growing an ecosystem of abundance

past events archive

Grafting Party In Sunnyvale!

Ever considered getting more, varied and unusual fruit trees, and expanding your orchard?  Don’t have the space?  Would you like cherries or peaches or …?  All summer long?  Do you have trees that are not bearing well, or bear fruit you don’t like to eat?  Would you like to change the varieties to an old favorite?  or add something new and exciting?  Want to start some new trees with multiple select varieties for best pollination, adapted to your soils, with a continuous harvest of the freshest fruit possible?
We have just the solution for you!  Come and join us for a Grafting Party!

The party will be led by an expert horticulturist and Chairperson of the Golden Gate chapter of the California Rare Fruit Growers (and all around a great guy!;) – John Valenzuela! There will be introduction to grafting essentials (including selecting appropriate varieties) over light lunch with initial questions and answers. A demonstration of a variety of different grafting techniques will follow, (including whip, cleft, bud grafting, bark grafting and others) on a variety of fruit trees, including citrus.  Finally hands on grafting by participants will take place under the watchful eye of John. Everyone will get a chance to graft some scions and get feedback on their chosen grafting technique.

All skill levels welcome. No prior experience necessary. All materials will be provided.

You are welcome to bring a significant other with you – only active participants pay!

Secure your spot early – space is limited.Buy ticket here:
http://www.eventbee.com/v/greensteaders/event?eid=947996333

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Occidental Arts and Ecology Center

Spring Plant Sale – Now 2 Weekends

April 20th – 21st, 9:00am – 5:00pm

OAEC is the premier Bay Area source for 100% Certified Organic annuals and perennials appropriate for Permaculture design. Our extended Spring Plant Sale* gives you even more opportunity to visit our Biodiversity Gardens, new nursery and non-profit education center on-site.

Plant sale helpers

This festive event (complete with food trucks) features early Spring crops such as lettuces and greens, peas, brassicas, chards, onions, leeks, flowers, and herbs.

  • We offer hundreds of open-pollinated, heirloom and rare varieties, many started from our own seed collection.
  • This is a free event with a Garden Tour at 1pm on both Saturday and Sunday.

*In addition to our three annual Plant Sales, our nursery will now be open every weekend between May 25th – Jun. 30th and again from Sept. 7th – Nov. 3rd!  During non-“Plant Sale” weekends, our nursery offers perennial ornamental and food crops, including a wide selection of culinary and medicinal herbs.

http://www.oaec.org/plant-sales

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Indian Valley Organic Farm Spring Plant Sale and Garden Workshops

Dates: April 20, 2013 – April 21, 2013

Time: 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM

Contact: MMG Helpdesk – (415) 473-4204

Sponsor: CCNB, COM, UCCE, & Master Gardeners

Location: Indian Valley Organic Farm & Garden

Event Details

The Program: Offering a variety of certified organic perennial and annual food plants with a special collection of heirloom tomatoes, heritage fruit trees, herbs, flowers and native plants. For a full inventory, available in early April, contact Amy Ridout at aridout@conservationcorpsnorthbay.org.

Expert farm staff will be on hand to answer questions and offer advice on all of your gardening needs. Organic produce sales and connection with local farmers, delicious recipes and tastings, music, face painting and bouquet-making sessions will be featured throughout the plant sale.
2-hour mini workshops:

  • Saturday, April 20, 2013 from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm
    “Spring Gardening: Planting the Main Season Garden” presented by Amy Ridout, Indian Valley Organic Farm & Garden Coordinator.Learn all the important steps that go into creating and caring for a bountiful summer garden. Amy Ridout will discuss soil preparation; maintenance of soil fertility; cultural requirements of vegetables, herbs, fruits and flowers; succession planting for continuous harvest; and seeding and transplanting techniques. There will be a special segment on growing juicy and delicious heirloom tomatoes!Amy Ridout has been cultivating food, plants and community for 10 years. She apprenticed and taught at UC Santa Cruz Farm & Garden. She started and managed an educational farm for Petaluma Bounty, and taught gardening and nutrition to Kindergarten through 6th graders at Project EAT. Most recently she was Farm Production Manager at Pie Ranch.Register and pay online for “Spring Gardening: Planting the Main Season Garden”
  • Sunday, April 21, 2013 from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm
    “Flowers, Fruits and Herbs: Enjoying the Beauty and Bounty of the Main Season Garden” presented by Wendy Johnson, Sustainable Landscape Instructor at the College of Marin.This workshop will build upon Saturday’s (April 20) class by sharing ways to use the harvest of your bountiful summer garden to full advantage. Wendy Johnson will discuss how to grow flowers, fruits and herbs followed by how to make teas, vinegars and more. Learn how to bring the beauty of your garden indoors by creating eye-catching bouquets, too.Wendy Johnson is a Sustainable Landscape Instructor at the College of Marin Indian Valley Organic Farm and Garden Project. She is a founder of the Organic Farm and Garden Program at Green Gulch Farm Zen Center and the author of Gardening at the Dragons Gate, 2008.Register and pay online for “Flowers, Fruits and Herbs: Enjoying the Beauty and Bounty of the Main Season Garden”

Registration fee for each 2 hour workshop is $25
Advance payment and registration required ~ registration closes April 18.
Class size is limited to 25, so register online now ~ see above for individual workshop online registration options.

http://ucanr.org/sites/MarinMG/?calitem=186610&g=15302

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UC Riverside Citrus Day For The Public

Tuesday, April 16, 2013

9 a.m. to noon

UCR Agricultural Operations, Riverside, California

Enter field from Canyon Crest Drive.

http://campusmap.ucr.edu/imap/index.html?loc=P30


Please join us for a Citrus field day designed for the public.

Presentations, field tours and topics of interest:

  • Citrus Variety Collection tours
  • Pruning demonstrations
  • Irrigation demonstrations
  • Phytophthora root rot and trunk decay
  • Asian Citrus Psyllid – detection, monitoring, and control

Please register online or obtain form to register via mail at the UCR Citrus Variety Collection website: http://www.citrusvariety.ucr.edu/.

Advanced Registration is required and space is limited!

Registration will be cut-off on April 1 or when we reach capacity. There will be no walk-in registrations.

To make a tax-deductible contribution to the Citrus Variety Collection Endowment fund or the Citrus Research Center & Agricultural Experiment Station support fund go to the following link and select  College of Natural and Agricultural Sciences then select the specific fund: https://advancementservices.ucr.edu/GivingForm.aspx

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Biodynamic meetings and workshops:

 Biodynamic Association of Northern California (BDANC)

Spring Meeting April 6 & 7 2013 ~~

Raphael Garden & CSA – Rudolph Steiner College ~~

9200 Fair Oaks Blvd, Fair Oaks

Perspectives on Biodynamics and Permaculture

Saturday April 13, 9am – 5pm

Perspectives on Biodynamics Workshop Series Held one Saturday each month for nine months
(September–May), with a five-day intensive in June. Sessions may be taken
individually or as a series. Beginners and experts are welcome

SESSION 8: April 13, 2013 Biodynamics and Permaculture

This workshop offers an integrated approach to soil, water, and rhythms of growth in
plants and humans. We will explore patterns of energy and form in home-scale
agriculture which connect us to the living soil, the living water, and the
relationship between ourselves, our food, and our landscapes. We will explore
the theory and practice of swales – on-contour
ditches to reduce erosion, filter water, and build organic matter—with a
hands-on exercise. With Lydia Neilsen.
Pre-register by April 6, 2013.
http://www.steinercollege.edu

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Fruit Tree Grafting Workshop

Location: Live Oak Grange, 1900 17th Ave, Santa Cruz, 95062

Description: On Saturday, March 23, join the California Rare Fruit Growers for this hands-on workshop in fruit tree grafting. $30 general admission, $20 Friends of the Farm and Garden, $5 UCSC students. Free entry for CRFG and Live Oak Grange members.
Start Time: 13:00
Date: Sunday 2013-03-23
End Time: 16:00

http://casfs.ucsc.edu/fruit-tree-grafting-workshop-2

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March Meeting of the Golden Gate Chapter Q--CRFGlogo

of the California Rare Fruit Growers

Featured Presentation:

“White Sapote: A Fabulous Fruit for Golden Gate Gardens” with Tom Addison

 

When: Saturday March 9th, 1pm to 4pm

 

Where: Taraval Police Station Community Room,

2345 24th Ave. (near 24th and Taraval) San Francisco, CA 94116

 

Cost: Free, and open to the public

Our tour guide, Tom Addison, will take us on a white sapote safari with this presentation.

We’ll learn some botanical and interesting miscellaneous facts about this delicious

and productive fruit, get some cultivation information, and discuss different varieties.

You’ll get the information you need to start harvesting this delicious fruit from the highlands

of Mexico, right here in the Bay Area.

Tom grows a wide variety of subtropical and temperate fruit in El Cerrito,

and is the CRFG specialist for white sapote. He has been enchanted with white sapotes

for several decades. While much of his free time is spent climbing rocks, he tries to

disguise himself as a responsible adult by working as an air pollution lobbyist in Sacramento.

Tentative Meeting Schedule:

1230pm Doors open, Meeting set up

100       Fruit sharing, Finger Food and Social time

130       Meeting begins with Chapter business and announcements

(including nomination of 2013 chapter officer candidates)

200       Presentation begins

330       Final announcements

340       Plant drawing

400       Begin clean up

430       Doors closed

Please bring fruit, finger food and/or plants to share (please Edible Plants ONLY, and No Plants with Diseases or Pests)

for public transit and driving information see: http://www.crfg.org/chapters/golden_gate/meetings.htm

for other information, contact John at 415 246 8834

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Principles of Fruit and Nut Tree Growth- Cropping and Management

Dates: February 25, 2013 – March 7, 2013

Time: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Location: UC Davis Conference Center

Event Details

Interested in learning the basics of fruit and nut tree management in a short period of time?
University of California Cooperative Extension fruit and nut advisors and specialists and UC Davis plant sciences faculty will present a two-week pomology course Feb. 25 through March 7, 2013.
This course will cover the fundamentals of tree biology that are essential to making sound orchard management and business decisions, with a combination of lectures, hands-on exercises and field demonstrations. The instructors – led by Ted DeJong, UC Cooperative Extension specialist and professor in the Department of Plant Sciences at UC Davis – are experts in fruit and nut tree production with over 100 years of combined experience.

The first week will include lectures, hands-on exercises and field demonstrations on a wide range of topics in basic tree biology and orchard management practices.

Lecture topics include:
•    The basics of how trees work
•    Ideal climatic and soil conditions for tree fruit and nut crops
•    Dormancy, chill requirements and rest breaking
•    How trees grow and what determines architecture
•    Understanding cropping, pollination and fruit set
•    How trees use water and nutrients
•    Fruit growth and development
•    Harvest and harvest indices
•    Postharvest quality and technology

Hands-on exercises and field demonstrations include:
•    Bearing habits
•    Measuring fruit quality and fruit tasting
•    Pruning, training and light management
•    Root excavations
•    Budding and grafting
•    Measurement of plant water status and irrigation scheduling
•    Measurement of plant nutrient status and fertilization scheduling

During the second week, students and instructors will embark on a four-day tour in fruit and nut-growing regions of Northern and Central California. The field tour includes stops at commercial nurseries, packing houses, retail outlets, experimental plots and private orchards. Participants will see field demonstrations at the UC Kearney Agricultural Research and Extension Center in Parlier and the Nickels Soil Laboratory in Arbuckle.
The fee for the entire course is $2,850 plus the cost of lodging for the field trips. Details and registration information are available at http://fruitandnuteducation.ucdavis.edu.

For more information, contact Brooke Jacobs at (530) 752-4354 or fruitandnuteducation@ucdavis.edu.

http://www.growninmarin.org/?calitem=168414&g=31137

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Sponsored by: Indian Valley Organic Farm, North Bay Conservation Corps, Marin Master Gardeners, University of California Cooperative Extension Marin County

6th Annual Fruit Tree Grafting, Scion Exchange and Pruning workshop

Indian Valley Organic Farm, Indian Valley Campus, College of Marin,

1800 Ignacio Boulevard, Novato

Saturday Feb. 23, 2013

Grafting with John Valenzuela of Cornucopia Food Forest Gardens, and Pruning with Juliet Braslow of Marin Co. UCCE, assisted by Indian Valley Organic Farm Staff.

More details and Registation here:
 http://ucce.ucdavis.edu/survey/survey.cfm?surveynumber=9908

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Confirmed Dates and Locations for the

2013 CRFG Fruit Wood Scion Exchanges

Northern California

Q--CRFGlogo

January

Sat. 5th, Scion Cutting work day (CRFG members only) at Emma Prusch Park, 647 S King Rd San Jose, CA 95116

Sat. 12th. Santa Clara Valley Chapter Exchange, Emma Prusch Park, Multicultural Center, 647 S King Rd, San Jose, CA 95116 10:00 a.m. Members enter with current copy of the Fruit Gardener with membership expiration date. 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. General Public. Contact: scvcrfg.wordpress.com/activities, or santa_clara@crfg.org

Sun. 13th, Monterey Bay Chapter Exchange, near Santa Cruz at Cabrillo College Horticulture Center,  6500 Soquel Drive, Aptos, CA 95003 Noon to 3 p.m. Free for CRFG members, $5 for public. Contact: Michael Kusiak, 831-332-4699, monterey_bay@crfg.org

Sat. 19th, Golden Gate Chapter Exchange, New Venue: Ed Roberts Campus, next to Ashby BART, 3075 Adeline Street, Berkeley CA 94703.  Noon to 3 p.m. Contact: John Valenzuela 415-246-8834, johnvalenzuela@hotmail.com, more info below

Sun. 20th, Sacramento Exchange, Cooperative Extension Offices, 4145 Branch Center Road, Sacramento, CA 95827-3823 Contact: Drew Bohan 916-607-7214, sacramento@crfg.org

Sat. 26th, Redwood Empire Chapter Exchange, New Venue: Santa Rosa Veteran’s Building, 1351 Maple Avenue, just across the street from the county fairgrounds. Doors open at 9 a.m. (free) for CRFG members, non-members are allowed in at 10 ($5), and the festivities end at 1 p.m. Contact: Phil Pieri, 707-795-6574, phil_p_2001 at yahoo.com

February
Sat. 2nd, Mendocino Permaculture’s 30th annual Winter Abundance Workshop (including classes, Scion and Seed Exchange- all free) New Venue: Mendocino County Fairgrounds, Hwy 128, Booneville, CA. From 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Contact: Mark Albert albert@pacific.net,

Sat. 16, Annual Scion Exchange Central Coast Chapter Free Scion Exchange (no citrus!!) and Grafting Party. Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Crops Unit. begin 1:30pm. Clinic with 7 expert grafters teaching all afternoon. Avocado grafting included! Selected dormant rootstock and grafting supplies for sale. Free parking and admission! Contact: Joe Sabol, 805-544-1056, jsabol@calpoly.edu

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Southern California

1/10 Inland Empire Chapter –
Thursday 7 – 9 pm, at the Jurupa Mountains Discovery Center, 7621 Granite Hill Dr., Riverside, CA http://www.crfg.org/local/chapters/ca_inland.html

1/12 Los Angeles Chapter, Saturday 10 am Sepulveda Garden Center 16633 Magnolia Blvd. Encino http://crfg-la.org/

1/18 North San Diego County Chapter, Friday – Mira Costa College Student Center Rm 3450 http://nc.crfgsandiego.org/

1/19 Orange County Chapter, Saturday – Orange County Fairgrounds Millennium Barn – 8:45 am if you bring scionwood, 10am if not http://www.ocfruit.com/

1/23 San Diego Chapter, Wednesday – Balboa Park, Casa del Prado, Room 101 7pm http://crfgsandiego.org/

2/2 Foothill Chapter, Saturday 9:30am – Palm Room at LA Arboretum, http://www.foothillcrfg.org/

2/9 West LA Chapter, Saturday, 10am to 12 noon, STAR Eco Station, 10117 Jefferson Blvd, Culver City 90232- http://crfg-wla.org/february-scion-exchange/

Thanks to Megan Lynch for So Cal Exchange listings, please confirm with each chapter.

