming speaker events in your area.
Sustainable Solano's website has information about our exciting programs, upcoming events, and other community news.
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Want to engage? Be creative?
If you are a blogger, photographer, or just interested in volunteering, please join in! If you are interested supporting a sustainable future in Solano County, let's talk at
info@sustainablesolano.org
Something to share?
Newsletter deadlines are the 3rd Friday of the month. Please email to marcella@sustainablesolano.org
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