In the tumult that is day-to-day life and the endless to-do list from home and work, I consider my garden a refuge. It is the place to which I retreat to hear myself, to think more clearly, to smell the air, to feel the soil and to replenish. It’s a place in which I am able to tap into a deeper purpose and to try to hear what some spiritual traditions refer to as the “Sound of the Universe.” Photo: Salvia ‘JW’ glowing in the low autumn light.
But the garden is no place to hide. Photo: An Indian rhubarb leaf impression bird bath reflecting autumn’s afternoon light.
While it’s not always a place of peace and quiet, it is always a place of perspective. At any time of day, in all seasons – sound and motion, creation and destruction go about their business all around me.
The Universe can be as soothing as the sound of slow water in the quiet late summer creek waiting for fall rains; it can be as insistent as the evening crickets headed into winter; it’s as sweet as the opening song of the white-capped sparrow returned to the North State garden for the winter, and as heart-racing as the hummingbird madly dive-bombing for her daily sufficiency. It’s as decisively solid as the squawk of a great blue heron landing on his roost at the tippy-top of a gray pine near my garden each evening to survey the stream bed for his dinner, and as poignant as the wind whispering through the now-papery blue oak leaves. The sound of the universe is as practical as my steely-eyed hen systematically eating a lizard, piece by piece. Photo: Slow water in a fall creek – waiting for fall rains.
These are not experiences for the naive or the cowardly; if you start out that way as a gardener, you are unlikely to end up that way. These are experiences of life and death, beautiful and beastly – and the garden inextricably grounds me into each of these far-larger-than-me pulses. Photo: A great blue heron surveying the creek bed for his supper.
Recently, an acquaintance wrote to me: “If I don’t hear another political talking- head for the rest of my life, it would be ok with me.” And you might think that the garden at least is one of the places in which we can transcend the pettiness of seasonal politics.
But the garden is no place to hide. Like our daily-to-do lists, politics at their very roots are not petty – they are life. And can be very closely tied to our quality of life. Just as surely as we fill out our ballots for all manner of political choices in November, with every dollar we spend and every hour we dedicate, to, in and on our gardens, we are casting our ballots for what we value, what we believe in, what we know.
How will you cast your ballot?
For one North State Gardener’s perspective on Proposition 37, regarding the labeling of our food in terms of possible Genetically Modified Organisms, make sure to read a Guest Commentary “Breaking Up is Hard to Do,” by gardener, writer, mother and nurse, Tina Hoover at the bottom of this post. Photo: A fall-maturing ‘September Grav’ apple. Delicious, crisp, sweet and juicy – a favorite.
Photo: Mushrooms coming up in the fall garden.
TASKS IN THE OCTOBER GARDEN:
October begins pomegranate harvest – beginning as soon (or just before) first visible splits in fruit, but as close to or into November as possible, you should start picking. “The flavor is just better. Once they start to split, watch for rain and get them off the tree before the moisture gets in and causes rot,” Denise Kelly of the Plant Barn Nursery & Gifts in Chico shares with us.
Pam Geisel Statewide Coordinator of the UC Master Gardener Program advises: “If you haven’t planted your cool season crops, then begin to prep your beds for next springs planting. Now is a great time to add compost, dig in leaves, plant a cover crop or add amendments such as gypsum (to help decrease sodium issues) or sulfur (to decrease soil pH) if required. Some great cover crops to plant include field peas, winter ryegass, vetch or a fall green manure mix that contains a combination of all of the above.”
Pam continues: “Now is the time to begin olive harvest for green ripe olive curing. Olive harvest will continue through the month into November depending upon the weather. Avoid harvest after a frost has occurred. It still isn’t too late to plant garlic, and onions.”
“Plan for your home orchard whether it is one tree, three trees or ten trees. It is a good idea to consider varieties that have different ripening periods to spread your fruit harvest over the year as much as possible. Bareroot fruit trees will begin to arrive in nurseries in early December through the winter. Consider ordering now so you get the varieties you want.”
Laurel and Wayne Kessler of Shambani Organics in Shingletown add that this is one of their busiest times of year in the garden – – preparing beds for transplanting kale, broccoli, onions, garlic, lettuces, etc.
– weeding carrots and beets,
– adding clean-up from the summer garden and manure to winter compost piles
– processing seeds that we are saving for next spring (tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, peppers) (Already saved kale and lettuce seeds.)
– processing tomatoes (drying, canning sauces & salsa, juice, ketchup)
– drying fruit and zucchini chips (sprinkled lightly with salt and paprika first) Photo: Leeks harvested in the North State Garden.
The October garden and regional gardening calendar is as insistent and full as the season itself.The On-line Calendar of North State Gardening Events at jewellgarden.com adds events throughout the month. I do my very best to keep the calendar up to date and accurate, please confirm all events with the event host. If you have an event you would like listed, or if you are aware of a mistake on the calendar, please send all pertinent information to: Jennifer@jewellgarden.com. Thanks!
Sept 27 – 30 – Red Bluff: Tehama County Fair “Share the Magic” All the local fun and wonder of a traditional County Fair. For more info: http://tehamadistrictfair.com/fair.htm
Sept 29 – FULL HARVEST MOON
Sept 29 – Davis: UC Davis Arboretum Plant Faire & Sale: Showcasing the Plants of Nature’s Gallery Court 9 – 11 am Members Only, 11 am – 1 pm Open to the Public, Arboretum Teaching Nursery, Garrod Drive. Get first choice of our Fall 2012 Plant Sale inventory at the annual Plant Faire & Sale. The first two hours are reserved for members of the Friends of the UC Davis Arboretum and Davis Botanical Society members, but you can join at the door and not miss out on being the first to make your selections. Docents will be available to welcome you to the adjacent Nature’s Gallery Court, with its stunning plant and insect tile mural. Many of these plants will be featured at this plant sales. Nearby, you can stroll through the Ruth Risdon Storer Garden, the Valley-wise landscape that served as a catalyst for the Nature’s Gallery Court project. Plan to take some extra time at the Plant Faire to find inspiration at these two beautiful Arboretum sites! Parking is free on weekends. For more information, please call (530) 752-4880 or visit arboretum.ucdavis.edu.
Sept 29 – Chico: Mt. Lassen Chapter of the California Native Plant Society FIELD TRIP: MAIDU MEDICINE WALK Meet at Horseshoe Lake in Upper Bidwell Park (parking area E) at 9 am for a 1 mile walk to see about 30 of the plants used by the local Maidu Indians for medicine, food and crafts, including soaproot for cleansing, suds and catching fish; elderberry for food, flutes and clappers; gray pine for skin ointment, baskets and food. This walk is especially designed for teachers and youth groups. Leader Wes Dempsey 530-342-2293. For more information: http://mountlassen.cnps.org/
Sept 29 – Redding: McConnell Arboretum & Botanical Gardens at Turtle Bay: Walk with Horticultural Manager Lisa Endicott 10:30 am. Bring your notebooks and camera! We’ll make our way through the Gardens with frequent stops for discussions about (what else?) plants! Free with Park or Garden admission. Meet at West Garden Entrance. Take N. Market Street, turn on Arboretum Drive. Take the right fork. Parking lot and entrance are on the left.
Sept 30 – Chico: Cultivating Community North Valley Workshop Series with Perm-a-Fun-K: #2 of 7 Introduction to Regenerative Agriculture 2pm-4pm – FREE – at the GRUB Cooperative 1525 Dayton Rd Chico, CA 95928. This is the second in a series of 7 focusing on permaculture in your home garden led by Via Rosa Maicas. $30-$50 sliding scale for each workshop. Collaborations, Trade, and Volunteer positions available. To inquire about volunteering or ask questions about series contact workshop facilitator: Perma_fun_k@rocketmail.com. Full Scholarships available to 10 qualifiers. If applying for a scholarship do not register for individual workshops below. Once application is received we will contact you within 3 business days to let you know if you were accepted. For more information: http://cultivatingcommunitynv.org/perma-fun-k-permaculture-workshop-series/ or email: Perma_fun_k@rocketmail.com.
OCTOBER
Oct 1 – Chico: Slow Food Shasta Cascade: Monthly Meeting in Chico For Information Please Contact: Chico area co-leader – Lori Weber Lweber@csuchico.eduRed Bluff and Redding area co-leader – Kathy Moore at 530-529-2729. http://www.slowfoodshastacascade.org/index.htm
Oct 3 – Gridley: Windmill Farm Workshop: Applesauce Canning 6 – 8 pm. 535 Obermeyer Ave. Gridley CA 95948. (530) 846-3344. http://www.windmillfarmofgridley.blogspot
Oct 3 – Chico: Mt. Lassen Chapter of the California Native Plant Society Regular Monthly meeting and Program: Lise Smith-Peters, Volunteer Coordinator for city of Chico Parks Division, and Paula Shapiro, Mount Lassen member, will talk about Chico High School’s project to start native plants in the school greenhouse and then planting them in Bidwell Park. 7:30 pm Butte County Library, Chico. For more information: http://mountlassen.cnps.org/
Oct 6 – Redding: McConnell Arboretum & Botanical Gardens at Turtle Bay: Charlie Rabbit and His Friends 10:30 am. Join us the first Saturday of every month for an interactive program in the Gardens (or Greenhouse when it rains) for children, their siblings, parents and Grandparents. Join Charlie, our adorable jack rabbit puppet, in various gardening activities. Wear your favorite gardening clothes! Presented by Dennis and Sherrill Bambauer. Free with park admission! Meet at the Arboretum & Botanical Gardens Office (1135 Arboretum Drive next to Nursery Greenhouse)
Oct 6 – Chico: Mt. Lassen Chapter of the California Native Plant Society FIELD TRIP: RARE PLANT TREASURE HUNT We’ll be looking for obtuse startwort at Butte Creek House Ecological Reserve. Contact Ron rcoley64@comcast.net for details. For more information: http://mountlassen.cnps.org/
Oct 6 – Redding: SHASTA COLLEGE AGRICULTURE: HARVEST FEST “Bids, Bites and Brews.” 5 – 9 pm. The Shasta College Agriculture, Natural Resources and Equipment Operations programs will hold their annual fall showcase and fundraiser at the Shasta College Farm (11555 Old Oregon Trail, Redding 96003) on Saturday, October 6, 2012. The name of the event is “Harvest Fest” and the theme is “Bids, Bites and Brews.” The festivities will begin at 5:00 p.m. with horse and wagon tours of the Shasta College Farm and various student projects. The fun continues with delicious locally grown food, beer & wine, live music, a silent auction, display booths, and much more. Proceeds from this event assist in funding farm lab projects, purchasing of farm and forestry equipment for labs, and furthering student success. Tickets can be purchased in advance ($25 per person) or at the door ($35 per person). Purchase tickets by mail or at www.brownpapertickets.com/event/251167. Make all checks payable to the Shasta College Foundation and mail to: Shasta College Foundation P.O. Box 496006 Redding, CA 96049-6006 For more information, call the BAIT Division at (530) 242-7560, or email to ejimenez@shastacollege.edu.
Oct 6 & 7 – Butte County: Sierra Oro Farm Trail weekend Join us Oct 6th & 7th for Passport Weekend, a grand celebration with farm-fresh food sampling and award-winning wine tasting at all of the stops along the Sierra Oro Farm Trail! Meet our farmers and winemakers as you enjoy a self-guided tour along the beautiful Butte County countryside, all while sampling the very best of our agricultural heritage. A limited amount of day-of tickets are available beginning at 10:00am Saturday. For tickets, destinations and route information: http://www.sierraoro.org
Oct 6 & 7 – Paradise: Johnny Appleseed Days Harvest Festival 10 am – 5 pm Saturday; 10 am – 4 pm Sunday. First held in 1888, the fair now known as Johnny Appleseed Days is the oldest harvest in the state! It has been sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce since 1937. The 2012 two-day fall festival will celebrate Paradise’s apple heritage with homemade apple pie and ice cream. Paradise residents and members of the Paradise Ridge Chamber of Commerce will again bake one thousand apple pies, available whole and in slices. Paradise t-shirts, badges and souvenirs will be available from The Paradise Ridge Chamber of Commerce booth. Local businesses will give demonstrations and display their wares, and Paradise will host artisans from all over the state and beyond selling a variety of handicrafts. For more information: http://www.paradisechamber.com/johnny-appleseed-days
Oct 7 – Chico: Mt. Lassen Chapter of the California Native Plant Society FIELD TRIP: Forest Lake, Lassen Volcanic National Park 8:30 am Meet at Chico Park & Ride west lot with lunch, water, insect/sun protection, park pass (if you have one), money for ride sharing and wear hiking gear. We’ll travel about 70 miles to the Forest Lake-Brokeoff Mountain trailhead just inside the park’s south boundary at 6500 feet elevation. We’ll climb 1 1/2 miles, gaining 700 feet, through open forest, following a mountain stream to tree-ringed Forest Lake. Call Gerry at 530-893-5123 for alternate meeting site. For more information: http://mountlassen.cnps.org/
Oct 7 – Chico: Cultivating Community North Valley Workshop Series with Perm-a-Fun-K: #3 of 7 Natural Fertilizers and Composting Methods 9am-6pm. Sliding scale fee from $30 – $50. At the GRUB Cooperative 1525 Dayton Rd Chico, CA 95928. This is the third in a series of 7 focusing on permaculture in your home garden led by Via Rosa Maicas. $30-$50 sliding scale for each workshop. Collaborations, Trade, and Volunteer positions available. To inquire about volunteering or ask questions about series contact workshop facilitator: Perma_fun_k@rocketmail.com. Full Scholarships available to 10 qualifiers. If applying for a scholarship do not register for individual workshops below. Once application is received we will contact you within 3 business days to let you know if you were accepted. For more information: http://cultivatingcommunitynv.org/perma-fun-k-permaculture-workshop-series/ or email: Perma_fun_k@rocketmail.com.