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Hosted by Daily Acts (http://dailyacts.org)

Permaculture in the Classroom:

An evening talk with Michael Becker

mikeb

Friday, February 15th, 6:30-8:30pm Spring Hill Montessori School, 825 Middlefield Drive, Petaluma

$5 suggested donation (No one turned away for lack of funds)***Please pre-register: https://events.nonprofiteasy.net/dailyacts/eventdetails?EventId=13490

Discover what happens when you re-pattern education using permaculture. Michael Becker teaches sixth grade in Hood River, Oregon. He directs the Permaculture Classroom Project, a hands-on approach to teaching math and science using Permaculture and sustainability science concepts. With his students, they have developed extensive habitat gardens and food systems on the schoolyard. Partnered with the Gorge Grown Food Network, a local organization seeking independent local food systems in the Columbia River Gorge, a farmers market has been developed at the school further involving students into the economics of food production. Having worked in construction, been a mountaineering guide, taught outdoor school, and traveled the world, Michael uses all his past experiences to blend into a well-rounded “Permaculturist”.

Michael is visiting Petaluma to present to the Daily Acts’ Permaculture Design Course. We are excited to host this event to share his inspiring work with the wider community. Michael will explore how permaculture is a valuable tool for transforming not only education and educators, but community on all scales.

Learn more about Michael and his work at Hood River Middle School:
http://www.clearingmagazine.org/archives/881
http://www.clearingmagazine.org/archives/1403

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Winter Workparty at the Cavanagh Rec Center Food Forest: Grafting, Pruning and Propagation

with John Valenzuela

February 3, 2013 Sunday

10:00 AM TO 4:00 PM

Cavanagh Recreation Center, Petaluma

FREE, but you must register here: https://events.nonprofiteasy.net/dailyacts/eventdetails?EventId=13463

FacebookIf you want to learn more about the fruitful world of edible forest gardens, this day is for you! Increase the health and harvests of your fruit trees and garden with proper pruning and winter maintenance with John Valenzuela, expert horticulturist and Chairperson of the Golden Gate Chapter of CA Rare Fruit Growers.

We’ll start the day learning winter maintenance basics as we get the Cavanagh Center Community Food Forest in tip-top shape, ready to spring into bloom. Winter pruning is an opportunity to propagate new plants.  Learn how and take home some plant starts including lemon thyme (we all could use a little extra “thyme”!), Yerba Buena, Yarrow, Mexican Marigold, Elderberry, Figs, Pomegranates, you name it!

After our potluck lunch John will share the art of grafting, an excellent technique for increasing the length and diversity of a tree’s harvest. We’ll look at an apple “Espalier”, a space-saving method of training fruit trees to grow into a living fence, ideal for an urban orchard. You’ll also learn fruit tree pruning and winter care techniques to encourage growth and desired form.  Everyone will have the opportunity for some guided hands-on experience pruning a variety of fruit trees at the Cavanagh Center. Join us to help maintain this community model site and leave with a bounty of new plants, knowledge and skills!

Time: 10am-4pm (with potluck lunch from 12:30pm-1:30pm)

What to Bring: Your questions, garden pruners, hat, water bottle, sunscreen, gloves, plate and silverware, and a potluck lunch item to share for 4-6 people

Additional items to bring if you have them: a friend, loppers, weeding tool, trowels & shovels, wheelbarrows, pitchforks/mulchforks, etc.

And don’t miss the CA Rare Fruit Growers, Redwood Empire Chapter: Scion Exchange on Saturday, January 26th from 9am-4pm! A great opportunity to get scion wood & put your grafting skills into practice at home after our February 3rd grafting lesson!: http://www.crfg-redwood.org/

Venue :
Cavanagh Recreation Center, 426 8th Street
Petaluma, California, 94952

https://events.nonprofiteasy.net/dailyacts/eventdetails?EventId=13463

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stacks_image_1343

Compost Tea & Soil Foodweb Intensive
with Dr. Elaine Ingham

GreenFriends Farm • M.A. Center Castro Valley •

February 4-8, 2013

This workshop, with Dr. Elaine Ingham the internationally revered soil expert of our time, is for farmers, landscapers, ranchers, creators and distributors of agricultural products, waste management professionals, soil and garden enthusiasts of all types, and anyone who touches the earth.  Simply put, this information needs to be central to any sustainable agriculture or land management.

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Thursday, February 7, 2013

Author Event: The Vegetable Gardener’s Guide to Permaculture: Creating an Edible Ecosystem, with Christopher Shein

9781604692709l

Time:    7pm – 9pm.
Location:    Ecology Center, 2530 San Pablo Ave, near Dwight Way, Berkeley.

Join us for an evening with Permaculture teacher Christopher Shein and a discussion of his new book, The Vegetable Gardener’s Guide to Permaculture. Learn how to live in harmony with both nature and neighbors to produce and share an abundant food supply with minimal effort. Shein highlights everything you need to know to start living off the land lightly, including how to create rich, healthy, and low-cost soil, blend a functional food garden and decorative landscape, share the bounty with others, and much more.
This inspiring, easy-to-follow, information-packed, practical guide will help you transform your garden into a food forest that feeds you for years to come. The event is free, and books will be available to purchase.

About Christopher Shein: Christopher Shein has started dozens of community, school, and market gardens. He teaches permaculture at Merritt Community College where he helped develop the award-winning student farm. Shein also owns Wildheart Gardens, a permaculture landscape business that designs and builds sustainable gardens.

Info:    510-548-3402, store@ecologycenter.org, http://www.ecologycenter.org/store/.

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From Planting to Harvest: An Organic Fruit Tree Short Course at UC Santa Cruz

Alan Chadwick Garden
Santa Cruz, CA

Friday Feb 08, 2013 3:00 PM – Sunday Feb 10, 2013 4:00 PM
If you’re ready to immerse yourself in the art and science of organic fruit tree growing, this class is for you! This comprehensive course will give you the tools you need to successfully cultivate fruit trees on a backyard or small-orchard scale. The course takes place February 8-10 at the historic Alan Chadwick Garden on the UC Santa Cruz campus. Friday’s class meets from 4 -7:00 pm, Saturday and Sunday sessions meet from 10 am – 4pm.Through lectures and hands-on practice you’ll learn how to select appropriate fruit tree varieties; choose and use the right tools; prepare the planting hole; plant, fertilize, and prune your trees; set up an irrigation system; improve the soil with cover crops; and control pests and diseases. Registration cost includes the Fruit Tree Reader, a selection of articles designed for this course.The course will be taught by Orin Martin, manager of the Alan Chadwick Garden at UC Santa Cruz. For over 35 years Martin has cultivated hundreds of organic fruit trees at the Chadwick Garden, and taught thousands of students and community members how to establish and care for fruit trees. Zoe Hitchner and Sky DeMuro, organic farmers at Everett Family Farm, will be co-instructors. Class size is limited to ensure a quality experience, with an emphasis on hands-on learning.Please note that in case of heavy rain, the class will be rescheduled to March 1-3.

Register at http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/301107

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please print this poster on bright paper and put up around your neighborhood!
please print this poster on bright paper and put up around your neighborhood!

Golden Gate Chapter California Rare Fruit Growers
25th Annual Fruit Wood Scion Exchange

Saturday January 19, 2013
12 to 3 p.m.

Ed Roberts Campus, 3075 Adeline Street, in Berkeley
located next to the Ashby BART station

$4 donation requested

Hundreds of varieties of fruit trees, shrubs and vines, will be available for propagation,

budwood for grafting will include: apple, pear, quince, plum, peach, nectarine, apricot, cherry and more. . .

cuttings for rooting will include: grape, fig, pomegranate, kiwi fruit, mulberry, and more. . .

in addition to rootstocks for sale, grafting classes (12:15 and 12:50pm), custom grafting service, a plant drawing, silent auction, and more.
Friendly expert advice for all your fruity questions- beginners are welcome!

In consideration of individuals who are sensitive to chemicals in fragrances,
the Ed Roberts Campus strives to maintain a fragrance-free environment.
Please refrain from using scented products.

How to get there:
http://www.edrobertscampus.org/getting-here/

For more info: http://www.crfg.org/chapters/golden_gate/scionex.htm
phone 415 246 8834, email johnvalenzuela(at)hotmail(dot)com

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Occidental Arts and Ecology Center presents:

Fruit Tree Pruning Workshop

with OAEC Orchard Manager Sarah Shimizu

Date: Saturday, January 19, 2013

Time:  9:00 am to 12 pm

Instructors: Sarah Shimizu

Cost: $35
This three-hour workshop with OAEC’s Orchard Manager will cover the basics and benefits of winter and summer pruning for small, diversified fruit tree orchards. The workshop will discuss tools and tool safety, reasons to prune your trees and basic pruning cuts. The workshop will also explore the art of pruning. We will walk around the orchards at OAEC and discuss the different types of fruit trees and how to properly prune each type of tree. Some examples include apples, European and Asian pears, plums, peaches, nectarines, cherries, grapes, quince, kiwi, etc.

For information call (707) 874-1557 x101.

http://www.oaec.org/pruning

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The Fruit Hunters

Canada, 2012, 95 Minute Running Time

Palm Springs International Film Festival
US Premiere

Friday, January 04, 6:30 PM
Palm Springs Regal 9
Saturday, January 05, 10:30 AM
Palm Springs Regal 9
 Next Showing:
Friday, January 11, 10:00 AM
Palm Springs Regal 9

Topics: Documentary, Environment, Political
Program: True Stories
Language: English

Environmental documentaries come in all shapes and sizes, but chances are you won’t have seen any quite as appetizing as this sensual and seductive tribute to nature’s sweetest bounty.

There is a reason that so many painters have turned to the bowl of fruit for inspiration, and if filmmakers have been slow to follow suit, Yung Chang (Up the Yangtze; China Heavyweight) is quick to make amends. Inspired by Adam Leith Gollner’s book of the same name, and accompanied by a motley group of fruit fanatics including the Hollywood actor Bill Pullman, Chang explores a wider, weirder world of fruit: stinky durians, cherimoyas, icecream beans.

Adventurers Noris Ledesma and Richard Campbell scour the jungle for rare mangos, hoping to intervene before the plants are steamrolled by industrialization. Pioneering scientist Juan Aguilar races to breed bananas resistant to a deadly fungus that threatens the worldwide crop. And fruit detectives including Isabella Dalla Ragione investigate Renaissance-era paintings for clues, hoping to rediscover lost varietals. Pullman’s efforts to seed a community orchard in the Hollywood hills are interspersed with juicy historical titbits tracing cultivation across centuries and continents. Enjoy!

Actor Bill Pullman and director Yung Chang expected to attend the January 4 and January 5 screenings

Official Film Website: http://www.eyesteelfilm.com/fruithunters

Palm Springs International Film Festival: http://www.psfilmfest.org/festival/film/detail.aspx?id=23907&FID=63

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Choose the Best Fruit to Grow

Date: Thurs., January 3, 2013

Time: 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM

Sponsor: Marin Master Gardeners, UCCE

Contact: MMG Help desk – (415) 473-4204

Location: Marin Art & Garden Center
Address: 30 Sir Francis Drake Blvd.
City: Ross

Event Details

Program: John Valenzuela of the California Rare Fruit Growers will discuss selecting fruit tree varieties, including considering climate, pollination needs, rootstocks and grafting, harvest season and storage, cooking and other processing, flavor, texture and color, and history. You will learn about the best sources of bare root trees, scions and/or cuttings for propagation and the best sources of information about fruit varieties.

Speaker: John Valenzuela lives near Novato and is chairperson of the Golden Gate Chapter of the California Rare Fruit Growers. As a horticulturist, consultant and educator with Cornucopia Food Forest Gardens, he has led grafting workshops for Marin UC Cooperative Extension for the last four years.

Cost: $5

http://ucanr.edu/sites/Grown_in_Marin/?calitem=173289&g=31137

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Andy’s Orchard
Holiday Open House

December 8th & 9th – 10 am to 4 pm
December 15th & 16th – 10 am to 4 pm

Our old fashion Country Store is chock full of wonderful seasonal foods and other gift ideas just in time for the Holiday Season!
Come and enjoy sampling our complimentary holiday foods, including our famous sugar plums and other confections, fresh and dried fruits, nuts, gift baskets, and other gourmet food items. Enjoy the holiday music and free beverages (egg nog, hot cocoa, hot cider, coffee & teas).
1615 Half Road, Morgan Hill, CA. 95037 

 Telephone: 408-782-7600.

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Venture Greenhouse Eco-Leadership Series-
“Food Forest Gardens- growing an Ecosystem of Abundance”

a visual presentation and discussion with

John Valenzuela of Cornucopia Food Forest Gardens

Thursday, Nov 29th
630- 9pm

Venture Greenhouse
30 Castro St., San Rafael, CA

An initiative of Dominican University of California, the Venture Greenhouse is a business accelerator and incubator for social & environmental entrepreneurs and a community resource for innovators and new ventures.

more info here-  http://venturegreenhouse.org/news-events/events/item/eco-leadership-series-welcomes-john-valenzuela-edible-forest-gardens

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Western Horticultural Society Meeting

Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Doors open at 7:00 pm, and the meeting starts promptly at 7:30 pm.

The Parish Hall
Christ Episcopal Church
1040 Border Road, Los Altos (see Map)

“Fruit Stories:a Cultural History of some Northern California Fruit Varieties, People and Places”

presented by JOHN VALENZUELA

After working in Hawaii for many years, John is now Chairperson of the Golden Gate Chapter of the California Rare Fruit Growers. He lives in North Eastern Marin County where he has a food forest garden with over 150 varieties of fruit on multi-grafted trees.

We will explore our local indigenous fruits, Old World fruits of the Spanish Mission era, fruits introduced by early pioneers, and others developed by local breeders. Many personal heirloom stories will encourage you to start preserving and enjoying some of these historic varieties in your own backyard.

Includes guest speaker presentation,
plant discussion, plant raffle and occasional sales.

Meetings are free to members. Guest fee is from $5.00 to $10.00

http://www.westernhort.org/index.html

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Help plant the first public food forest in Windsor

with Eric Ohlsen

November 9th

11:30 am to 3 pm- or until finished

Robbins Park, 100 Billington Ln., Windsor

Daily Acts is excited to be working with the Town of Windsor, Erik Ohlsen
owner of Permaculture Artisans (http://www.permacultureartisans.com/), the
students of Windsor High School and you, to establish Windsor’s first
public food forest at Robbins Park.

This past summer, a volunteer-powered sheet mulching effort laid
the foundation for planting over a prominent portion of Robbins’ Park turf.
Earlier this month we returned with an enthusiastic group of Windsor High
students, and under the direction of Erik Ohlsen dug rainwater harvesting
earthworks on the site.

Now we invite you to join us for planting the multiple layers of the food
forest. This is a great opportunity to learn
from experienced permaculturalist Erik Ohlsen as well as be part of
establishing a model landscape that reduces resource use
while providing the community with food, medicine and wildlife habitat.

*Please join us at Robbins Park, November 9th from 11:30am to roughly 3:00pm
*, or however long it take to finish the job–many hands make will make
it quick work! We will be planting as well as laying out in-line drip
irrigation.

Please bring bring:
–Shovels
–Gloves
–Garden pruners
–Clothing to keep yourself comfortable, whatever the weather
–Snacks and water

*If you’re interested, please email me: ryan@dailyacts.org of call
707.789.9664 so we can keep a rough headcount*.

