Plant, Plant, Plant Plants!
Greetings Seedy and Planty friends-
It’s full on Springish here in the Northstate. Yes, we’re still looking at a chance of a bit more rain and cold but, for the most part, it’s hard not to smile when one opens ones’ front door. Can’t you just feel it?
And planting opportunities abound!
-Seeds are in the Tiny Libraries (see map here ) and we hope to get out there and restock them no more than every 10 days (it’ll happen more if we have more help…any takers? Reply to this email if you want to join the Seedy Team to fill packs and deliver them). This season, we are honoring the Indigenous tradition of The Three Sisters. We got the seeds out before we were able to update the website, but it’ll soon introduce you to the Sisters (and there is info in the packets). We will continue to stock the libraries as we can with both these multi packs and smaller envelopes of a single variety, given seed shortages, funding and all that jazz.
-Grub Grown Nursery is back at the Farmers Market on Saturday. Just look for our Beloved Sherri Scott and go get yer plants!
-And then there’s this nifty idea. As seen on Next Door Neighborhood…we LOVE IT!! It’s so exciting to find projects that are spontaneously sprouting all around the county! This nifty stand is at 904 Christi Lane, but we’d love for others in the community to consider putting one up on their front lawn. Let us know if you decide to do it so we can feature your yard, too. So many ways we could make this community more food independent.
Important Volunteer Opportunities in March
Our Community, Your Community Needs You!
None of this happens without YOU!
Plus, we only get one Springtime each year, so let’s make the most of it!
We have two BIG projects in this month which could really help our county move into more food sovereignty. The first is to volunteer with the Camp Fire Restoration Project to plant 600 fruit and nut trees on the Burn Scar on March 20-21. Then the weekend after that (March 27/28) is the Butte County Local Food Network’s Spring 2021 Garden BLITZ.
These projects will enable more families to grow more food in their yards which creates more food security for all of us.
Why does this matter?
During WW2 we grew 42% of our produce in our backyards, community gardens and school gardens. Back then, our grandparents did it because of war. We can do it, again now, for love, peace and community.
In the last century’s effort, the government spent millions of dollars to make it a success. This round, WE are the change we want to see in the world and it’s about us supporting each other as we co-create a community that grows food together.
BOTH projects need small teams of 3 or 4 to either plant trees or install raised bed gardens.
BOTH need your help so please sign up your COVID Bubble Safe Team or your Safe, Masked Self by signing up here for the trees and here for the gardens. What would totally ROCK IT is if you signed up for both weekends. These things don’t happen without community. We can DO this!!
Find out more about the Camp Fire Restoration Camp’s Tree planting project and how you can get trees here .
Ongoing events
Please note: For these and all work days of every project we do, we remind you to bring your masks and wear them, keep social distancing protocols so folks feel safe and if you are sick, please stay home.
Sundays in the Gardens-
Every first Sunday of the month, we’ll meet at Kentfield Garden, 1125 Kentfield Road around 9ish-am to??. Times spent at Kentfield are not limited to this particular workday, however. You are invited to stop by any time, pull a few weeds, help yourself to some excess produce and celebrate a beautiful space.
The other Sundays will be at Vecino Victory Garden from 9am to noon. Stop on by and help us plant for Spring, dream of the Kid Sensory Garden, bring by some compost to put in our new Neighborhood Composting Center and get to know the great folks that are in the Network. We got a small grant to start the process of prettifying the space so do join us on this journey. We’re at 1535 Laburnum Ave. in Chico.
This, and every Friday , join Raphael DeGenova and Ali Meders-Knight at Verbena Fields . Learn the right way to treat the land as taught by local tribal members, deeply steeped in Traditional Ecological Knowledge practice. Raphael’s birthday is March 19 and he’d love to celebrate it with you at the garden, 1503 East 1st Ave, during the hours of 10am and 1PM. “With lots of room to social distance, we can connect with our hands all tending to the same land. It would make my day to see you there.”
And be sure to keep April 17 open when Community Gardens all over Butte County will be holding a “Spring Fling In The Gardens” event, inviting the community to come on out and get your hearts opened by getting your hands dirty and doing that final winter cleanup to get ready plant for summer’s bounty. We’ll keep you posted on details and the gardens that end up wanting to join in the fun!!
See you all at the end of the month where we get to plant fruit and nut trees , gardens and a more secure local food system in Butte County and our region.
From the Team at Butte County Local Food Network- where we invite you to join us to make us all stonger!
The Butte County Local Food Network is extremely grateful for the generous support of some of our various projects by:
