Upcoming Events

Think Globally, Act Locally: An Evening with Visionaries
Friday, January 29, 6:30 pm
Co-op Community Learning Center, 1914 Alhambra Blvd. Sacramento
$10 includes a vegetarian organic supper. Local wines will be available.
Join us for an opportunity to mix and mingle with people working for change in our community. We’ll hear from two visionaries who will speak about about local food, small farms and alternatives to the industrial agricultural system. Local visionary David Shabazian, of the Rural-Urban Connections Strategy project, will discuss various actions happening in our region, and we will watch a DVD of Michael Pollan’s presentation from the 2009 Bioneers conference. Register online.

Harvest Sacramento: Community Citrus Gleaning
Sunday, February 28, 10 am-1 pm
Meet at the Co-op Community Learning Center, 1914 Alhambra Blvd. Sacramento
The greater Sacramento area is home to one of the largest urban citrus orchards in the nation, but much of this fruit goes unharvested every year. Join Harvest Sacramento, a collaborative project of Soil Born Farms and the Sacramento Food Bank and Family Services, to pick fruit, meet new people, and have fun while contributing to local food assistance agencies. After the harvest, we will return to the Community Learning Center to share stories, add up our harvest totals and enjoy a warming bowl of soup loaded with locally grown veggies. Children over seven are welcome to participate. To ensure that we have enough food, please pre-register.

Gardening Classes

Register for classes at the Sacramento Natural Foods Co-op, 1900 Alhambra Blvd. Sacramento or call the Customer Service Desk at 916 455-2667 weekdays, 9 am – 5 pm and pay by credit card. You can also register online.

Classes will be held at Soil Born Farms American River Ranch 2140 Chase Dr. Rancho Cordova

Edible Garden Design—Two-Part Workshop
Saturdays, February 20 and 27, 10 am-noon
$39, $30 Co-op owners
Gear up for a successful growing season while working on your own project. In this two-part design workshop, we will help you plan your food garden or edible landscape for the spring and summer. In session #1 you will learn about preparing your soil and site for a thriving garden or home orchard, organize your garden planner and generate a kitchen garden list with planting and harvest dates. You’ll also create a garden notebook that will become an invaluable tool. In session #2 we will get into the nuts and bolts of growing: soil amendments, irrigation, planting and protection for healthy growing. Learn how to start your own seeds and select the best varieties for your tastes. Find out how to have an abundant harvest throughout the entire season while planning ahead for the next round of wonderful veggies.
Instructors: Alison Harris and Julie Steele, Peas and Harmony, Organic Food Gardens

Home Vermicomposting
Saturday, February 20, 1-3 pm
$20, $15 Co-op owners
Reduce waste with the power of worms! This class will teach you everything you need to know to raise and care for the ultimate urban livestock, Eisenia fetida, aka red wigglers. You will learn how to set up and maintain your worm bin to keep food waste out of the garbage and turn it in to a nutrient-rich amendment for the garden.
Instructor: Randy Stannard, Soil Born Farms

Lawnless and Loving It!
Saturday, March 20, 9 am-noon
$20, $15 Co-op owners
Tired of mowing, watering, fertilizing and weeding a lawn that takes up space that you’d rather have for plants? You can take out the lawn and create a space that will attract beneficial insects, create beauty and require less maintenance. This class will inspire you to lose the lawn and replace it with wonderful plants! After class, Chris will lead a riverfront walk to check out some of our lesser known native plants.
Instructor: Chris Lewis, California Native Plant Society

First Day of Spring on the Farm
Saturday, March 20, 10 am-noon
$10, $5 Co-op owners (admission includes one child and one adult)
Bring the kids to the farm to welcome spring and be farmers for a day. We’ll tour the farm, visit the animals, meet the farmers and celebrate the change of seasons. Dig in the dirt, plant seeds, enjoy a farm-fresh snack, feed your leftovers to the worms and create something special to take home. Presented by Soil Born Farms Educators

Habitat Restoration Training for Teachers and Educators
In the summer of 2010, Soil Born Farms and the Center for Land-Based Learning will host 2-3 teachers from 10 schools for training in schoolyard habitat restoration. Summer 2010 participants will receive excellent curriculum resources and materials, ongoing support from the trainers, and professional development hours or college units for attending the course. The participating schools will be eligible to receive funding for a habitat restoration projects through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Schoolyard Habitat Program. Read a press release (PDF) about the program.

Ongoing Events

The American River Ranch farm stand is closed for the winter. We will re-open in May 2010.
Hours: Saturdays, 8:30 am - 2:30 pm.
The farm stand features fresh, seasonal, local and organic vegetables and fruit. Stop by every week and enjoy a country experience in the city. We encourage you to bike or walk to the ranch and bring your shopping bag. Cash and EBT accepted. Address and directions here.

Eileen’s Kitchen
Join Eileen Murray in the Sacramento Natural Foods Co-op’s Community Learning Center & Cooking School located at 1914 Alhambra Blvd. for a delicious community dinner highlighting seasonal vegetarian fare. Live music with guitarist Jon Merriman complements the dining experience. Wine is available by the glass; corkage fee is $10. Pre-registration is required. Register at the Sacramento Natural Foods Co-op Customer Service Desk or by calling 916 455.2667. The price is $25 per person. (proceeds benefit the farm)

Upcoming dinners:

• Friday, January 15
• Friday, February 12
• Friday, March 12