Feel free contact me with any questions. In the case of heavy rain the
event will not take place.

Hope you can join us for this historic event!
Ryan

—
Ryan Johnston
Daily Acts Homegrown Programs Coordinator
707.789.9664
ryan@dailyacts.org
http://www.dailyacts.org

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Bi-monthly meeting of the Golden Gate Chapter California Rare Fruit Growers

Subject: “Favorite Fruits of the Bay Area”
a panel discussion with CRFG members
from each of our Bay Area climates
including favorites for containers

Date: Saturday, November 10th
Time: 1:00-3:30pm
Location: El Sobrante Library
4191 Appian Way, El Sobrante

The Golden Gate CRFG November meeting will feature two discussions:
a panel discussion of favorite fruit in several Bay Area climate zones
and then a discussion of favorite fruits which can be grown in small spaces.
This information can help scion exchange attendees choose the scions
and cuttings that will thrive in their area.
New comers really value knowing what our favorites are, and you
experienced fruit growers need to share your success stories.

For the discussion about favorites in each climate,
Molly Ong will represent the cool climate section on the panel,
with Ashok Twanbekar from hot central county
and John V. and/or Idell W. from the areas in between the hot and the cool.
The resulting fruit choice information from this discussion from the panel and from people in the
audience will be summarized by Bess Garner for the scion exchange.

If you cannot attend this November meeting,
PLEASE SEND your list of favorite fruit varieties that you grow
(specifying your climate) to Bess Gardner at (bjgarner@infionline.net) or call her at
510-232-7699 or mail it to her at 3314 Monte Buena Street, San Pablo, CA 94806.

Over the next two years, we will be compiling as much information as
possible about favorite fruit for various climate zones.

The second half of the November meeting will consist of a discussion of
fruit growing in small spaces.
Bess and Jack Garner will bring a list of fruit
they saw grown in pots in a trailer court!
If you cannot attend this meeting, please send in your observations
on fruit growing successfully in smaller spaces to John V
and we will post this information at the scion exchange too.

Also, if you have not yet volunteered for the exchange, this is another
chance to do so.

As always, bring something from your yard and/or kitchen to share,
a plant or two to donate to the plant drawing (every one is a winner),
and bring a friend — beginners always welcome!

Directions will be posted at:

http://www.crfg.org/chapters/golden_gate/meetings.htm

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San Francisco Green Festival

Saturday, and Sunday, Nov 10 and 11
speakers, booths, organic food, kids’ activities, organic beer & wine garden

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Fall Fruit Tasting!

Pomegranate and Persimmon tasting

10am, Saturday November 3rd, 2012

Wolfskill Experimental Orchard,

4334 Putah Creek Rd
Winters, CA (near Davis)

the varieties will be selected from the extensive Davis Collection of the USDA National Clonal Germplasm Repository for Fruit and Nuts:  http://www.ars.usda.gov/main/site_main.htm?modecode=53-06-20-00

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The Occidental Arts and Ecology Center’s Permaculture Program Presents an evening lecture:

Designing Edible Forest Gardens with Eric Toensmeier

Come hear a fascinating and educational lecture by this internationally renowned author and Permaculturally based Edible Forest designer & educator! See the book titles below!! Also – Eric is just an amazingly knowledgeable plant geek concerning uber-multifunctional-edible plant systems!!

Where: Sebastopol Grange Hall on Hwy 12

When: Thursday Nov. 1st from 7pm to 8:30pm

Why– Because Edible forest gardens mimic the structures and functions of natural ecosystems while producing healthy food and other products, with an emphasis on low-maintenance perennial crops. Design and plant selection help provide fertility, control of weeds and pests, and more. Eric will emphasize the design and maintenance of temperate climate Permaculture edible forest gardens.

Sliding scale $5 to $10 at the door. 
No one turned away for lack of funds

Please forward around!!! – Lets fill the room since Eric is flying here all the way from the North East to be with us!

 Also the weekend Edible Forest Garden Workshop is full, so this may be your only chance to hear him.

Contact Brock Dolman 
Brock@oaec.org

——————————–

Sorry, this workshop is full!

Occidental Arts and Ecology Center

Designing Edible Food Forests

with Eric Toensmeier and OAEC Staff

Nov 2 – 4, 2012

Edible forest gardens mimic the structures and functions of natural ecosystems while producing food and other products, with an emphasis on low-maintenance perennial crops. Design and plant selection help provide fertility, control of weeds and pests, and more. Come for a hands-on introduction to this fascinating and delicious approach to food production.

Click on the following links to learn more about this course and related resources.

http://www.oaec.org/Edible%20Food%20Forests-October

For a more detailed description of our facilities, including information on what to bring, visit our Participant’s Information page.

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Fall Fruit Tasting!

Pomegranate and Persimmon tasting

10am, Saturday November 3rd, 2012

Wolfskill Experimental Orchard,

4334 Putah Creek Rd
Winters, CA (near Davis)

the varieties will be selected from the extensive Davis Collection of the USDA National Clonal Germplasm Repository for Fruit and Nuts:  http://www.ars.usda.gov/main/site_main.htm?modecode=53-06-20-00


In addition to tasting many varieties, you can meet the expert researchers who collect data from, and maintain, the collection: Jeff Moersfelder (pomegranates), Jenny Smith (persimmons) and John Preece (lead researcher).

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Oct 27, 2:30pm: Lecture on Fort Ross Historic Orchard held at Fort Ross Visitor Center

Fort Ross historic orchard & Russian era cherry tree

Susan Rudy will be giving a talk on the historic Fort Ross Orchard at Fort Ross Visitor Center, Saturday, October 27th, at 2:30. Her talk will focus on the Russian and American Ranch Era and the contemporary efforts to preserve this historic legacy. Working with the Fort Ross Conservancy, Susan has received $84,518.00 from Renova Fort Ross Foundation to stabilize and protect the historic Fort Ross orchard. We are tremendously grateful to both Susan and the Renova Fort Ross Foundation for their vision and dedication to protect this vulnerable living resource.

http://www.fortross.org/events/

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Apple Tasting with the Monterey Chapter

California Rare Fruit Growers-

WILDER RANCH STATE PARK

Harvest Festival and Draft Horse Day
Saturday, October 20
11:00am to 4:00pm

Located two miles north of Santa Cruz, on Highway 1 (831) 426-0505

Celebrate harvest time the old-fashioned way at Wilder Ranch State Park on Saturday, October 20, from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.  Choose and decorate a pumpkin from the pumpkin patch, take a draft horse wagon ride, see antique tractors and living history demonstrations, try your hand at some old-time harvest activities, listen to live bluegrass and western music, learn to square dance, play the snap-apple game, make corn husk dolls and other crafts, taste hand-cranked pumpkin ice cream, apple and pumpkin pie.  Apple tasting of dozens of varieties will be available for $5 per person, courtesy of the California Rare Fruit Growers. Food concessionaire available or pack a picnic lunch.  Admission to the event is free; parking is $10.00 per car.

http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=26413

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Grape tasting, October 20,  12-5pm, Willits

Chapter member Richard Jeske, who grows 150 varieties of grapes at his home in Willits, will host a grape tasting there on October 20 from noon to 5.  About 25 varieties of grapes will be available for tasting, along with about 15 varieties of vines for sale.  Participants are welcome to bring their own grapes for tasting, also.

For information and directions, call or e-mail Richard at (707) 459-5926 or easthill@instawave.net.
————————————

Founded 1812, join in on the Bicentennial Celebration and taste some cider-

Fort Ross Harvest Festival, October 20, 10-430, Near Jenner

Susan Rudy, the caretaker of the Fort Ross Orchard (founded 1814), spoke at the Festival of Fruit last month about this unique orchard and its evolution through the history of settlement on the north coast.  As part of the Fort Ross bicentennial, the state park will hold a Harvest Festival on October 20, from 10:00 to 4:30.  During the morning, participants will help gather fruit from the orchard, and in the afternoon there will be a tour of the newly reconstructed windmill, and juicing, baking, crafts, and a musical performance of Russian songs and dances.  There is an entrance fee of $12.00 per car ($11.00 for seniors.)

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Fruit Tasting Tour

Ruth Bancroft Gardens

1500 Bancroft Road. Walnut Creek, CA

Saturday, October 20: 10-11:30am

Fruit Tasting Tour

Fruit SamplesJelly Palm

Fall is a great time to sample! The Garden has an abundance of fruit-producing plants, which we will taste on this tour, including palm fruit, dragon fruit, and other unique cactus fruits.

Become a prickly pear fruit connoisseur while comparing several of the varieties we grow at The Ruth Bancroft Garden. All ages are welcome to attend.

Saturday, October 20: 10-11:30am

Due to the nature of this event, advanced registration will be required to attend.

Garden Admission plus $8: $18 general admission; $15 Seniors or students, $8 for Garden Members or children under the age of 12

General Admission tickets may be purchased online here or by calling the Office.

RBG Members, Students, and Seniors, please call the Office for your tickets.

(925) 944-9352

http://www.ruthbancroftgarden.org/rbgarden/pages/themetours.html#FruitTasting

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Redwood Empire Chapter California Rare Fruit Grower’s

Annual Apple Tasting

October 21, 1:00 to about 4:00
Luther Burbank Gold Ridge Farm, 7781 Bodega Avenue, Sebastopol

We’ll sample and rate about 40 different varieties of apples and also some pears.  Parking will be at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, at 500 Robinson Road.  As always, volunteers are needed and welcome, to cut up fruit beforehand and during the event.

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Tuesday, October 16, 2012 – Friday, October 19, 2012

Geoff Lawton Advanced Permaculture Intensive: Earthworks, Watershed Design, & Food Forests

GreenFriends Farm, Castro Valley.

This course is a rare opportunity to learn key earthworks, watershed design, reforestation, and food forest strategies from an experienced veteran in the field on an amazing broad-acre permaculture demonstration site in the heart of California’s rolling landscape. Earthworks construction, reforestation initiatives, or food production projects can be a rewarding investment in your property and for your family, community, and bioregion. Improving the functionality, restoring ecosystem health, enhancing aesthetic appeal, and increasing the value of your landscape are all realistic and achievable potential outcomes. However, it can be intimidating to undertake large projects like ordering heavy machinery onto your property, or designing and installing a large food forest orchard. Getting it wrong can be discouraging and very expensive. This course will give you the knowledge, practical experience, and confidence to get the design and implementation plan of your earthworks and follow-up strategies right the first time around. Details and registration online.

http://commonvision.org/permaculture/courses/#tab_1

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Digging Deeper: Revitalizing the Urban Garden, a Bay Area Gardening Seminar this weekend

Yet another great event this weekend:

the Alameda County Master Gardeners 10th Annual Fall Seminar on Bay Area Gardening:

Digging Deeper: Revitalizing the Urban Garden

 Saturday, October 20, 2012 from 8:30am to 3pm
(Registration begins August 31) 

at the Garden Center at Lake Merritt,
666 Bellevue Avenue, Oakland

Cost for all day seminar: $45

Lunch optional (provided by The Mixing Bowl, Oakland): $10.50 (Must be ordered by Oct 13th)

Alameda County Master Gardeners 10th Annual Bay Area Gardening Seminar 2012 promises a harvest of wisdom on design, maintenance and gardener well-being! In the twelve topics presented by outstanding experts, urban gardeners can explore the abundant possibilities in a residential city garden with Leslie Bennett & Stefani Bittner’s beautiful edible gardens, Fred Bove and his SF rooftop container garden and Phil Van Soelen’s native plants.   Greywater guerilla Christina Bertea offers waterwise suggestions, SF Chronicle columnist Pam Peirce addresses pest management and Jennifer Radtke gives all the buzz about urban honeybees.  Blacksmith Grant Marcoux maintains the edges of our tools, Physical Therapist Gail Durkin shows us sensible use of our bodies in garden labors, and University of Pacific Professor Mark Brunell identifies common Bay area plants and what their Latin names tell us.  Finally the Master Food Preservers of El Dorado County provide kitchen tips on dehydrating, condiments and all things tomato.

more info here:

http://acmg.ucdavis.edu/Fall_Seminar/

———————–

Apple Tasting with the California Rare Fruit Growers,

WILDER RANCH STATE PARK

Harvest Festival and Draft Horse Day
Saturday, October 20
11:00am to 4:00pm

Located two miles north of Santa Cruz, on Highway 1 (831) 426-0505

Celebrate harvest time the old-fashioned way at Wilder Ranch State Park on Saturday, October 20, from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.  Choose and decorate a pumpkin from the pumpkin patch, take a draft horse wagon ride, see antique tractors and living history demonstrations, try your hand at some old-time harvest activities, listen to live bluegrass and western music, learn to square dance, play the snap-apple game, make corn husk dolls and other crafts, taste hand-cranked pumpkin ice cream, apple and pumpkin pie.  Apple tasting of dozens of varieties will be available for $5 per person, courtesy of the California Rare Fruit Growers. Food concessionaire available or pack a picnic lunch.  Admission to the event is free; parking is $10.00 per car.

http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=26413

————————————

Grape tasting, October 20,  12-5pm, Willits

Chapter member Richard Jeske, who grows 150 varieties of grapes at his home in Willits, will host a grape tasting there on October 20 from noon to 5.  About 25 varieties of grapes will be available for tasting, along with about 15 varieties of vines for sale.  Participants are welcome to bring their own grapes for tasting, also.

For information and directions, call or e-mail Richard at (707) 459-5926 or easthill@instawave.net.
————————————

Founded 1812, join in on the Bicentennial Celebration-

Fort Ross Harvest Festival, October 20, 10-430, Near Jenner

Susan Rudy, the caretaker of the Fort Ross Orchard (founded 1814), spoke at the Festival of Fruit last month about this unique orchard and its evolution through the history of settlement on the north coast.  As part of the Fort Ross bicentennial, the state park will hold a Harvest Festival on October 20, from 10:00 to 4:30.  During the morning, participants will help gather fruit from the orchard, and in the afternoon there will be a tour of the newly reconstructed windmill, and juicing, baking, crafts, and a musical performance of Russian songs and dances.  There is an entrance fee of $12.00 per car ($11.00 for seniors.)

———————————-

Fruit Tasting Tour

Ruth Bancroft Gardens

1500 Bancroft Road. Walnut Creek, CA

Saturday, October 20: 10-11:30am

Fruit Tasting Tour

Fruit Samples

Jelly Palm

Fall is a great time to sample! The Garden has an abundance of fruit-producing plants, which we will taste on this tour, including palm fruit, dragon fruit, and other unique cactus fruits.

Become a prickly pear fruit connoisseur while comparing several of the varieties we grow at The Ruth Bancroft Garden. All ages are welcome to attend.

Saturday, October 20: 10-11:30am

Due to the nature of this event, advanced registration will be required to attend.

Garden Admission plus $8: $18 general admission; $15 Seniors or students, $8 for Garden Members or children under the age of 12

General Admission tickets may be purchased online here or by calling the Office.

RBG Members, Students, and Seniors, please call the Office for your tickets.

(925) 944-9352

http://www.ruthbancroftgarden.org/rbgarden/pages/themetours.html#FruitTasting

———————————

Redwood Empire Chapter California Rare Fruit Grower’s

Annual Apple Tasting

October 21, 1:00 to about 4:00
Luther Burbank Gold Ridge Farm, 7781 Bodega Avenue, Sebastopol

We’ll sample and rate about 40 different varieties of apples and also some pears.  Parking will be at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, at 500 Robinson Road.  As always, volunteers are needed and welcome, to cut up fruit beforehand and during the event.

——————————————————

Northern California Permaculture Convergence

Building Bioregional Resiliency

Green Friends Farm, Castro Valley, CA

Oct 12 – 14, 2012

Including

KEYNOTE PRESENTATIONS

OPEN SPACE

BIO-REGIONAL COUNCILS

COLLABORATIVE DISCUSSIONS

TECHNOLOGY EXCHANGE

CEREMONY

MUSIC & EVENING FESTIVITIES

DELICIOUS MEALS

HANDS-ON BROAD ACRE PERMACULTURE

AND MORE…

http://commonvision.org/permaculture/courses/#tab_0

WHO WILL ATTEND?

This Convergence is intended as to be a Convergence for Permaculture Designers, Professionals, students, and sustainability enthusiasts in the Northern California bioregions and the greater Pacific Northwest to come together to network share, strategize, and synergize about our various projects and initiatives within the greater permaculture movement. Though traditionally the Convergence has been intended to those specifically involved in and working within the Permaculture Community, this gathering is also open to the general public to anyone interested in learning more about Permaculture through the plethora of workshops, speakers, skill sharing, and discussion that will be present at the gathering.

Co-Organized By: Living Mandala, Green Friends Farm, Common Vision, Permaculture Alliance of California, Representing a Host of Other Inspiring Organizations!

ABOUT:

The Northern California Permaculture Convergence (formerly the Bay Area Regional Permaculture Convergence) is an annual event which brings together permaculture designers, sustainability enthusiasts, and communities in Northern California, the West Coast, and beyond for a weekend of intensive focus on a common goal: to design sustainable habitats, in accordance with nature, for humans, plants, animals, our greater bioregion, and the Earth at large. Practitioners across a wide-spectrum of skill-sets exchange ideas through concurrent workshops and discussions ranging from organic agriculture and wildcrafting to natural building and appropriate technologies; from environmental remediation and disaster preparedness to community dynamics and global justice. In addition to a plethora of workshops and amazing speakers on a diversity of topics, there will also dedicated areas for skill sharing, collaborative discussions, children’s activities, educational displays, and specialist vendors. Participants will have opportunities to socialize, network, and connect with others in this field through meals and the activities listed above.

THE SITE: Green Friends Farm- Broadacre Permaculture Demonstration –

Site Projects Include:

  1. •500 plus tree orchard and food forest
  2. •Dynamic watershed restoration
  3. •Broadacre land contouring & water infiltration
  4. •Keyline patterning & ploughing
  5. •Native reforestation & agroforestry
  6. •Holistically managed grazing
  7. •Soil food web management
  8. •Solar energy
  9. •Community garden & orchards
  10. •Sustainability & spirituality programs

More info on the convergence at: www.permacultureconvergence.com

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Ploughshares Nursery Harvest Season Clearance Sale

2701 Main St., Alameda.

Saturday, October 13, 2012 – Sunday, October 14, 2012

Reap a bountiful harvest from our need to clear the shelves! October is the perfect time to get plants into the ground in time for winter rains. Come spring, you will be rewarded with amazing growth.

Deals will include: Buy 1 get 1 free, 5 gallon container blueberries; 15 gallon container fruit trees regularly $55.00, now $39.99; 10% off all soil and fertilizer; Massive 50% and more discounts in our clearance section; Sign up for our e-newsletter and receive a free 2″ succulent plant!

510-755-1102, http://www.ploughsharesnursery.com/.

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Bi-monthly meeting of Santa Clara Valley Chapter California Rare Fruit Growers

Presentation on Pears with C. Todd Kennedy

Emma Prusch Park in San Jose.

October 13, 2012, Meeting starts at 1:00.

Come early for chatting and snacking.

The topic will be about Pears!  C. Todd Kennedy, a well known fruitarian and long term CRFG member will be speaking. Check http://www.arboreum.biz/ for information about Todd’s fruit trees. Open to all.

http://scvcrfg.wordpress.com/

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Successful Citrus for the Diablo Valley

Saturday, October 13, 2012

9:30am – 11:30am.

Join Don Dillon to hear more about the fascinating history of Four Winds Growers, developers of dwarf citrus, and learn everything you ever wanted to know about successfully growing a large variety of these wonderfully productive plants throughout the Diablo Valley. Don will provide tips and techniques and will answer questions about exposure, feeding, watering and pest/disease issues. Plants will be available for sale! Details and registration info online.

The Gardens at Heather Farm, 1540 Marchbanks Drive, Walnut Creek.
$15 members/$20 non-members.
925-947-1678, http://www.gardenshf.org/adult-classes.html.

Wednesday, October 10, 2012 – Wednesday, October 24, 2012, 9am – 4pm.

Foods of the Americas Exhibit

From chocolate to quinoa, discover the cornucopia of food crops that originated in the Americas thousands of years ago.

Foods of the Americas Family Day!

Saturday, October 13, 2012, 11am-4pm

Schedule: 11am & 1pm Spanish and English Docent Led Tours of the Exhibit;

2pm Native Food Tastings & Crafts.

University of Berkeley Botanical Garden, 200 Centennial Drive, Berkeley.

Cost: Adults $10; Seniors (65+) & Student $8; Juniors (13-17) $5; Children (5-12) $2; Children (under 5), UCBG Members, current UCB and LBNL staff, faculty and UC students Free; First Thursday of each month Free.

510-643-2755, garden@berkeley.edu, http://botanicalgarden.berkeley.edu/.

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Merritt College Fall 2012 Plant Sale

October 6 and 7 at the Landscape Horticulture Department.

Saturday: 9am-3pm–Plants, Harvest Basket Contest, Food, Music, Vendors and more…

Sunday: noon-3pm–Plants Only.

http://merrittlandhort.com/announcing-fall-2012-plant-sale/

Here’s a sample of what’s on deck; our current sale inventories are below.

Heirloom Annual Veggies:  includes 8 varieties of kale, 10 of peas, and many varieties of broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage.  Also a wide range of Asian vegetables including mizuna, tatsoi, mispoona, boc choy, and many mustards (horned mustard! Heading mustard! Stem mustard!), as well as many other cool season greens and salad crops.

Bulk cover crop seeds for sale.

Permaculture nitrogen-fixers and guild builders:  Tagasaste, Leucaena, Ceanothus, Lotus, Comfrey, Horseradish, and more!

Rare fog-tolerant grapes like ‘Emeryville Pink’, ‘Baharat Early’, and ‘Early Muscat’.

Unusual perennial greens like Okinawa Spinach, New Zealand Spinach, Malabar Spinach, and Erba Stella (Minutina), Sea Beet, Sea Kale, Tree Collards and more!

Unique Perennial and Andean Vegetables such as Yacon, Oca, Mashua, Tamarillo, Cape Gooseberry (Inca Berry), Cardoon, Purple and Globe Artichoke, Asparagus, and more!

Attractive edible fruiting shrubs: Pineapple Guava, Chilean Guava, Strawberry Guava, Che (Melonberry), Pheasant Berry (Leycestria formosa), native Huckleberry, and more!

Cool-summer adapted fruit trees and vines: Passionfruit, Kiwi, Boysenberry, Ollallieberry, Black Munger Blackcap, Eversweet Pomegranate, Negronne Fig, Trovita Orange, and a wide selection of Four Winds Dwarf Citrus and Avocados at affordable prices.

Also a wide variety of California Natives (including edible Natives), Mediterranean climate plants (Australia, South Africa, Chile) and unusual perennials.

Inventories of Available Plants:

———————————-

Featuring: *Live Music/Beet Boxing with Mike360, Youth Reclaiming Culture

Through Art, Decolonizing and Detoxing From Sugar with Joy Moore, Family

Pupusa Making 101 with Phat Beets Youth, Exploring GentriFUKation with

Poor Magazine, Culinary Colonialism: Deconstructing Oppression in the Food

System, Seva’s Native American Foods Cook Book, and Bhutanese Wild

Fermentation.

*Contact: *Alejandra Cano, Alejandra@phatbeets produce.org, 1-415-602-5576

http://www.phatbeetsproduce.org/

———————————

Garden Tour Sunday, October 7, 1 PM

Occidental Arts and Ecology Center

The public is invited to tour the Occidental Arts and Ecology Center on Sunday, October 7. The two-hour tour begins at 1 PM and will include an introduction to the Center’s organic gardens and bordering wildlands, educational programs and resident intentional community.

This will be the last scheduled public tour of 2012. In addition, it is one of the few afternoon tours offered annually, and so is especially good for those coming from a distance.

The tour fee is $10 for adults, children 12 and under free, no one turned away for lack of funds. For information see www.oaec.org or call (707) 874-1557 x101.

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Taste 30 varieties of apples!

Sunday Sept 30, 2012
11 am – 5 pm
Join us at the UCSC Farm  for the Harvest Festival! Live music, great food, gardening talks, cooking demonstrations, Farm tours, hay rides, kids crafts, and more!

$5 general admission; free for Friends of the Farm & Garden members, UCSC students (with ID) and kids 12 and under.

Call 831.459-3240 or email casfs@ucsc.edu for more information or to volunteer.
http://casfs.ucsc.edu/fall-harvest-festival-2

———————————–

*Your are invited to get down with the

People’s Grocery Crew at the California Hotel

Urban Farm Fall Plant Sale…*

*Who*: People’s Grocery’s California Hotel Urban Farm and Greenhouse
*What*: Fall Plant Sale ‘a Celebration of Kales and Collards’
*When*: Sunday, September 30th 12-4pm
*Where: *35th and Chestnut in West Oakland Behind the Historic California
Hotel

<http://peoplesgrocery.org/blogs/blog/2011/03/01/47/>
*Why: *To showcase and celebrate rare Kale and Collard varieties and
numerous other annual vegetable starts in grown in West Oakland. A wide
range of kale and collard prepared dishes and drinks will be available to
sample and purchase. All funds go towards Cal Hotel Farm operations.
*Contact: *max@peoplesgrocery.org or 510-689-3068

Showcasing Sea Kale, Portuguese Sea Kale, Ethiopian Kale, Rainbow Kale and
Walking Stick Kale as well as numerous collard varieties including Tree
Collards.

Also featuring perennial vegetables, herbs, annual fall vegetables, and Bay
Area Friendly permaculture favorites.

Download poster here:

2012 fall plant sale frontfinal.jpg

———————————–

Fall Fruit Tasting:

Autumn at Filoli Festival

Saturday, September 29, 2012, 10:00 am – 3:30 pm

Make your reservations, don’t be left out.

Join us on Saturday, September 29 for our annual family–friendly harvest celebration, the Autumn at Filoli Festival. During this special seasonal event, a favorite of many, discover and savor one–of–a–kind apples, pears and grapes from Filoli’s Gentlemen’s Orchard. Fruit tasting in the Visitor and Education Center will be available all day. We believe that you will love tasting and comparing all the different varieties. You will also have the opportunity to tour the Historic Gentlemen’s Orchard with more than 670 trees and vines of heirloom fruit.

For more info: http://www.filoli.org/special-events-and-exhibits/autumn-festival.html:

To purchase tickets: https://tickets.filoli.org/FiloliPub/ticketing_checkout.aspx

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West Coast Women’s Permaculture Gathering

September 20 – 23 near Ashland, OR.

more info: http://westcoastwomenspc.weebly.com/index.html.

This Years Presenters:
We have an amazing line up of extraordinary speakers!
Vicki Robin – Blessing the Hands that Feed Us & Your Money or Your Life
Starhawk – The Last Wild Witch & Earth Activist Training
Deborah Eden Tull – The Natural Kitchen: Your Guide to the Sustainable Food Revolution
Pandora Thomas – Earthseed co-founder and Columbia University Human Rights Program Fellow
Marisha Auerbach – of the Cascadia Permaculture Institute and City Repair in Portland, OR
Jacqueline Freeman – Biodynamic Beekeeper and owner of Friendly Haven Rise Farm in Venersborg, WA
Maud Powell – Project Manager for the Siskiyou Sustainable Cooperative and CSA Program Coordinator
Jeanette Acosta – founder of the Sacred Women’s Circle, author, composer (Jeanette is recovering from serious illness, send her healing prayers)
Carmen Gonzales – Environmental Protection Specialist with Doi Dicutta Tribe

To get up-to-date announcements about the gathering and to be part of the biggest (maybe the only!) online group of permaculture women please sign up for the google group:  http://groups.google.com/group/westcoastwomenspermaculture

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TomatoBash’s 4th Annual Heirloom Tomato Tasting Party at the Cupertino Fall Fest!

When:
Sept. 22nd, from 12-5pm (or until the tomatoes run out!)

Cost:
$10-$15 donation to GreenSteaders Nonprofit

Where:
Memorial Park
Stevens Creek Blvd and Mary Ave, Cupertino, CA

Please contact us ASAP if you wish to volunteer or bring a few of your own unique garden-grown varieties to to share!

Find your perfect heirloom tomato at TomatoBash!

Tomatoes are the most popular home grown fruit, and there are literally thousands of varieties from all over the world to chose from – but which to pick?  The Greensteaders nonprofit is here to help with our 4th annual heirloom tomato tasting party, where we will offer tastings of over 50 of our favorite varieties of heirloom tomatoes for eating, cooking, growing, & seed saving – all from local Bay Area organic farms & gardens. We’ll have every color imaginable – from classic reds to greens, yellows, oranges, purples, blacks and tricolors!  We’ll have everything from classic red slicer tomatoes to sour Green Zebras, meaty Cherokee Purples, and sweet Isis Candy Cherries. There will be tomato-themed gourmet finger foods included & artisanal products and local wines for sale. Heirloom growing, seed saving & cooking advice will be shared.

More Info & advance ticket sales:

http://TomatoBash.Org

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Indian Valley Organic Farm & Garden Plant Sale –

spend some time on our farm and take some of it home with you.

Saturday and Sunday, September 22-23
10:00 am-3:00 pm
Indian Valley Organic Farm & Garden, 1800 Ignacio Blvd., Novato

Enjoy plant and produce sales, activities, info sessions, farm tours, tastings, and entertainment. Fun for the whole family!

On Saturday John Valenzuela will be there talking up the fruit trees for sale, which were propagated this year by grafting class students led by John.

Indian Valley Organic Farm & Garden Fall Plant Sale 2012 [PDF]

http://www.conservationcorpsnorthbay.org/f/

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Visit the California Rare Fruit Growers
Festival of Fruit
“2012 – The Year of Heirloom Fruit”
Held in association with this year’s
National Heirloom Exposition

Sept 10, 11, 12, 13, 2012

Sonoma County Fair Grounds Santa Rosa, CA

http://theheirloomexpo.com/

www.festivaloffruit.org

At this year’s Festival of Fruit, we will
celebrate historical, heritage, heirloom
and exotic fruits of all kinds
with speakers, displays, and tastings
at the National Heirloom Expo

California Rare Fruit Growers Festival of Fruit

“Year of the Heirloom Fruit”

held in conjunction with

The National Heirloom Exposition

Mon. Sept 10 to Thurs. Sept 13

Location: Sonoma County Fairgrounds

1350 Bennett Valley Road

Santa Rosa, CA 95404

Tours, Reception, Speakers, Demonstrations, Displays, Tastings, Plant Vendors and more!

CRFG will have designated gathering areas for eating and socializing. There will be many food vendors at the Expo.

Entry to the Expo is just $10 per day or $25 for all 3 days

CRFG Registration is requested! (at no cost)

at the FoF website: www.festivaloffruit.org

or contact Sarah Sherfy at 9140 Paseo Tranquilo, Gilroy, CA 95020, or call her at 408-846-5373.

We need your fruit! to display and/or taste. Heirlooms and exotics are welcomed. The Expo would like to see an explosion of fruit on display! You can also help sitting at our booths talking to friends and the general public. Please contact Linda Robertson at 415-385-8387.