Oct 8 – Paradise: Paradise Garden Club Regular Monthly Meeting & Program & Potluck 11:45 pm. Bring a favorite dish to share and your own table service. Terry Ashe Recreation Center, 6626 Skyway, Paradise. Join us at 11:45 for Horticulture Display, Plant Sale, Benefit Drawing & Refreshments Program: Begins 1:00 PM Speaker: TBD Topic: TBD General Membership Meeting following program. For more info: http://paradisegardenclub.org/calendar.html
Oct 9 – Chico: Chico Permaculture Guild COMMUNITY SEED SWAP 4 pm – 7 pm. GRUB Cooperative 1525 Dayton Rd. Chico, CA *Parking is limited, please carpool or rides bikes* WHAT’S PROVIDED; Education and information on tables throughout the event about: -Open pollinated, heirloom and hybrid seed as well as saving seed -Seed Freedom Fortnight and global seed awareness -GMO’s, seed sovereignty, and the Right to Know YES on 37! campaign ● Seeds provided on ‘potluck’ style exchange tables ● Plants and snacks for sale -GRUB Grown plants, local snacks WHAT TO BRING: Children welcome! ● Seeds, bulbs, plants, cuttings, surplus garden harvest and more to exchange -please label your seeds or plants ● Used envelopes or other containers, pens/pencils -for your new seeds! ● Open heart & mind -as a community we can acclimatize local seed, preserve our seed heritage and promote biodiversity! YOU DO NOT NEED TO HAVE SEEDS IN ORDER TO ATTEND!! Join us as we celebrate Seed Freedom Fortnight! (http://seedfreedom.in/seed-freedom-fortnight/) FOR MORE INFORMATION: Sherri Scott (GRUB) sherri@grubchico.org 342-3376 Stephanie Ladwig-Cooper (Chico Permaculture Guild) modcpg@gmail.com 828-6390 SPONSORED BY: GRUB Cooperative, GRUB Education Program and Chico Permaculture Guild
Oct 9 – Redding: Wintu Audubon present: “The Dazzling Dragonflies of the Redding Area,” with author Kathy Biggs 7 – 9 pm. United Way office, 2280 Benton Drive, Redding. Kathy Biggs, author of a guidebook on California dragonflies, will speak on “The Dazzling Dragonflies of the Redding Area.” The program will include slides by photographer Ray Bruun. Presented by Wintu Audubon. For more info: http://www.wintuaudubon.org/calendar.htm.
Oct 10 – Davis:UC Davis Arboretum Guided Tour: Walk with Warren through the West End Gardens Noon – 1 pm, Meet at Gazebo. Join Warren Roberts, the Superintendent Emeritus of the Arboretum and famous storyteller and punster for an always engaging noontime exploration of West End gardens. Walks with Warren are held the second Wednesday each month, and take place in various collections of the Arboretum. Check the schedule each month for the meeting place and location of each of these midweek tours. For more information, please call (530) 752-4880 or visit arboretum.ucdavis.edu.
Oct 10 – Sacramento: Sacramento Valley Chapter California Native Plant Society Monthly Meeting and Program “Butterflies and Plants: A Pretty Partnership” with Greg Kareofelas, a photographer and naturalist 7:00 pm Shepard Garden & Arts Center, McKinley Park 3330 McKinley Blvd (eastern extension of E Street), Sacramento, CA 95816. naturalist, will discuss the lore, natural history, and conservation of lepidoptera, with a focus on the butterflies found in our local area. Greg has studied butterflies of northern California for 35 years and is a longtime member of both the California Native Plant Society and the Lepidopterist Society. “I’m looking forward to answering all your questions and I encourage folks to bring their own butterfly photographs or specimens for identification,” says Greg. With his beautiful collection of photographs and high-resolution scans of actual butterfly specimens, Greg will help us identify and appreciate the beauty and diversity of butterflies of our area. Learn about their fascinating interactions with host plants and nectar sources, and go home with tips on gardening to attract these beautiful pollinators to your own yard. This talk is free and open to the public. Books, wildflower seeds, native plants, and t-shirts are available for purchase. Try elderberry jam tastings, too! For more info contact: Chris Lewis Tel: (916) 812-2876 / Email: lewisc916@yahoo.com
Photo: Orange sulphur butterfly, photo by Cassandra Nyguen- Musto.
