Hello Permaculture Guild,

 

First SLO VBC held last weekend was amazing!

We had an amazing weekend with all the folks who created an hosted the first SLO Village Building Convergence. To see some drone footage of the making of the little libraries and the street art go here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=share&v=_-_TrEkPChU&app=desktop

 

There are also more posts on the City Repair SLO Facebook page or website: https://cityrepairslo.org/vbc/ Chumash Farms has big plans to create a Permaculture Learning Center in Los Osos! More Village Building to come!!!

 

You are welcome to all these upcoming events including School Food Panel on April 18th, Earth Days on April 15 and April 22nd and soil workshops sponsored by the Cal Poly Center for Sustainability…..

 

Garden Work Party on April 25th at 6pm

At our next Permaculture Guild meeting on April 25th we will be having a garden party at the SLO Guild Hall to help spruce up the gardens in the back. Come at 6pm to work for an hour then eat. Potluck at 7pm. It is like a mini “Village Building” to help create a beautiful gathering space at the SLO Guild Hall Garden in time for the fundraiser on May 20th called Raising the Solar Roof. Get your tickets now! http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/2896731

 

Our Global Family Work Party on May 13th at 10am

We had a wonderful Love SLO work day back in March. Here is a photo album: https://www.flickr.com/photos/124814213@N08/albums/72157678118133184

Our next work party will be on May 13th 10am -2pm with Students Community Service from Cal Poly.

Come join us and see the transformation of the land taking place. We are growing community by growing food. The location is City Farm SLO. http://centralcoastgrown.org/city-farm/

 

Upcoming Soil Events at the Cal Poly Center for Sustainability

1. Healthy Foodwebs, Healthy Soils with DR. ELAINE INGHAM: 4/21
Join us for a one-of-a-kind workshop with Dr. Elaine Ingham, the world’s most renowned investigator of soil foodweb dynamics on Friday, April 21 from 9 am - 5 pm at the Inn at Morro Bay. Dr. Ingham will cover the basic principles of the soil foodweb and the steps to building soil health for enhanced plant productivity. A must for beginner and seasoned growers alike! Cost is only $95 including lunch thanks to generous funding from USDA SARE and the Miossi Trust. For details and to register, please visit: 
http://cfs.calpoly.edu/soilfoodweb.html

2. SOIL CARBON: Reservoir for a Resilient Agriculture: 5/4

Dr. Alan Franzluebbers, USDA-ARS professor and head of the Soil Ecology and Management Lab at NC State University, will be our featured Sustainable Ag spring speaker on Thursday, May 4th from 11 am – 12 pm (UU hour) in Engineering IV (Bldg 192 – Rm 106). Dr. Franzluebbers specializes in assessment methods of biological soil quality and soil organic carbon sequestration, using these tools to interpret the effects of management on soil resources. His research interests include conservation agricultural systems, pasture management, integrated crop-livestock production, and agroforestry systems. His lecture on Soil Carbon: Reservoir for a Resilient Agriculture is free and open to the public. A scholarly seminar will follow at 3 pm (details TBA). For more information, please go to: http://cfs.calpoly.edu/sustainable_ag_lecture_series.html  

3. Soil Health Assessment FIELD DAY: 5/5

The first of our three free Soil Health Assessment Field Days will take place the morning of Friday, May 5th at Cal Poly SLO from 9:30-11:30 am and will feature special guest Dr. Alan Franzluebbers (see above). Save the date! The next two field days are planned for May 25 at Macon Seed, Turlock and June 22 at Full Belly Farm, Guinda. RSVP is requested and more detailed information will continue to be posted at: http://cfs.calpoly.edu/soilsworkshops.html

4. California’s New HEALTHY SOILS PROGRAM webinar: 5/22

The Center for Sustainability is co-sponsoring a webinar on the CDFA Healthy Soils Initiative on Monday, May 22nd from 10-11 am, which will be presented by the California Climate and Agriculture Network (CalCAN). In June, CDFA is planning to release a call for grant proposals from farmers and ranchers to fund management practices that improve soil health. Join us on this webinar to get a preview of the program and get ready to apply when the grant announcement comes out. More information coming soon. Save the date!

Please visit our April Announcements page to view a full list of upcoming agriculture, food, and Earth Week events at Cal Poly and throughout our region:  www.cfs.calpoly.edu/announcements_april.html

****************************************
Slow Money SLO Spring Gathering

Tuesday, May 2nd, 6-8 pm Oak Creek Commons, Paso Robles, 635 Nicklaus St.

 

We are excited to convene our Spring Slow Money SLO gathering in Paso Robles. Thanks very much to Oak Creek Commons for hosting the event!

 

Starting at 5:30 pm, come for the optional tour of Oak Creek Commons or join us at 6 pm to celebrate local food and farm, featuring North County foodpreneurs! Follow signs from their parking facility at 635 Nicklaus St.

 

Come listen to local food business owners and sample their goodies. Also, hear about recent Slow Money SLO activities and how you may get involved to enhance the local food system. Agenda details here. http://slowmoneyslo.org/