Some hotels or camp sites will be posted soon on the http://www.festivaloffruit.org

For vendor applications, other speakers and exhibitors at the Expo, directions to the venue, and more, visit: http://www.theheirloomexpo.com/

 Full schedule at here:http://www.crfg.org/2012FoF/schedule/schedule.htm

Events- Monday Sept 10              
When: Where:
Dawn to Dusk Self Guided ToursGold Ridge Experimental FarmSebastopol
10am-10pm Set up Display TablesHeirloom Expo Exhibit HallSonoma County Fairgrounds
4:00pm Tour and Reception at Phil Peiri’s, PetalumaYou must RSVP at 707-795-6574
Events- Tuesday Sept 11
Where: When: Speaker Hall 1 Finley Hall Speaker Hall 2    E.C. Kraft Hall Speaker Hall 3 Movie Venue Tastings at Exhibit Hall
930 to 10am Festival of Fruit Welcome,CRFG Awards
1005 to 1055 Paul Vossen, UC Farm Advisor, “Tree Fruit and Berry Pests” Axel Katrel, Cloudforest Café online community, “Heirloom Cider and Eating Apples” Howard Garrison,Researcher USDA Davis Germplasm Repository, “Figs”
11am Exhibit Halls Open
11am – 1155 Gary P Nabhan, author, conservation biologist, farmer, local foodmovement pioneer“Forgotten Fruit”
1pm Apples,Monterey Chapter
230pm- 320 Amigo Bob Cantisano,  “Felix Gillet: Father of California and Northwest Perennial Agriculture”
325pm- 415 Ram Fishman, Green mantle Nursery, “Preserving the Albert Etter Apple Legacy”
4pm Berries, and more Gopher.Gulch
5pm Etter Apples, Greenmantle Nusery
Dawn to dusk Self Guided Tours, free,Gold Ridge Experimental Farm Sebastopol
8am to dusk Self-guided Tours, freeLuther Burbank Home and Gardens, 1mile from the fairgrounds
10am-3pm Drop-in Docent guided tours, $7 , Luther Burbank Home and Gardens, 1mile from the fairgrounds
Events- Wednesday Sept 12
Where: When: Speaker Hall 1Finley Hall Speaker Hall 2 E.C. Kraft Hall Speaker Hall 3 Tastings at Exhibit Hall
910 to 10am Susan Rudy, “”A Sonoma County Treasure: The Historic Orchard at Fort Ross State Historic Park, 1814 – Present” Jerry Sortomme, Prof. Emeritus, Santa Barbara City College “Heirloom Crops of the 21 California Missions” Nancy Garrison, Horticulturist & Master Gardener, “Pollinators”
1005 to 1055 Anders Vidstrand, Merritt College, “Summer and Fall Propagation of Fruit” Ed Valdivia, “Dragon Fruit Development” Grant Brians, Heirloom Organic Gardens,“Root Crops, Old or New”
11am Exhibit Halls Open
12 noon Dragon Fruit, Ed Valdivia
1pm Bob Hornback, Goldridge Farm, “Luther Burbank: The Plant Wizard of Santa Rosa”
2pm Cider Press, Redwood Chapter
4pm Citrus,Alive & Silk Nursery, Katy Wong andGopher Gulch Gardens – Idell Wedemeyer
 Dawn to dusk Self Guided Tours, freeGold Ridge Experimental Farm Sebastopol
8am to dusk Self-guided Tours, freeLuther Burbank Home and Gardens, 1mile from the fairgrounds
10am-3pm Drop-in docent guided tours $7Luther Burbank Home and Gardens, 1mile from the fairgrounds
Events- Thursday Sept 13
Where: When: Speaker Hall 1Finley Hall Speaker Hall 2 E.C. Kraft Hall Speaker Hall 3 Tastings at  Exhibit Hall
910 to10am Keith Park“Rehabilitation a Pear Orchard at John Muir’s Gravesite” Andy Mariani, Andy’s Orchard, “It’s About Taste: Judging Heirloom and Modern Stone Fruit Varieties” Mark Albert“Developments in Pineapple Guavas”
1005 to1055 John Preece, Head Researcher USDA Davis Germplasm Repository, “Wolfskill USDA Experimental Collection” C. Todd Kennedy, The Arboreum Company Nursery,“Traditional Fruit of the Bay Area” Roger Meyer, Nursery Owner, Author: Jujube Primer and Sourcebook,“Kiwi and Jujubes”
11 am Exhibit Halls Open
12 noon European plums, Andy’s Orchard
2 pm Tour David Ulmer’s, Sebastopol
5 pm All Fruits from Table Displays, Redwood Chapter
7 pm Closing
9 pm- 10pm Take down Displays
 Dawn to dusk Self Guided Tours, freeGold Ridge Experimental Farm Sebastopol
8am to dusk Self-guided Tours, freeLuther Burbank Home and Gardens, 1mile from the fairgrounds
10am-3pm Drop-in Docent guided tours, $7Luther Burbank Home and Gardens, 1mile from the fairgrounds

More details will be posted on the Festival of Fruit website: www.festivaloffruit.org

What is the National Heirloom Exposition?

For those of you who missed it last year,  here is a brief video clip of the event:

http://www.theheirloomexpo.com/events/2011-martha-stewart-video/

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Summer Fruit Tasting!

Fig and Grape Tasting

Saturday Sept 8th, 10am

Wolfskill Experimental Farm,

4334 Putah Creek Rd Winters 95694

Researchers from the USDA ARS National Clonal Germplasm Repository, Davis will be hosting us again under the olive trees amid thousands of varieties of grapes, figs and other fruits.

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Permaculture Design Certification Course

with Toby Hemenway

Cavanagh Recreation Center Food Forest, Petaluma, CA.

 Sept 2012 to Feb. 2013,  One weekend a month for 6 consecutive months

Early Bird registration ends July 15th! 
Learn more and register here

Daily Acts is proud to offer a 72-hour Permaculture Design Certificate course taught by Toby Hemenway, acclaimed educator and author of Gaia’s Garden:  A Guide to Home-Scale Permaculture, the internationally best-selling permaculture book for the past 7 years.

Permaculture uses ecological principles to design sustainable human communities that are harmoniously woven into the environment and that aim to have the diversity, stability, and resilience of natural ecosystems.  It offers a framework for critical decision-making and right livelihood. This course will give you holistic decision-making tools to create and practice sustainable solutions for food, water, and energy security; regenerative shelter; building social capital; developing a sustainable economy, renewing local communities on all scales, and many other needs. It will allow you to find solutions to the challenges presented by life in an industrial society. Upon successful completion of the course participants will earn a Permaculture Design Certificate issued by The Permaculture Institute (USA), the principal certifying body in the US.

Guest instructors: Penny Livingston of the Regenerative Design Institute, Larry Santoyo of Earthflow Designs, Brock Dolman of the Occidental Arts & Ecology Center’s Water Institute, Erik Ohlsen of Permaculture Artisans, John Valenzuela of CA Rare Fruit Growers, and others.

Topics include: Permaculture principles and methods, site analysis and resource mapping, natural cycles and pattern literacy, food security and energy decent, water harvesting and conservation, soil ecology and rehabilitation, ecological building, community dynamics, urban permaculture, and sustainable economics.

This certificate course will introduce you to strategies and tools for designing and living in landscapes, homes, businesses, and communities that are regenerative—that is, that go beyond not just depleting resources and the human spirit, but renewing and invigorating them. In thiscourse you will meet people concerned about the same things you are, and beinspired by them, and in many cases, form new collaborative relationships with them. Many people find this course to be one of the most transformative experiences of their life.

Class will take place from 9am-5:30pm, one weekend a month for 6 consecutive months, in Petaluma, CA.

Class dates: September 1st & 2nd, October 6th & 7th, November 17th & 18th (with John Valenzuela), December 15th & 16th, 2012; January 19th & 20th, February 16th & 17th, 2013.

Early Bird registration ends July 15th! Learn more and register here

Class days will be held at Petaluma’s Cavanagh Recreation Center, whose previously resource-intensive lawn, was transformed into a permaculture food forest by Daily Acts in 2009. We’ll tour local self-reliant households and see firsthand how permaculture solutions are applied to produce astoundingly productive backyards and City Hall transformations. Daily Acts has been pushing permaculture to the forefront of the landscapes and policies of local and CA State Governments for nearly a decade, including installing a permaculture food forest at Petaluma City Hall in 2010, and a garden at Sonoma County’s Board of Supervisor’s Office in 2011

About the Instructor:Toby Hemenway is the author of the first major North American book on permaculture, Gaia’s Garden: A Guide to Home-Scale Permaculture. He has been an adjunct professor at Portland State University, Scholar-in-Residence at Pacific University, and is currently a field director at the Permaculture Institute (USA). After obtaining a degree in biology from Tufts University, Toby worked for many years as a researcher in genetics and immunology, first in academic laboratories including Harvard and the University of Washington in Seattle, and then at Immunex, a major medical biotech company. At about the time he was growing dissatisfied with the direction biotechnology was taking, he discovered permaculture, a design approach based on ecological principles that creates sustainable landscapes, homes, and workplaces. A career change followed, and Toby and his wife spent ten yearscreating a rural permaculture site in southern Oregon. He was associate editor of Permaculture Activist, a journal of ecological design and sustainable culture, from 1999 to 2004. He now lives in Sonoma County, CA and teaches permaculture and consults and lectures on ecological design throughout the country.
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Summer Fruit Tastings!

Special Event Calendar 2012 for Andy’s Orchard:

These tastings typically include 30 to 40 varieties of stone fruit.

The following Tour, Tasting, and Harvest Walk events are currently planned:

Sunday, June 17th (Father’s Day)
We tasted over 50 of varieties cherries plus other stone fruits!

Saturday, July 7th
Late Cherries, Apricots plus other stone fruits.

Sunday, July 22nd
Many apricots, some cherries, peaches, nectarines and plums.

Sunday, August 5th
Late apricots, early peaches, nectarines and plums

Next Tasting date:

Sunday, August 19th – SORRY, CANCELLED
Many peaches, nectarines plums and pluots. Often as many as 60 different varieties.

All tours begin at 10:00 AM

Location: Andy’s Orchard, 1615 Half Rd., Morgan Hill, CA 95037

phone: (408) 783-7600
Note: Tours are $15 per person. Seniors are $12 per person. Children under 12 are free. Please check ahead to confirm dates, which are subject to change. For groups of five or less no reservations are required. For groups of 6 or more, please call ahead and let us know the number in your group and the date you plan to attend. Private tours can be arranged for groups of 50 or more. No pets, please.
* These events are subject to the weather and the availability of fruit on the day of the event.

http://andysorchard.com/cart/index.php?_a=viewDoc&page=orchard&topic=7

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Advanced Seed Saving Techniques class

Richmond Public Library Community Room,

325 Civic Center Plaza, Richmond, CA

Thursday, August 9th. 7-8:30 pm

Advanced Seed Saving Class

Thursday, August 5 from 7-8:30 pm
Community Room, Richmond Public Library

Learn how to save “difficult” seeds from the library including such plants as squash, pumpkins, cucumbers, melons, brassicas, and corn.

Join Rebecca Newburn, Co-Founder of Richmond Grows Seed Lending Library <http://www.richmondgrowsseeds.org>, and John Valenzuela of Cornucopia Food Forest Gardens, for this engaging and fun class.

FREE, but please register at: http://www.eventbrite.com/event/2757699353?utm_source=eb_email&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=new_eventv2&utm_term=eventurl_text

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Toby Hemenway at The Seed Bank in Petaluma

Monday, July 23rd 7pm-9pm Free (Registration Required)

Daily Acts presents “Redesigning Civilization: Where Our Culture Went Wrong
and How Permaculture Can Help”

The Seed Bank <http://rareseeds.com/petaluma-seed-bank/>, 199 Petaluma
Blvd. N, Petaluma, CA

Talk with Toby Hemenway, internationally best-selling author of Gaia’s
Garden: A Guide to Homescale Permaculture <http://www.patternliteracy.com/>

It’s no secret that our society has become unsustainable. Modern
agriculture, industry and finance all extract more than they give back, and
the Earth is starting to show the strain. How did we get in this mess? And,
more importantly, what can we do to help our culture get back on track?
There are ways to live sustainably on the Earth without going back to the
Stone Age. Many societies have lived in harmony with other species and yet
have developed art, music, philosophy, medicine, and the other hallmarks of
a rich culture. What many of them have in common looks a lot like what
today is known as permaculture, an ecological design approach based on
knowledge gained from nature. Permaculture offers powerful tools for the
design of regenerative, fair ways to provide food, energy, livelihood, and
other needs while helping humans share the planet with the rest of nature.
This presentation will show why our culture has become unsustainable, and
it offers ecologically based solutions that can help create a just and
sustainable society. This is the sequel to Toby’s popular talk, “How
Permaculture Can Save Humanity and The Planet, but Not Civilization.”

Register for this event at dailyacts.org<http://www.dailyacts.org/component/content/article/428>

Also, don’t miss our 72-hour Permaculture Design Certification Course lead
by Toby Hemenway with guest Penny Livingston, Larry Santoyo, Brock Dolman,
Erik Ohlsen, John Valenzuela and others, held in Petaluma, CA starting
September 1st, 2012!

This course is designed to accommodate working professionals and will be held
one weekend a month for 6 consecutive months. Early Bird rates end July 15th!! Click
here<http://www.dailyacts.org/component/content/article/343>to learn
more and register.
Toby Hemenway <http://www.patternliteracy.com/> is the author of the first
major North American book on permaculture, Gaia’s Garden: A Guide to
Home-Scale Permaculture. He has been an adjunct professor at Portland State
University, Scholar-in-Residence at Pacific University, and is currently a
field director at the Permaculture Institute (USA). After obtaining a
degree in biology from Tufts University, Toby worked for many years as a
researcher in genetics and immunology, first in academic laboratories
including Harvard and the University of Washington in Seattle, and then at
Immunex, a major medical biotech company. At about the time he was growing
dissatisfied with the direction biotechnology was taking, he discovered
permaculture, a design approach based on ecological principles that creates
sustainable landscapes, homes, and workplaces. A career change followed,
and Toby and his wife spent ten years creating a rural permaculture site in
southern Oregon. He was associate editor of Permaculture Activist, a
journal of ecological design and sustainable culture, from 1999 to 2004. He
now lives in Sonoma County, CA and teaches permaculture and consults and
lectures on ecological design throughout the country.
—————————————————————–

California Rare Fruit Growers, Redwood Empire Chapter

Fruit Tree Sale-

Saturday, July 21, 2012

Santa Rosa Farmers Market, Wells Fargo Center for the Arts

This year features the “Fort Ross Gravenstein” apples, and other varieties locally hybridized. The Sonoma County Chapter of the California Rare Fruit Growers (crfg.org) is working to help preserve this particular clonal variety of gravenstein. Trees have been created from scions (cuttings) donated by Terry and Carolyn Harrison from genetic stock they rescued in the mid 1980s, from a tree rescued by the family of Jack Barlow of Sebastopol in the earlier 1900s, from the Russian colonists’ orchard at the Ft Ross colony north of Bodega Bay 1812-1841. Proceeds raised are used to fund scholarships and rescue other rare fruit trees.

poster link here:crfg-tree-sale-handbill-2012

Redwood Empire CRFG website: http://www.borglum.com/crfgr/

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Permaculture Design Course

At the Bullock Permaculture Homestead

Orcas Island, WA

July 15- August 4, 2012

Instructors: Douglas Bullock, John Valenzuela, Sam Bullock & Dave Boehnlein

Course Will Cover:

Approximately 144 hours of classroom and hands-on education. Including: design methodologies, observation skill building, whole system design, annual and perennial foods, water/energy/waste techniques, appropriate construction, plant propagation and culture, outdoor mushroom cultivation, herbs and fiber use, and animals. Agricultural strategies for drylands, wetlands, and everything in between will be observed, discussed, and implemented at our ever-evolving homestead.

Course Tuition:

Cost: $2000 ($1900 if paid in full by June 1st, 2012); includes delicious, mostly organic meals, materials, and certificate. Camping space is provided. A $250 nonrefundable deposit is required with course registration, with the remainder due on or before July 1, 2012. Course is limited to 30 participants.