Oct 12 – Redding: Shasta Chapter California Native Plant Society Fall Plant Sale Preparation 2 to 4 PM. Come help weed, set up, organize, and label plants for the sale on Saturday. This is a work party; plants will be available for sale to members at the pre-sale starting at 4 PM. Meet at the Shasta College greenhouses. Members-Only Pre-Sale. 4 to 6 PM at the Shasta College greenhouses. CNPS members have an opportunity to buy plants before the sale opens to the public on Saturday! Plant sales are open to standing CNPS members only, but memberships will be sold. Call Jay & Terri Thesken at 221-0906 for information or directions, or to volunteer.
Oct 13 – Redding: Shasta Chapter California Native Plant Society 29th Annual Fall Native Plant Sale The public sale will be from 8 AM to 2 PM at the Shasta College Farm/greenhouses. The greenhouses are located at the northeast end of the Shasta College campus, near the livestock barns. Buy plants, books, posters, and many other items related to the flora of California. We have a great selection of over 1,100 plants this year! Gates will open at 8 AM—no early birds, please. Call Jay & Terri Thesken at 221-0906 for information or to volunteer to help on the day of the sale.
Oct 13 – Chico: Friends of the Chico State Herbarium WORKSHOP – Perfumes, Pigments, and Poisons – an Introduction to the Chemistry of Plants by Margareta Séquin 9 am – 1 pm Plants have evolved a wealth of fragrances that attract pollinators and scents that repel browsing ani- mals. Colorful pigments in flowers and bright colors in fruits attract insects and birds. Some plant pig- ments harvest energy from sunlight while others have protective functions. Furthermore, highly diverse and intricate defensive substances allow plants to stay alive. ABOUT THE WORKSHOP. This workshop is an introduction to the chemistry of plants, with a focus on plant smells, plant colors, and chemical plant defenses. The workshop will begin with a lecture presenta- tion on families of chemical substances that compose the perfumes, pigments, and poisons. Pictures of California native plants and some non-natives that typically contain the compounds will accompany the chemical structures. We will examine what is characteristic of the structures of plant scents, of molecules that compose plant pigments, and of those that have defensive functions in plants. A couple of hands-on activities will further illustrate the topics. We will then take a walk on Campus to view live plants and talk about their special plant chemistry. During a picnic lunch there will be ample opportunity for questions and further discussions of plant chemistry. This workshop will meet Saturday, October 13, 2012, from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. in Holt Hall room 129 at CSU Chico. The registration fee is $45.00 ($40.00 for members of Friends of the Herbarium). Please register in advance; class size is limited to 20 participants (class cancelled without a minimum of 10 participants). For more information about workshop content please contact Margareta at msequin@sfsu.edu. Margareta’s home page is at http://userwww.sfsu.edu/~msequin/. For more informa- tion about workshop registration please contact the Biology office at (530) 898-5356 or jbraden@csuchico.edu. For more information about Friends of the Chico State Herbarium please go to: www.csuchico.edu/biol/Herb/Friends.html
Oct 13 – Redding: 6th Annual Plant Exchange at Pilgrim Congregational Church 9 -11 am. Pilgrim Congregational Church, UCC located at 2850 Foothill Blvd., (near Manzanita School) – off Eureka Way at Almond Ave. The idea behind the plant exchange is that there are a lot of people out there who have extra/unwanted plants that are too good to toss in the green waste container, but they don’t know how else they might be used. That’s where the Exchange comes in. Some people bring plants while others take them to new homes. You don’t have to bring or take, just come and see if there are any plants that interest you. If so, they’re yours – free! Last year we had people bringing pick-up loads of great plants left over from perennial dividing. Iris divisions – in individually marked plastic bags. Annuals, perennials, shrubs, trees, fruit trees, berries, succulents, grasses, herbs, ground covers and house plants. Bring/take plants, have a good time ‘talking garden’. Folks have been asking when this year’s exchange will be, as they have been potting their extras and are looking forward to bringing them. At the same time, the church will also be having a book sale. For more info: Pilgrim Congregational Church, 530-243-3121 or http://www.pilgrimchurchredding.org/site/cpage.asp?cpage_id=180037695&sec_id=180011406
Oct 13 – Chico: Cultivating Community North Valley Workshop Series with Perm-a-Fun-K: #4 of 7 Intensive Gardening 9am-6pm. Sliding scale fee from $30 – $50. At the GRUB Cooperative 1525 Dayton Rd Chico, CA 95928. This is the fourth in a series of 7 focusing on permaculture in your home garden led by Via Rosa Maicas. $30-$50 sliding scale for each workshop. Collaborations, Trade, and Volunteer positions available. To inquire about volunteering or ask questions about series contact workshop facilitator: Perma_fun_k@rocketmail.com. Full Scholarships available to 10 qualifiers. If applying for a scholarship do not register for individual workshops below. Once application is received we will contact you within 3 business days to let you know if you were accepted. For more information: http://cultivatingcommunitynv.org/perma-fun-k-permaculture-workshop-series/ or email: Perma_fun_k@rocketmail.com.
