Hello Permaculture Community,
Building and growing community is one of the most resilient things we can do in these tumultuous times find ourselves in.
We collectively are purging the old ways of being and transforming them into more permaculture ways of being where we care for the earth, care for all people (and all living things) on the earth, and to share in the abundance!
Locally there are so many ways to be part of our permaculture community. Please “be the change you want to see in the world” and show up:
1. City Farm Monthly Work Parties – we will continue to host monthly work parties out on the farm on the second Saturday, 9am – 12noon. We had a great work party on January 13th. Check out all the details of the work party here: http://centralcoastgrown.org/2018/01/january-13-work-party-deer-fence-construction/
City Farm is a project of the non-profit Central Coast Grown. CCG creates strong connections among farmers, the public and the land to nourish our community, support local agriculture, and make local food products accessible for all. The work we do benefits educational programs such as Farm Class with Pacific Beach High School, PREPARE program for disabled adults and field trips for school groups.
February 10th – Food Forest work party with Josh Carmichael 9am – 12noon
Other dates: March 10th, April 14th, May 12th, June 9th, July 14th, August 11th, September 8th, October 13th, November 10th, December 8th
Permaculture Potlucks are at 12noon at these work parties. Come be part of the local permaculture community by hanging out together on the farm and share food and fun. Great way to network with other permaculturalists.
2. Our Global Family Farm Spring Equinox – March 24th at City Farm 11am – 5pm Donation Based ($10) event to help bring electricity to the farm for future events as well as for the outdoor kitchen area.
This gathering will be a collective work where we gather as a community that would love to Create the Kind of World We Want to see. Regenerating the Earth through Regenerative Agriculture, creating conscious ecosystems for food and health – both for our inner landscapes and outer landscapes. - live music, live art, workshops, and healing throughout the day – Flyer is attached and updated flyer to come! Also please bring a culinary or medicinal herb to add to the Community Herb Garden. (Sorry, not cannabis!)
Another event at Our Global Family Farm will be the 3rd Annual FARMGIRLS Summer Camp on June 26-29, 2018. This is a super fun time for girls to come together on the farm to be empowered by one another. We cultivate farm crops, cook outdoors, do nature crafts and sing songs. Registration is now open: http://www.permaculture.us.com/farmgirls/farmgirls-summer-camp
3. SLO Guild Hall Sustainability
Ecologistics is proud to announce that their newest sponsored organization is SLO Guild Hall Sustainability, the fundraising arm of the San Luis Obispo Guild Hall. The vision of the SLO Guild Hall is to respect and honor the Earth and each other, cultivate healthy food systems, and embrace cultural and ecological diversity with a spirit of generosity and gratitude. SLO Guild Hall has a mission to be sustainable in regard to water harvesting, ground water aquifer recharge, passive conditioning of its hall, 100% electrical generation on site and appropriate landscape design. SLO Guild Hall Sustainability was formed to support efforts to upgrade the SLO Guild Hall to meet these sustainability goals. Ken Haggard of SLO Sustainability Group is working on the design of the project, which will be completed in phases.
Donations can be made to SLO Guild Hall Sustainability by check payable to Ecologistics and sent to 4349 Old Santa Fe Road, #6, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401 or on Ecologistic’s web site: https://ecologistics.org/donate/
Rock & Roll Party February 24th - Also there will be fundraiser event for the SLO Guild Hall Sustainability efforts on February 24th. PARTY!!!
4. Chumash Kitchen event - Winter Health & the Trinity Plants: Saturday, February 3, from 8:30 AM – 1:30 PM
Discover the surprising bounty of winter foods on the central coast and learn how to integrate healing herbs into your diet to ward off seasonal colds. Join us this winter as we reconnect with the local environment, the season, and your health during the winter Chumash Kitchen offering with Chumash chefs and herbalists, Violet Cavanaugh and Jeanette Acosta. This offering will leave you nourished, connected, and grateful for the gifts of nature. You’ll develop a deeper relationship with the native plants, enjoy a wide selection of prepared wild edibles, while learning new methods for incorporating more indigenous foods into modern dishes and your life. We will even enjoy tea-time with roses. Pre-registry is REQUIRED for this intimate offering. http://slobg.org/chumash-kitchen/
5. Composting Bioreactor Intensive - Join us at Orella Ranch, Sunday, January 28th, 10am-4pm to explore how regeneration of soil microbial communities in agroecosystems can improve farm productivity, soil fertility, and system water-use efficiency and to learn how to build these low-cost minimal-labor bioreactors on your farm, ranch or at your home.
Molecular biologist at New Mexico State University, David Johnson is unraveling the “secrets of soil microbes”. The Composting Bioreactor, that he and his wife developed in their research, pumps out a uniquely biodiverse and fungal-dominant compost product, that when used in their experimental plots, by inoculating with just a few hundred pounds per acre of this compost, are showing restored soil fertility with extraordinary plant biomass growth and regenerated soil microbial diversity. $50 - $75 fee. Get your tickets online here:
6. Seed Savings Swap in SB Sunday January 28th 1:30pm – 4:00pm at Trinity Gardens http://www.sbpermaculture.org/events.html
Join us for the 10th Annual Santa Barbara Community Seed Swap at a brand new location! This year at the beautiful Trinity Gardens, with both indoor and outdoor space, for lots of seed sharing activities, children welcome.
Hundreds attend every year, sharing seeds and knowledge with other backyard gardeners, plant lovers, beekeepers and farmers. Come be a part of this seed-saving movement, making sure that locally adapted seed & plants are passed on to future generations. Special speakers, children activities & live music!
Local groups will have plant and seed related exhibits. Many sharing valuable seed saving techniques that encourage local gardeners to grow out and harvest some of their best seeds for future gardens and seed swaps, making us a truly food secure community. Seed-saving is a fun and easy way to connect to the circle of life. The Real Food Hero award this year goes to Jerry Sortomme, former chair of SB City College Environmental Horticulture Department. Picnic lunch with Jerry at 12:30pm. Please kindly RSVP if you’re able to join:
Judy Sims, judygardens@gmail.com 805-637-3201
7. Regenerating the Earth & Spirit at Sunburst Sanctuary – March 9-11, 2018
Do you crave a greater sense of connection with the earth? Do you feel too separate from nature, or wonder how you can better align your life with natural rhythms? This down-to-earth, family-friendly retreat is the perfect opportunity for people of all ages to learn ways to connect and co-create with Mother Nature. Sunburst’s resident permaculture teacher Sean Fennell will lead a hands-on exploration of soil building, composting, and following nature’s patterns in preparation for springtime growth. Explore symbiotic relationships in nature, seasonal cycles, and natural patterns. Reserve your spot online: http://sunburst.org/earth/
Teresa Tree Lees – SLO Permaculture Guild