For more info contact:
Dave Boehnlein
360-840-8483
info@permacultureportal.com

http://permacultureportal.com/courses_current.html#design_orcas

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July Event Golden Gate Chapter California Rare Fruit Growers
Tour of the Orchards of John Muir National Historic Site

DATE: Saturday, July 14, 2012
TIME: 10 AM
LOCATION: John Muir National Historical Site
4202 Alhambra Avenue
Martinez, CA 94553


Tour will begin promptly at 10 AM, don’t be late!

Our group will have a tour led by a knowledgeable
National Park Service interpreter of the site,
including the historic orchards.

The original fruit orchards were first established in
1853 by prominent physician and horticulturist Dr.
John Strentzel, a Polish immigrant settling in the
Alhambra Valley to farm, as California gold rush
opportunities waned. When naturalist and
conservationist John Muir married Dr. Strentzel’s
daughter, pianist Louisa Strentzel in 1880, the
ranch was at its peak, with 2,300 acres growing a
collection of over 1,000 varieties of fruits and
ornamentals.

John Muir became ranch manager at that time, as
Dr. Strentzel’s health declined, and he began
reducing the number of varieties by top-working
the trees to those that were economically feasible
to produce. When John Muir’s brother David took
over management in 1892, it freed John to
continue his explorations and conservation work,
that year founding the Sierra Club. John Muir died
in 1914, and is laid to rest on the ranch.

The National Park Service manages 336 acres of the original ranch which includes the
orchards, the Victorian era ‘Muir House’, the original ‘Martinez Adobe’, and grave sites of the
Strentzel family, with the majority of the acreage being Mt Wanda.

The John Muir National Historic Site website is http://www.nps.gov/jomu/index.htm.
Here is a link to the Orchard Management Plan for John Muir National Historic Site, with
more detail on the fruit trees:
http://www.parks.ca.gov/pages/22491/files/sample%20orchard%20management%20plan.pdf

Directions to July Event:

Public Transportation:Contra Costa County Connection Rt. #116 stops at John Muir National
Historic Site. The bus operates Monday to Saturday and connects with the Martinez Amtrak
station and BART stations in Pleasant Hill and Walnut Creek. Contact County Connection at
(925) 676-7500 or click on this County Connection link for specific schedule information

Automobiles: From San Francisco: Eastbound I-80 to eastbound Highway 4. Exit at Alhambra
Avenue, turning left at bottom of the ramp. Cross beneath highway; Site is immediately on
your left. From San Jose: Take I-680 northbound or (From Sacramento) southbound I-680 to
Highway 4 westbound. Exit at Alhambra Ave. Turn right at bottom of ramp; Site is located
immediately on your left.

Note: The parking lot is very small (16 spaces). If the lot is full, we recommend that you
park on Walnut Avenue (just across the street from the Visitor Center).

For more information, contact: John Valenzuela (415) 246-8834 or
johnvalenzuela@hotmail.com.

The Golden Gate Chapter meetings are free and open to the public, with newcomers always
welcome!

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Indian Valley Organic Farm & Garden
Citrus Grafting Workshop
Saturday, June 30, 9am-12pm

 Each workshop participant will be supplied with all the necessary dwarfing citrus rootstock to learn and perform citrus budding techniques.
 When class is over, you will have your own new citrus tree to take home, plant and care for and some new skills to enhance your home citrus grove!
 Citrus varieties available for budding: Specialty fruits: Sudachi and Yuzu, Seedless Kishu Mandarin, and Mexican lime

 Presentation and instruction by John Valenzuela, chairperson of the Golden Gate Chapter of the California Rare Fruit Growers.

Cost: $30 – $40 (sliding scale). Class size limited to 30 participants.
To register : contact John Heenan at 415–297-1558 or sudachi.lover@gmail.com
www.conservationcorpsnorthbay.org
College of Marin, Indian Valley Campus – 1800 Ignacio Blvd., Novato
take the Ignacio Blvd. Exit west from Hwy 101

presented in cooperation with  Conservation Corps- North Bay, College of Marin, and the University of California Cooperative Extension

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Organic Stone Fruit Jubilee

Taste sixty varieties of peaches, plums, pluots, nectarines and apricots from a dozen local certified farms.

Also enjoy artisan foods, farm tours, workshops, music and kid’s craft corner.

June 23, 2012
5:00 – 8:30 PM

Adult Admission $5
Children under 12 Free

Mokichi Okada Association’s Oasis Garden
5790 N, Indianola Avenue
Clovis, CA 93619

(near Fesno)

More info here:http://www.eco-farm.org/programs/heartland_project/organic_stone_fruit_jubilee/

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First Fruit Tasting of the summer season:

Tasting of Mulberries and early Cherries

Saturday, June 2nd, 11am
Wolfskill Experimental Farm,
4334 Putah Creek Rd, Winters, CA 95694

This tasting will be hosted by Jenny Smith, who manages the collections of Actinidia (Kiwi fruit), Morus (mulberries), Diospyros (persimmon), and Olea (olives) at Wolfskill. This experimental farm is home to the living library of the USDA Agricultural Research Service’s National Clonal Germplasm Repository at Davis, with thousands of varieties of nuts and fruits grown in California, which are researched, maintained and distributed to other scientists, commercial nurseries and orchards, and  backyard growers. see:

http://www.ars.usda.gov/main/site_main.htm?modecode=53-06-20-00

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Southern California Permaculture Convergence

to be held at an ecovillage in the Vista area, San Diego county

SORRY, CANCELLED

June 8-10, 2012

Elaine Ingham (soilfoodweb.com)-keynote speaker

Mark Lakeman (cityrepair.org), and many more local permaculture folks sharing

More details coming- stay posted:

Southern California Convergence Facebook page link: http://www.facebook.com/SoCalConvergences

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Next Meeting of the Golden Gate Chapter of the California Rare Fruit Growers

“Summer Propagation of Unusual Fruits”
presented by Anders Vistrand and Susan Ashley from the Merritt College Horticulture Dept.

Saturday, May 12, Noon to 3pm
Room H108, Horticulture Dept. Merritt College,
12500 Campus Dr. Oakland CA 94619

Tentative Schedule:
11am- Come early for our planning meeting.
Noon- Bring food to share
1pm- The presentation will include how to propagate with seedlings, cuttings, air layers, chip and t-budding, and bark grafting. Propagation secrets revealed by Anders Vistrand and Susan Ashley, propagators at the Merritt Horticulture program.
2pm- Tour of the Merritt diverse food forest hillside, with plants from their nursery for sale. Also, bring plants to share for our plant drawing.
3pm- Clean up

Contact for more info: johnvalenzuela@hotmail.com, 415 246 8834

The Golden Gate CRFG chapter meets on the second Saturdays of odd numbered months, excepting the January Scion Exchange.

CRFG Meetings are Free and open to the public, newcomers welcome!

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SECOND CHANCE PLANT SALE AND TOURS

Occidental Arts and Ecology Center

May 12 & 13 9 am- 5 pm

15290 Coleman Valley Road, Occidental, CA 95465

If you missed our big Summer Plant Sale last weekend at the Occidental Arts and Ecology Center, or just want to come back for more, OAEC will hold a Second Chance Sale on Saturday, May 12 and Sunday, May 13. Plant Sale hours are 9am – 5pm. Admission is free.

We’ll be selling hundreds of open-pollinated, heirloom, and rare varieties – an even more spectacular selection than ever before! All are California Certified Organic – many started from our own seed collection – and have been trialed, tasted, and savored for years in our demonstration gardens and kitchen.

This plant sale focuses on the warm season summer crops such as tomatoes, basil, summer and winter squash, pumpkins, hot and sweet peppers, eggplants, beans, melons, cucumbers and gourds. We will also feature a wide array of perennial food crops and permaculture plants, culinary and medicinal herbs as well as traditional food crops of the Andes, such as yacon, kiwicha, quinoa, mashua, oca, pepino, and Cape gooseberry. Please see www.oaec.org for a detailed list.

A tour of about one hour in length will be offered at 10 am each day.

For information see: www.oaec.org or call (707) 874-1557 x.101

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Spring 2012 Poster by Tamar Beja

Merritt College Horticulture Club

Spring 2012 Plant Sale

Sat May 5, 9am-3pm, Plant Fair which features Tours, Demonstrations, Food, Music, Vendors, Books and More!

and Sun May 6 from noon-3pm. just plants.

The sale is held at our Nursery in the

Landscape Horticulture Department at Merritt College at

12500 Campus Dr. Oakland, CA 94619.

Walk to the sale area, you will be able to hold your plants and drive up to the loading zone when you leave.
The Merritt College Horticulture Club hosts two Plant Sales each year; The Spring Plant Sale is the first weekend in May, and the Fall Plant Sale is the first Weekend in October (October 6 and 7, 2012).
We are becoming known for our offerings of Perennial Vegetables, Rare Fruits and Heirloom Annual Edibles, which cannot be found anywhere else. We also continue to expand our CA Natives, Mediterranean Climate Plants, Herbs, and Unusual Plants of all types. We grow 80-90% of our own plants with our student club, volunteers, classes, and faculty and staff labor

64 species of Edible Perennials including many rare fruits
31 species of Culinary and Medicinal Herbs
nearly 300 species of CA Natives, Mediterraneans, and Ornamentals
over 100 varieties of annual summer vegetables

For the full download of the current inventory of plants:
http://merrittlandhort.com/plant_sale-html/

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Summer Biodiversity Plant Sale

Occidental Arts and Ecology Center,

15290 Coleman Valley Road, Occidental

Saturday May 5th – Sunday May 6th
9AM – 5 PM

It’s time to plant your summer garden! Our Summer Plant Sale will feature hundreds of varieties of warm season summer crops, including basil, melons, lettuce, onions, eggplants and more. We will continue to offer many interesting ornamental perennials.

This is a free event with free Garden Tours at 2pm on Saturday and 10am & 2pm on Sunday.

Over 450 varieties of Annual Summer Vegetables, 75 species of Edible Perennials, and 50 species of Ornamentals

to see the list of annual plants, edible and ornamental perennials offered at this sale, and directions to OAEC, go to: http://www.oaec.org/plant-sales/summer-biodiversity-plant-sale-may-2012

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Indian Valley Organic Farm & Garden, Conservation Corps North Bay

SPRING PLANT SALE
Saturday and Sunday, April 21 and 22, 10am-3pm

At the farm: 1800 Ignacio Boulevard, Novato.

We’re at the College of Marin Indian Valley Campus in Novato. Parking available at the end of campus in lot 6. Walk past the left side of the athletic field to the farm entrance..

  • Plant Sales: vegetable starts, herbs, annual and perennial flowers, perennial shrub and berries, fruit trees and more
  • Produce Sales: seasonal varieties
  • Live music by “Wagon”- our favorite    old-timey trio (Saturday only)
  • Backyard Composting information    session. (2: 00 pm—2:30 pm)
  • Marin Master Gardener led farm tours
  • Bouquet-making
  • Tastings
  • Face Painting

For more information: email Jenna Brager  jbrager@conservationcorpsnorthbay.org.
or call 415-720-2051, Jenna Brager, Farm Coordinator, Indian Valley Organic Farm & Garden, Conservation Corps North Bay

An Education Center for sustainable agriculture in the North Bay. A partnership between College of Marin, Conservation Corps North Bay, and the University of California Cooperative Extension.

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CLCA East Bay Chapter welcomes all to join them at Devil Mountain Wholesale Nursery, San Ramon

for an afternoon exploring the many uses of Edibles in the modern landscape

Edibles IN TODAY’S LANDSCAPE

APRIL 19, 2012 3 P.M. TO 7 P.M.

AT DEVIL MOUNTAIN WHOLESALE NURSERY
9885 Alcosta Blvd., San Ramon, CA 94583
(Entrance to the nursery is on the west side of
Alcosta Blvd. between Estero and Pine Valley)
Telephone Ed Laivo at 925-829-6006
Web site: devilmountainnursery.com

This afternoon brings together some of
the top names in Edible Landscape
Application in Northern California. Your
host will be Ed Laivo, Devil Mountain
Wholesale Nursery’s (DMWN) Sales Manager
and well-known edible landscape and fruit
specialist.

From 3 to 4 p.m., we will kick off the
afternoon with book signing, socializing and
tours of the nursery. DMWN’s expert staff
will be on hand to share what’s new at
DMWN as well as to answer your questions.
Refreshments will be served.

REGISTRATION
For this event, on-line pre-registration is
recommended. You may pay using PayPal.
Web site:CLCA-sfbae.org
RSVP-BY 4/13
E-mail Laura Leuer: lleuer@comcast.net, or
telephone her at 510-207-4350

PRICING
CLCA members $15.00/person
Non-Members $25.00/person

Presentation Itinerary
4:00 – 4:30 p.m. Welcome and Introductions

4:30 – 7:00 p.m. Guest Speakers

4:30 – 5:00 p.m. ‘Soils for Container Growing’

Gisele Schoniger
Soils Expert, Kellogg Garden Products

5:00 – 5:30 p.m. ‘The When and How of Replacing
Fruit Trees in the Landscape’
Colby Eierman
Author and Estate Gardener,
author of ‘Fruit Trees in Small Spaces’

5:30 – 6:00 p.m. ‘Citrus, Avocados & Subtropical Fruit
in the Bay Area, New Varieties from
Dave Wilson Nursery’
Tom Spellman
Dave Wilson Nursery’s Specialist in Deciduous Fruit,
Citrus, Avocados, and Subtropical

6:00 – 6:45 p.m. ‘Vegetables in the Landscape’
Rosalind Creasy
Renowned Author and Edible Landscape Expert
Author of ‘Edible Landscape’

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Workshop: Cavanagh Center – Growing an Edible Landscape with John Valenzuela, Sponsored by Daily Acts

Sunday, April 1st, 10am-3pm, Free

Location: Cavanagh Center, Corner of 8th & G Streets, Petaluma

This community-driven food forest has saved the City of Petaluma over 67,000 gallons of water annually since its transformation from a lawn in May 2009, and that’s no April Fool! Join us as we revisit permaculture principles in action and get hands-on experience working with the design, maintenance, and evolution of a maturing ecosystem. We’ll install edible vines and learn about the unique, multi-layered food forest approach to gardens. We’ll learn about nitrogen-fixers, solar orientation, plant siting and attracting birds, so essential for fertilization and pest-control. Come experience the nutritious abundance growing in this 3,000 square foot urban oasis and learn design principles to create your own backyard food forests. It’s part of the Cavanaugh Community Center Workshop Series.

http://www.dailyacts.org/component/content/article/409

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Fruit Tree Grafting Party in Fremont

Sponsored by GreenSteaders

March 25th, 2012
noon – 3:30pm
private location
Fremont
$20 per participant

Welcome to GreenSteaders!
Where good souls and good food mix!

Grafting Party In Fremont !

Ever considered getting more, varied and unusual fruit trees, and expanding your orchard?  Don’t have the space?  Would you like cherries or peaches or …?  All summer long?  Do you have trees that are not bearing well, or bear fruit you don’t like to eat?  Would you like to change the varieties to an old favorite?  or add something new and exciting?  Want to start some new trees with multiple select varieties for best pollination, adapted to your soils, with a continuous harvest of the freshest fruit possible?
We have just the solution for you!  Come and join us for a Grafting Party!

The party will be led by an expert horticulturist and Chairperson of the Golden Gate Chapter of California Rare Fruit Growers (and all around a great guy!;) – John Valenzuela! There will be introduction to grafting essentials (including selecting appropriate varieties) over light lunch with initial questions and answers. A demonstration of a variety of different grafting techniques will follow, (including whip, cleft, bud grafting, bark grafting and others) on a variety of fruit trees, including citrus.  Finally hands on grafting by participants will take place under the watchful eye of John. Everyone will get a chance to graft some scions and get feedback on their chosen grafting technique.