Oct 13 – Redding: McConnell Arboretum & Botanical Gardens at Turtle Bay Workshop: The Magic is in the Soil 10 am – 12 noon. Come learn from Ken Waranius, owner of Redding Compost Tea, about the chemical, physical, and biological properties of soil. Find out all you need to know for making bad soil good, and good soil great! Turtle Bay’s McConnell Arboretum & Botanical Gardens Nursery – 1100 Arboretum Drive
Oct 13 – Redding: Wyntour Gardens hosts SHASTA ROSE SOCIETY’S ANNUAL ROSE SHOW & Wine Tasting 1 – 4 pm. We are honored to be hosting the Shasta Rose Society’s Annual Rose Show “Autumn Roses” this year, here at Wyntour Gardens. Over 300 roses will be on display; beautiful arrangements, raffles and more. The show is open to the public, contact Shastarosesociety.org for entry information. The Shasta Cascade Viticulture Association will be presenting local wines for tasting with purchase of a wine glass from 1pm to 4pm. This should be a fun day; stop by and smell the roses! Wyntour Gardens, 8026 Airport Rd (1 mi. South of the Redding Airport, next to Kents Mkt). 365-2256 www.wyntourgardens.com
Oct 14 – Chico: Mt. Lassen Chapter of the California Native Plant Society FIELD TRIP: Willow Lake, Lassen National Forest and Terminal Geyser, Lassen Volcanic National Park 8:30 am Meet at Chico Park & Ride west lot with lunch, water, insect/sun protection and money for ride sharing and wear hiking gear. This scenic lake, just north of Chester, features a large floating island. We’ll hike about 1 1/2 miles up to Terminal Geyser for lunch, looking for asters and sundews along the way. Call Wes at 530-342-2293 for alternate meeting site. For more information: http://mountlassen.cnps.org/
Oct 14 – Davis: Davis:UC Davis Arboretum Plant Sale: Copy & Paste: Transferring Arboretum Style to Your Landscape Open to the Public 9 am – 1pm, Arboretum Teaching Nursery, Garrod Drive off LaRue Road. Don’t miss our second and final plant sale of the Fall 2012 season! This public sale will invite customers to utilize planting plans and ideas from the Arboretum, and to be inspired by Arboretum collections. Fall is the best time for planting! Come ask our experts how to address design opportunities and conditions in your yard, and find beautiful, easy-care, sustainable plants to enliven your home landscape. For more information, please call (530) 752-4880 or visit arboretum.ucdavis.edu.
Oct 14 – Chico: GRUB Education GARDEN BIKE TOUR 9 am – 3:30 pm. 10 morning stops possible, 21 afternoon stops possible. Special talks given at each garden from 10 – 10:20 and 1:30 – 1:50pm. GRUB wants to show off some of the wonderfully cool gardens growing in Chico! From GRUB supported community gardens, to school gardens, to backyard gardens – you can pick your own route and go at your own pace. Tickets $15, Children 12 and under free. Buy your passport ticket at Chico Natural Foods Cooperative, Lyon Books, and the Saturday Farmers markets. For more info: www.grubchico.org, www.cultivatingcommunity.org, or call Stephanie: 530-354-1646.