All skill levels welcome. No prior experience necessary. All materials will be provided.

You are welcome to bring a significant other with you – only active participants pay!

Secure your spot early – space is limited.

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NEXT MEETING of the

Golden Gate Chapter California Rare Fruit Growers

March 10, 2012- Noon to 3pm

San Francisco Police Academy

350 Amber Drive, San Francisco, CA 94131

Near Diamond Heights Blvd & Duncan St (served by the MUNI 52 bus line) link to directions: http://www.crfg.org/chapters/golden_gate/meetings.htm

“Growing Fruit in Containers

and Small Spaces”

presented by

Fred Bové

steward of the SF Chronicle Food and Wine Building

Rooftop Garden

Discussion of your successes and problems in climates throughout the Bay Area to follow-including rooftop and container gardens, the best containers, potting soil and irrigation, use of dwarfing rootstocks, 4 in 1 hole planting, espalier, cordons, fans, Belgian fence and other

ways to produce fruit in small spaces, and/or with no accessible earth.

Bring your stories!

Fred Bove is a Permaculture designer, consultant and teacher, and UC Master Gardener,

who teaches permaculture through the UC Berkeley Extension. He has served as the Associate Director of Adult Education at the San Francisco Botanical Garden, and currently serves as the Outreach Director for The Great Sunflower Project, promoting pollinator awareness nation-wide.

Free Admission- Open to the public, with newcomers always welcome

 

For more information contact the Golden Gate CRFG

(415) 246-8834 or email golden_gate@crfg.org

http://www.crfg.org/chapters/golden_gate/meetings.htm

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Fruit Wood Scion Exchanges

(sharing propagation material for select varieties of deciduous fruit trees)

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past Scion Exchanges:

California Rare Fruit Growers

Fruit Wood Scion Exchanges for 2012

Northern California

January
Sat. 7th, Scion Cutting work day at Emma Prusch Park San Jose

Sat. 14th. Santa Clara Valley Chapter Exchange, Emma Prusch Park, San Jose

Sun. 15th, Monterey Chapter Exchange, Cabrillo College, Aptos, Santa Cruz

Sat. 21th, Golden Gate Chapter Exchange, Laney College, Oakland
Sun. 22nd, Sacramento Exchange, Cooperative Extension Offices, Sacramento

Sat. 28th, Redwood Empire Chapter Exchange, Veterans Hall, Sebastopol

February
Sat, 4th, Mendocino Permaculture’s 29th annual Winter Abundance Workshop (including Scion and Seed Exchange), Booneville High School Domes

Southern California:

January

Wed. 11th, South Bay Chapter Exchange, South Coast Botanic Gardens, Palos Verdes Peninsula

Sat. 14th, Foothill Chapter Exchange, Los Angeles Arboretum, Arcadia

Fri. 20th, North San Diego Chapter Exchange, Mira Costa College, Oceanside

Sat. 21st, Orange County Chapter Exchange, OC Fairngrounds, Costa Mesa

Wed. 25th, San Diego Chapter Exchange, Casa Del Prado, Balboa Park, San Diego
Sat. 28th, Channel Islands Chapter Exchange (Ventura/Santa Barbara), Beard Tropical Nursery, Goleta

February
Sat. 4th, Sequoia Chapter Exchange (So. San Joaquin), Porterville

Sat. 18th, Cental Coast Chapter Exchange (San Luis Obispo), Cal Poly Crops Unit, San Luis Obispo

Arizona:

Thurs. February 9th 2012, Arizona Chapter Exchange, Maricopa County Agricultural Extension Office, Phoenix

contact the local CRFG Chapters directly through the crfg.org website.

Details also available in the Jan/Feb issue of the ‘Fruit Gardener’ magazine, sent to all CRFG Inc. members.

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32nd annual!

Eco-Farm Conference

Feb 1-4, 2012

Pacific Grove, CA

The largest and oldest ecological farming conference on the West Coast.

http://www.ecofarmconference.org/

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5th Annual Grafting Workshop & Scion Exchange

Date: Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Time: 1:00 PM – 5:00 PM

Place: Apple Garden Cottage in Tomales

Sponsor: UC Cooperative Extension

Event Details

100223 apple642

Join us at Apple Garden Cottage in Tomales for the 5th Annual Grafting Workshop & Scion Exchange

Speakers:

Paul Vossen, UCCE Specialty Crops Advisor
John Valenzuela, Chairperson, Golden Gate Chapter, California Rare Fruit Growers
Jan & Lou Lee, Owners, Apple Garden Cottage

  • 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. – Workshop with Paul Vossen and John Valenzuela
  • 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. – Tour of Apple Garden Cottage and cider tasting with Jan & Lou Lee

Space is limited to 30 participants.  More info here:

http://ucanr.org/sites/Grown_in_Marin/Resources/GIM_Workshops_main/Fifth_Annual_Grafting_Workshop_-_Scion_Exchange/

The workshop registration fee of $15 can be paid by credit card online at the time of registration, or by cash or check at the door.

scion

Don’t forget to bring your scion!

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Grow Your Favorite Fruit

Golden Gate Chapter

California Rare Fruit Growers

2012 Scion Exchange

Saturday, January 21, 2012

Noon to 3pm

Laney College – Student Center

900 Fallon Street, Oakland

$4 donation to enter

You can find the best varieties of fruit to grow!

•Hundreds of varieties of scions (fruit wood) to graft onto your own trees, including:

apples, pears, quince, plums, peaches, nectarines, apricots, cherries, and more. . .

•Cuttings to root: grapes, figs, pomegranate, kiwi fruit, mulberries, and more. . .

•Rootstocks and grafting supplies  •Grafting class and demo 12:12 and 1:00pm

•Custom and assisted grafting of your selected variety onto a rootstock

•Local Fruit Friendly organizations     •Plants for Sale

•Questions answered, secrets revealed. . .

bring plastic bags and tape to label scion varieties you take home

Join us- volunteers needed

For more information see: http://www.crfg.org/chapters/golden_gate/scionex.htm

See videos on “How to Make the Best of the Exchange” here: https://cornucopiafoodforest.wordpress.com/videos/

More questions? call John at (415) 246-8834

email: johnvalenzuela<at>hotmail<dot>com

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Growing Fruit Trees on a Small-Scale in Sonoma & Marin Counties,

Presented by Paul Vossen, Farm Advisor for Sonoma & Marin Counties. University of California Cooperative Extension.

December 20, 2011, 9 am to 3 pm
Registration $10

Morning in the classroom

9-noon presentation at UCCE office, 133 Aviation Blvd, Ste. 109, Santa Rosa.

  • Evaluating land and specific sites for fruit trees
  • Irrigation and fertility needs of various fruit trees
  • Tree spacings and training systems
  • Rootstock and variety choices–what’s hot?
  • Dealing with pests and growing organically
  • Production costs and potential profits

Afternoon in the field
1-3 pm demonstration at the SRJC Shone Farm.

  • Observe plantings of apples, peaches, olives, citrus, pears, and other miscellaneous fruit trees;
  • Discuss their management.
There will be a break for lunch from 12-1. Bring your own lunch or take the hour to get a lunch then meet at Shone Farm at 1 pm for the afternoon in the field.Call Lisa if you have questions, 707-565-2050.

http://ucce.ucdavis.edu/survey/survey.cfm?surveynumber=7729

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Los Angeles, CA
Permaculture Design Course
October 2011 – March 2012

led by Larry Santoyo,  Earthflow Design Works

December 10/11, 2011

with Toby Hemenway and John Valenzuela

presenting the first weekend of PART TWO: Food, Water, Shelter & Energy… Designing & Building the Complete Home Ecosystem.

http://earthflow.com/LAPDC_fall11.php

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Lindcove Research and Extension Center, Citrus Collection

LREC Fruit Display and Tasting: Homeowners

Date: December 10, 2011

Time: 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM

Sponsor: Lindcove Research & Extension Center

Location: Conference Building at

Lindcove Research & Extension Center
22963 Carson Avenue
Exeter, CA 93221
Phone: (559) 592-2408
Fax: (559) 592-5947

Event Details: The general public is invited to visit on Saturday, December 10th, for Citrus Fruit Display and Tasting from 9:00 A.M. to 12:00 P.M.  Master Gardeners and UC Extension personnel will be happy to answer questions from home gardeners and citrus connoisseurs.  This is an excellent opportunity to taste, evaluate, and learn the names of your favorite citrus varieties.

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Esalen Institute, Big Sur, CA

Week of December 2-9, 2011

Permaculture Teacher Training: Innovation in Experimental Education

Benjamin Fahrer  &  Kat Steele

with guests- including John Valenzuela

Permaculture is a holistic design system for creating and sustaining regenerative human settlement patterns for healthy living. This permaculture course offers a new way to teach solution-based, eco-social design concepts by applying the principles of permaculture to the teaching of permaculture. Teachers and practitioners in any field can apply these skills and practices. This course will cover every aspect of being an effective educator and promoter of mutually beneficial relationships for a more sustainable and just future. By taking the approach of whole person learning and using teaching combinations from educators from all over the world, this course provides invaluable information about facilitating and how to frame concepts and ideas to people from all walks of life and cultural contexts. This course also teaches the basics of how to administer the core permaculture design course, as well as planning and preparing for specialized permaculture-focused workshops and practica.

Highlights include:

• How to identify learning styles and adapt to various audiences

• Techniques to help you organize and prepare quickly and effectively

• A comprehensive manual and DVD of permaculture resources and teaching materials

• Course planning, marketing, and evaluation

• Constructive critique of participant presentations

• Teaching tools and the core exercises of the permaculture curriculum

This course offers powerful teaching practices gleaned from the leaders’ many years of permaculture teaching. Their experience, combined with the knowledge of permaculture teachers and mentors from around the globe, make this one of the most comprehensive teacher trainings available.

More info here: http://webapp.esalen.org/workshops/9837

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November  Meeting

Golden Gate Chapter California Rare Fruit Growers

WHEN: Saturday, November 12, 2011
WHAT: Golden Gate Bimonthly Chapter Meeting
WHERE: Room 110A (no room number on door)
Horticulture Department
Diablo Valley College
321 Golf Club Road
Pleasant Hill, CA
TIME: 1 PM – ~4 PM
SPEAKER:

“Amigo” Bob Cantisano* will present a talk on Felix Gillet, pioneering nurseryman of the Sierra foothills, who introduced hundreds of varieties of fruit, nuts, grapes, roses and berries to California from around the world.
SCHEDULE: 11:00 AM  Optional – Planning meeting for our 2012 Scion Exchange
12 noon    Optional – Share food/fruits
1:00 PM    Talk on Felix Gillet
3:00 PM    Plant drawing
4:00 PM    End
Directions and more info at:

*About “Amigo” Bob Cantisano

“Amigo” Bob Cantisano is a ninth generation Californian, long-time organic farmer, international consultant, inventor and founder of many seminal organic organizations, including what became the largest organic food distributor in the nation, Peaceful Valley Farm Supply, Aeolia Organics (the first organic olive oil producer in the U.S.), California Certified Organic Farmers, the Eco-Farm conference and Organic Ag Advisors. He has co-authored organic farming legislation and serves on various technical review committees for governments, universities and organic agriculture organizations. He hosts the radio show ‘Organic Matters’, has authored over 150 technical articles and bulletins and speaks widely.

He is also the founder of the Felix Gillet Institute. The Institute’s mission is to place properly Gillet in the history of California and United States agriculture through a thorough process of research and education, including propagation of many the original trees introduced through Gillet’s ‘Barren Hill Nursery’, founded in 1871 in Nevada City, CA.
You can reach Amigo at: (530) 292-3619 orgmail dot com>

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Festival of Fruit- Year of the Pomegranate

Arizona chapter California Rare Fruit Growers

November 3-6th 2011
AZRFG will be holding the 2011 Festival Of Fruit between Thursday November 3rd and Sunday November 6th. Local tours will be held Thursday, Friday, and Sunday. The main event, which includes seminars, meals, and classes will take place on the Arizona State University Campus in Tempe Arizona on November 5th, 2011 . CRFG members from all over the country will be converging on Arizona for this annual event. Members of the general public are also welcome to attend. Plant vendors will also be invited.
more info at:

http://www.azrfg.org/festivalOfFruit/fof.html

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“Practical Gardening: Sustainability From the Ground Up”,

Alameda County Master Gardeners 9th Annual Fall/Winter Gardening Seminar

Date: Saturday, October 29, 2011

Time: 8:30am to 3:00pm

Location: The Garden Center at Lake Merritt, 666 Bellevue Avenue, Oakland

http://acmg.ucdavis.edu/Fall_Seminar/

John Valenzuela will give a talk entitled:

Fruit Stories-

A Cultural History of Some Northern California Fruit Varieties, People and Places

Beyond the original native fruits of California, we now enjoy many types of fruit that originated from around the world. From the fruits of the Mediterranean, Mexico and South America brought by the Spanish Missionaries to the fruit that arrived from the Eastern US, Europe and Asia imported by early pioneers. From those well traveled varieties, new varieties were bred and discovered right here on the west coast by the likes of Seth Lewellyn of Oregon, Luther Burbank of Santa Rosa, and Albert Etter of Humboldt County. There is a lot of history in each bite of fruit you may eat, come to hear some of the stories.

Have you ever heard of. . .?

You may have heard of the ‘Bing’ cherry, but what about the ‘Black Republican’? Learn of their origins with the Lewellyn family that carried 700 living fruit trees growing in a wagon from Iowa to Oregon in 1848. Do you know there is a ‘Cherryland’ in Alameda County? Or who named ‘Fruitvale’? Who bred the pink fleshed apple called ‘Pink Pearl’?  Who was the ‘Plant Wizard’ of Santa Rosa who crossed a plum with an apricot to create the ‘Plumcot’?

Cost: $45 for the day including mid-morning coffee and refreshments. Bring your own lunch or pre-order a box lunch when you sign up.

Sign up here:

http://acmg.ucdavis.edu/Fall_Seminar/

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Pear Tasting at Live Oak Harvest Festival

Saturday October 29, 2011
11:00 am – 5:00 pm
Location: Santa Cruz Live Oak Grange

Notes:
Monterey Chapter California Rare Fruit Growers will host a pear tasting as part of the Live Oak Harvest Festival. Please join us for the tasting, and to enjoy many other activities. For a description of the event, please see http://greengrange.org/.

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Apple Tasting with the Redwood Empire Chapter CRFG

at Terry and Carolyn Harrison’s Foxwelp Farm near Healdsburg.

Pot Luck Lunch

When   Sun, October 16, 12pm – 4pm
Where Terry and Carolyn Harrison’s (former owners of Sonoma Antique Apple Nursery)
Foxwhelp Farm 4395 Westside Road, Healdsburg, CA 95448-9359 (707) 433-6802 ‎

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Apple Tasting, hosted by the Monterey Chapt. CRFG.  – often over 70 varieties to compare!

Wilder Ranch Harvest Festival

Saturday, October 22, 2011

11am-4pm

http://www.parks.ca.gov/events/event_detail.asp?id=2596

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Designing Edible Food Forests

Start: 10/07/2011 10:00 am
End: 10/09/2011 3:00 pm

Offered: October 7-9, 2011

Time: 10 a.m. Friday through 3 p.m. Sunday

Instructors:  Eric Toensmeier and OAEC Staff

Cost: $445 or $395 if registered two weeks in advance (includes meals and lodging).  The deposit amount for this course is $100.  More info here:

http://www.oaec.org/Edible%20Food%20Forests-October

Edible forest gardens mimic the structures and functions of natural ecosystems while producing food and other products, with an emphasis on low-maintenance perennial crops. Design and plant selection help provide fertility, control of weeds and pests, and more. Come for a hands-on introduction to this fascinating and delicious approach to food production.

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Filoli, Woodside, Fall Festival (from the website):

http://www.filoli.org/special-events-and-exhibits/autumn-festival.html

Autumn at Filoli Festival

Saturday, October 1, 2011, 10:00 am – 3:30 pm

Make your reservations beginning Monday, August 22 at 9:00 am

You are cordially invited to join us for our annual harvest celebration, the Autumn at Filoli Festival. During this special event, discover and savor unique and rare types of apples, grapes and pears from Filoli’s orchards. Fruit tasting in the Visitor and Education Center will take place throughout the day. You will love trying and comparing all the different varieties! You will also have the opportunity to join a docent–led tour of the historic Gentlemen’s Orchard which contains more than 670 trees and vines of heirloom fruit.

$25 admission

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The National Heirloom Expo
Santa Rosa Fair Grounds

Sept 13, 14, 15 Tues, Wed, Thurs.
11am to 9pm
1,000 varieties of Heirloom Fruits and Vegetables on display
Sponsored by Petaluma Seed Bank/Baker Creek Seeds.

Tuesday Sept 13, 5pm

John Valenzuela of the Golden Gate California Rare Fruit Growers presents a talk:

“Heirloom Fruits- their History and Future”

Choice varieties of fruits have been selected for generations here in California. Hear about some of the origins of our West Coast heirloom fruit varieties, and how to grow your own. By discovering and saving the best fruit varieties in our own backyards we will have heirlooms to pass on to future generations
(this talk has been mis-labeled ‘Fruit Farms’ in the schedule)
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National Heirloom Expo-
Santa Rosa Fairgrounds, Sept 13, 14, 15 (Tues, Wed, Thurs) 11am-9pm
http://theheirloomexpo.com/

Lots of annuals, but the California Rare Fruit Growers will have a strong perennial presence there too.
The Redwood, Golden Gate and Monterey Chapters will have display booths side by side in the exhibitors hall.
I will create a display of plants of the ‘Lost Crops of the Incas’ and have membership info there.

Please bring any heirloom or unusual fruits from your gardens to display at our table.
Let me know if you would take time to spend a couple of hours at our booth to talk fruit with the public.

Admittance is only $10/day, $25/3 days.
The dates are mid-week, so the folks who make it there will likely be into it.

There will be lots of talks, tastings, fellow gardeners and farmers, piles of rare fruits, heritage veggies- and heirloom livestock too!
‘Seedy’ people will be coming from all over the U.S.:
Dr. Vandana Shiva Navdanya International, Dr. Gary Paul Nabhan Co-Founder Native Seed/SEARCH,
Diane Ott Whealy Co-Founder: Seed Saver’s Exchange, Alice Waters Chez Panisse,
Bill McDorman Native Seed/SEARCH, Jared Zystro Organic Seed Alliance,

our local food/sustainability community will be represented by folks like:
Trathen Heckman Daily Acts, Dave Henson Director: Occidental Arts and Ecology Center,
Wendy Johnson Bay-Area Garden Author,  Zea Sonnabend Farmer/Educator,
Helge Hellberg An Organic Conversation

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Permaculture Design Course

At the Bullock Permaculture Homestead

Orcas Island, WA

Sun July 17- Sat August 6, 2011

Instructors: Douglas Bullock, John Valenzuela, Sam Bullock & Dave Boehnlein

FULL! Accepting people for waiting list.

http://permacultureportal.com/courses_current.html

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Andy’s Orchard, Morgan Hill- stone fruit

3-5 tastings June to August.
http://andysorchard.com/cart/index.php?_a=viewDoc&page=orchard&topic=7

Special Event Calendar 2011*

The following Tour, Tasting, and Harvest Walk events are currently planned:

Sunday, June 19th (Father’s Day)
Over 30 of varieties cherries plus other stone fruits.

Saturday, June 25th
Late Cherries, Apricots plus other stone fruits.

Sunday, July 3rd
Many apricots, some cherries, peaches, nectarines and plums.

Saturday, July 16th
Late apricots, early peaches, nectarines and plums

Sunday, August 7th
Many peaches, nectarines plums and pluots. Often as many as 60 different varieties.

All tours begin at
10:00 AM
Note: Tours are $15 per person. Seniors are $12 per person. Children under 10 are free. Please check ahead to confirm dates, which are subject to change. For groups of five or less no reservations are required. For groups of 6 or more, please call ahead and let us know the number in your group and the date you plan to attend. Private tours can be arranged for groups of 50 or more. No pets, please.
* These events are subject to the weather and the availability of fruit on the day of the event.

http://andysorchard.com/cart/index.php?_a=viewDoc&page=orchard&topic=7
Andy’s Orchard is well known for having one of the largest selections of stone fruits in California and each year hosts several fruit tastings where guests are invited to taste and evaluate for themselves the many different fruit varieties grown here. Similar to wine tastings, another popular California past time, fruit tastings allow visitors to taste as many as 60 different types at one time. Participants are instructed to look for and taste the special flavors and textures in certain varieties. These tastings are enjoyed by fruit experts, connoisseurs, or customers who simply want to taste and decide for themselves what varieties they like. Although some varieties at the tastings are very rare, are grown in very small quantities and are not available for purchase at our fruit stand, participants are urged to asked about their current or future availability. Usually, there are cherry, apricot and several peach/nectarine/plum tastings scheduled during the summer. Sometimes cooking demonstrations are also part of the festivities. See the Event Calendar or call for information.
Talks are often planned in conjunction with our tours. Termed ‘Field Days’, they provide an opportunity for visitors from urban areas to connect with the farmer and learn more about how the food they eat is grown. Depending on the weather and the time of the year, events may be planned to include touring of the farm stand, the store/museum, the orchard, landscaped areas, the packing and drying facilities. Your guide will cover the history of fruit, the Santa Clara Valley, fruit growing, marketing, varieties, and so on. Small and large group tours should be scheduled well in advance. Ideal times for tours are during the harvest months (June to September) and also during blossom time in March. Andy’s Orchard may be considered a destination for group outings and day trips; we have some picnic facilities and restrooms available. Check the Event Calendar or call for scheduling.

A “Harvest Walk” is our own special version of “U-Pick” that’s often conducted in conjunction with a short tour of the orchard. Your guide will lead you through the orchard where many delectable fruit varieties are at their peak and ready for harvest. You’re welcome to savor firsthand the various fruits that are ripe at the time. It is indeed a feast for all of the senses including the tactile experience of harvesting one’s own fruit. Each participant receives a bucket in order to pick his or her favorites. The fruit bucket is then carried back to our farm stand for weighing and purchase. It is really a fun way for customers to discover and partake of some of the finest and freshest fruits available anywhere. Even during peak harvest periods our Harvest Walks are scheduled only on certain days, mostly on the weekends. Please visit the Event Calendar or call ahead for times and details.

$15 admission

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Plum Full of Family Fun!

Roots to Fruits Presents, A Kickoff Party –

TASTING OUR SHARED FRUITURE!

The School Farm @ School of the Arts (SOTA)
555 Portola Drive. Click here for Map.
Saturday, July 23
10:00 AM – 4:00 PM

Special Keynote Speaker: Pam Peirce, Author of Golden Gate Gardening,

Highlights: Tasting Orchard, Backyard Showcase Garden, Outdoor Kitchen & Fun Contests.

For more information, read our newsletter.

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Skillshare & Evening Book Reading/Barnyard Dance

WHAT: Permaculture Open Space Skillshare & Evening Book Reading/Barnyard Dance
WHERE: 1121 64th Street, Oakland CA, 94608 (at the corner of Marshall Street)
WHEN: Saturday, June 25th 2011

  • Skill Share–11:00 AM to 5:00 PM
  • Book Reading & Barnyard Dance– 6:00 PM to 11:00 PM

A PLACE for Sustainable Living will hold a daytime Skillshare followed by an evening barnyard dance on Saturday, June 25th. Our goal during the 11 AM to 5 PM skillshare event is to impart skills and knowledge about sustainable technologies, practices and issues. In the evening join us for a book reading of Rewild or Die by author Urban Scout, followed by a down-home, urban barnyard dance with the sounds of Sven Diagram!

The daytime skillshare is comprised of a series of intensive hands-on workshops and 1 hour intro classes imparting fundamental skills in sustainable technologies and practices like building greywater systems and constructing greenhouses. Notable Bay Area organizations and instructors like Greywater Action, John Valenzuela, Jared Aldrich, Vertical Clay, Spokeland, The Stitch Kitchen, Richmond Grows, Leslie Jackson, DIG Cooperative and Asa Dodsworth will be hosting. Some of the topics covered include:

  • Beekeeping;
  • Urban Rewilding;
  • Growing Avocados ;
  • Bicycle Maintenance;
  • Seed Libraries
  • Rumford Fireplaces;
  • Light Straw Clay;
  • Placemaking;
  • and much more!

Representatives from Sogorea Te, Save Niles Canyon, West Span Bike Lane Now, and Delta Restoration will also present. Rewild or Die: revolution and renaissance at the end of civilization is a collection of essays written by Urban Scout exploring the philosophy of the emerging rewilding renaissance, in which civilized humans are thought to be “domesticated” through thousands of years of sedentary, agrarian life.

HOW MUCH: Admission at the gate, sliding scale, no one turned away for lack of funds

  • Skill Share–$10-20 donation
  • Book Reading & Barnyard Dance–$5-20 donation

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EcoHouse Workshop:  

Hands-on Fruit Tree Grafting   

Sunday, June 26, 2011 

10 am – 1 pm

1305 Hopkins Street, Berkeley 

Learn to do your own fruit tree grafting in this workshop with expert California Rare Fruit Grower John Valenzuela. We’ll graft a new variety onto the EcoHouse’s plum tree which was damaged by last winter’s storms. Learn how to graft apple, cherry, pear, and more and create your favorite fruit trees.

Please pre-register to ensure a spot in the class. Space is limited.

Cost: $25 general, $20 Ecology Center members. No one turned away for lack of funds.
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Organic Stone Fruit Jubilee
Taste sixty varieties of peaches, plums, pluots, nectarines and apricots from a dozen local certified farms. Also enjoy artisan foods, farm tours, workshops, music and kid’s craft corner.
June 18, 2011 
5:00 – 8:30 PM
Adult Admission $5
 Children under 12 Free

Mokichi Okada Association’s Oasis Garden
 5790 N, Indianola Avenue 
Clovis, CA 93619http://www.eco-farm.org/programs/heartland_project/organic_stone_fruit_jubilee/

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Seed School

with Bill Mc Dorman of Seeds Trust

Sunday, May 1 to Thursday, May 5

Solstice Grove, Nicasio

http://www.seedstrust.com/joomla/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=57&Itemid=106

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SHARE San Francisco

Saturday, May 7, 2011 9-5pm

Hub SoMa, 901 Mission Street

To learn more and Register: Shareable.net/San_Francisco

The talks will set the stage for the unconference, where you can host your own conversation about sharing or join in conversation with sharing economy leaders like Shelby Clark, founder of peer to peer car sharing service RelayRides; Janelle Orsi, founder of The Sustainable Economy Law Center; John Zimmer, co-founder of ridesharing service Zimride; Mire Luna, co-founder of the Bay Area timebank; Punrsi Abeywickrema, founder of peer to peer rental marketplace Rentalic; Tina Lee, Director of Zero Dividel; and Timothy Vollmer of Creative Commons.

SHARE SF is designed to help you discover new opportunities for impact, connect with leaders across sectors to boost your innovative potential and explore a powerful change strategy that addresses multiple social goals at once.

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California Rare Fruit Growers

May Meeting of the Golden Gate Chapter

Saturday May 14,  1pm to 5pm

Merritt College, Oakland

Berries, Berries, Berries and more. . .

Tour of Merritt Permaculture Hillside Food Forest

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Permaculture Design Certificate Course

Spring 2011, Lake County

Dancing TreePeople Farm, Upper Lake CA
April 16-17, April 30-May 1, May 14-15, May 21-22, June 4-5
8:30am – 5:30 pm

TO REGISTER  or for more info
Phone: 707-889-3744 / Email: lindsay@earthrepair.us

http://lakefuture.blogspot.com/2011/02/permaculture-design-certificate-course.html

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Indian Valley Organic Farm Plant Sale

Saturday, April 30

College of Marin, Indian Valley Campus, Novato

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Perennial Vegetable Workshop with Christopher Shein

Saturday, April 30

Berkeley Eco-House

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Marin Community Garden Summit

Friday April 29

Canal District, San Rafael

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EARTH DAY SF

San Francisco Civic Center

Saturday April 23, 2011

John will be speaking at the Permaculture area of the SF Earthday event at the Civic Center

time TBA

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April Meeting Santa Clara Chapter

California Rare Fruit Growers

Emma Prusch Park, San Jose

647 South King Road, near the intersections of Highways 101 and 280/680

Saturday, April 9, 201

1:00pm

Gathered from the CRFG – Santa Clara Valley webpages: http://scvcrfg.wordpress.com/activities/
Our bi-monthly meeting at Prush Park.  Our speaker will be John Valenzuela, with a presentation on “Food Forests- growing an ecosystem of abundance”.  John will be speaking about permaculture in our gardens, with specific local examples. He is the chair of the Golden Gate Chapter, and is a gardener/orchardist with considerable experience in the concepts of permaculture.  I am really looking forward to this meeting! Come early for chatting and snacking.
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March Meeting Golden Gate Chapter

California Rare Fruit Growers

Date: Saturday, March 12, 2011
Time: 1:00 – 4:00 pm
Where: Ygnacio Valley Library, 2661 Oak Grove Road, Walnut Creek
Speaker: John Valenzuela, of Cornucopia Food Forests, speaking on “Food Forests, Growing an Ecosystem of Abundance”

John Valenzuela is a horticulturist, consultant, and educator who has been the Scion Exchange coordinator for the Golden Gate chapter for the last two years, and now serves as chapter chairperson. He lived and gardened in Hawaii for 15 years where he was introduced to permaculture. He now grows in Novato, where he maintains an orchard with 158 varieties of fruit and a small nursery of edible and multi-purpose plants suitable for food forests.
Unusual rootstocks for sale: Idell Weydemeyer will have unusual rootstocks for smaller cherry trees and some for peaches and nectarines and a few for pears available for purchase at her truck from 12:45 to 1:15. If there is time, custom grafting will be available for a small donation. Handouts on how to do grafting will be available.
Scions: Some scions (that are suitable for the above rootstocks) will be available at the meeting. If you have unused scion wood of apples, pears, cherries, persimmons, peaches, jujubes, mulberries, or other late-blooming fruits, please bring them to the meeting.
Parafilm: will be available for a donation

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UCCE Fourth Annual Marin

Grafting Workshop & Scion Exchange

Date: February 24, 2011 Time: 10 am – 1 pm

Contact: Frances Healey 499-4204 or fhealey@co.marin.ca.us Sponsor: Grown In Marin

Location: Indian Valley Farm Greenhouse Address: Indian Valley College Farm and Garden, Novato

Event Details

Cost: $20 at the door includes 4 rootstock grafts to take away
Parking: $3.00 per car at the IVC parking lots from the permit vending machines
Join us for the Fourth Annual UCCE Marin Grafting Workshop and Scion Exchange. This year we will be grafting plum and peach, as well apple and pear, so bring lots of plum and peach scion, or find something at a local scion exchange.
Due to the popularity of this topic, REGISTER EARLY! Workshop limited to 30 participants. Register for workshop.

Please view this site, with a video produced by the Golden Gate Chapter, California Rare Fruit Growers:

After you register, visit the website, www.growninmarin.org, where we will help you prepare to get the most from the workshop.

Attached Files

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Just a few of our Instructors

Left to Right: Toby Hemmenway, John Valenzuela, Larry Santoyo