Oct 16 – Chico: North State Public Radio and In a North State Garden 10 – 11 am. Fall Membership Drive special: Wind, Water, Wildlife and Silence: The Soundscape of the North State Garden. Tune in to KCHO, Chico or KFPR, Redding to hear a lively discussion between sound researcher, Joshua Leeds and host, Jennifer Jewell. Joshua is the author of “The Power of Sound”.
Oct 17 – Chico: Chico Horticultural Society Chapter meeting and Program on “Bonsai” with Pat Gilmore 9:30 am gather at Chico Public Library corner of 1st and Sherman, Chico. 10 am Program Begins. The public is invited to attend our meetings and there is no admission fee. If you have questions call Ana at 892-1545.
Oct 17 – Davis: Davis:UC Davis Arboretum Science Café: How Plants and Animals Use Chemicals for Survival and Defense 5:15 pm, Wyatt Deck (rain location: 146 Environmental Horticulture) Prof. Chris Jeffrey, Department of Chemistry, University of Nevada, Reno, will speak on chemical communications between plants and other organisms, or “chemical ecology.” Co-sponsored by Prof. Jared Shaw and the Chemistry Dept, this program is funded by the National Science Foundation. For more information, please call (530) 752-4880 or visit arboretum.ucdavis.edu.
Oct 17 – Redding: Shasta Rose Society Regular monthly meeting & program 7 – 8 pm. City of Redding Corporation Yard, 2055 Viking Way, Building 4, Room 401, Redding, California. The meetings are held for the purpose of presenting an educational program by an authority on roses and their cultivation. Meetings are open to the public. For more info: http://www.shastarosesociety.org/Shasta_Rose_Society/Home.html.
Oct 18 – Paradise: DOOM THE BROOM! 8:30am – 12 noon. Free Broom eradication Train-the-Trainer workshop. Paradise United Methodist Church 6722 Clark Rd Across from the Paradise Cinema. During this Workshop you will learn about: Home Assessment, Native Plant Options, Treatment Methods and Strategies, Resources for information and tools. Who should attend? General Public, Homeowners, Gardeners, Land Managers, Service Clubs and Groups, Watershed Groups, Resource Agencies, Public Works agencies, Property managers, Anyone willing to help others with broom removal and eradication. Refreshments will be provided. Hosted by the Paradise and Butte County Fire Safe Councils. For more information, contact the Butte County Fire Safe Council at 877-0984 or visit our web site at Thenet411.net
Oct 18 – Red Bluff: Slow Food Shasta Cascade: Monthly Meeting in Red Bluff For Information Please Contact: Chico area co-leader – Lori Weber Lweber@csuchico.eduRed Bluff and Redding area co-leader – Kathy Moore at 530-529-2729. http://www.slowfoodshastacascade.org/index.htm
Oct 18 – Redding: Shasta Chapter California Native Plant Society Chapter meeting Join us for a talk with Ben Miles, Executive Director of Shasta Land Trust in Redding. 7 pm. Ben has been with the Land Trust for the past five years and has an MS in Environmental Science from the University of Tennessee. Ben will update us on Shasta Land Trust’s conservation easements and its other projects in Shasta County. Meet at 7 PM at the Shasta College Health Science & University Programs building in downtown Redding, 1400 Market Street, Community Room 8220 (clock tower building at the north end of the Market Street Promenade; enter on south side of building). A Board meeting will be held before the regular meeting, at 5:30 PM at Angelo’s Pizza Parlour in the Foundry Square, 1774 California Street, Redding. More info: http://www.shastacnps.org/calendar.html
Oct 20 – Redding: Shasta Chapter California Native Plant Society Fieldtrip. Peltier Valley Outing. This will be a fall colors, easy-to-moderate, 4-mile hike in the Peltier Valley at Whiskeytown National Recreation Area. We will walk through chaparral, mixed conifer, riparian, and ponderosa-manzanita vegetative habitats. We will see the remains of an old homestead and extensive hand-mining remains. The Park Service has done considerable restoration work in this beautiful area through prescribed burning and removal of old logging roads. Bring water and dress appropriately. No dogs please. Meet at Whiskeytown Visitors Center parking lot at 9 AM. For more information, call David Ledger at 355-8542.
Oct 20 – Redding: McConnell Arboretum & Botanical Gardens at Turtle Bay Workshop: Ornamental Grasses in the Garden 10 am – 12 noon. With their variety of form, size and texture, ornamental grasses have earned their place in the garden. Join Turtle Bay Horticulture Manager Lisa Endicott for this informative class covering grasses, rushes, sedges, and restios, followed by a tour of the 50+ species growing in the Gardens and offered for sale in the Nursery. Turtle Bay’s McConnell Arboretum & Botanical Gardens Nursery – 1100 Arboretum Drive
Oct 20 – Davis: Davis: UC Davis Arboretum Guided Public Tour: Ornamental Grasses 10-11:30 a.m., Arboretum West End Gardens (meet at Nature’s Gallery Court on Garrod Drive)Come observe ornamental grasses in their finest season of the year, and learn more about the design and habitat contributions they make to the perennial landscape! All ages are welcome. This public tour is FREE, as is campus parking on the weekends. Participants should meet at Nature’s Gallery Court. For more information, please call (530) 752-4880 or visit arboretum.ucdavis.edu.
Oct 20 – Chico: Butte Rose Society Annual Rose Show: “Everything’s Coming up Roses!” Open to Public 1 – 4 pm. Our Divine Savior Church Social Hall on 566 East Lassen Avenue in Chico, CA 95973. As a visitor you will see and smell more beautiful roses, and rose art than you can imagine. If you would like to submit for show roses you have grown, contact the society! They are more than happy to help with first time exhibitors. For more info: http://www.butte-rosesociety.org
Oct 20 – Chico: Cultivating Community Workshop: Edible Perennials 2 pm – 4 pm. GRUB Cooperative 1525 Dayton Ave., Chico. Curious about the world of perennial edibles that can be grown locally? Maybe it is because they are the backbone of permaculture. Maybe it’s because you’re tired of planting annuals each season. Maybe you love eating from your garden and want to expand your flavors. Or maybe you have some harvest gaps you want to fill. In this presentation the familiar and the unfamiliar will be explored: trees, shrubs, and herbs, leaves, flowers, stems, roots. Not only will we be able to talk about planting strategies and harvesting, but we’ll walk around the farm to see what they look like and taste if in season. You may even be able to come home with a cutting or seeds to get you started. With Sherri Scott (GRUB Grown Plant Nursery) For more info: www.cultivatingcommunitynv.org
Oct 20 – Orland: Slow Food Shasta Cascade: 12 Tastes of 2012: Beer and Local Food Tastes: Orland Farmstead Creamery Cheeses @ Farwood Bar & Grill 2:30 – 4:30 pm. Farwood Bar and Grill 12 Tastes of 2012 – Each Tasting will feature a different type of drink along with local foods to sample and purchase. 705 Fifth Street Orland, Ca. 865-9900 http://www.farwoodbarandgrill.com. For Information on Slow Food Shasta Cascade Please Contact: Chico area co-leader – Lori Weber Lweber@csuchico.eduRed Bluff and Redding area co-leader – Kathy Moore at 530-529-2729. http://www.slowfoodshastacascade.org/index.htm
Oct 21 – Chico: Mt. Lassen Chapter of the California Native Plant Society FIELD TRIP: Deer Creek Trail, Lassen National Forest 8:30 am Meet at Chico Park & Ride west lot with lunch, water, insect/sun protection and money for ride sharing. We’ll drive about 40 miles to the trail head at the Highway 32 Deer Creek bridge. Starting at 3200 feet, this is a gradual 2 miles hike down to the falls and fish ladder, where we’ll have lunch. Big leaf maple and dogwood should be in fall color, along with Indian rhubarb and spicebush, Sierra mint, and California fuchsia. Call Gerry at 530-893-5123 for alternate meeting site. For more information: http://mountlassen.cnps.org/
Oct 21 – Redding: Shasta Chapter California Native Plant Society Plant Propagation Session 10 am – NOON. Shasta College greenhouses, near the livestock barns. One- to two-hour work session starting at 10 AM at the Shasta College greenhouses. The greenhouses are located at the back of Shasta College, near the livestock barns. We will be weeding and deciding what species to order for the next propagation season. Please call Jay & Terri Thesken at 221-0906 for further information.
Oct 21 – Chico: Cultivating Community North Valley Workshop Series with Perm-a-Fun-K: #5 of 7 Water Catchment, Filters, and Grey Water Systems 9am-6pm. Sliding scale fee from $30 – $50. At the GRUB Cooperative 1525 Dayton Rd Chico, CA 95928. This is the fifth in a series of 7 focusing on permaculture in your home garden led by Via Rosa Maicas. $30-$50 sliding scale for each workshop. Collaborations, Trade, and Volunteer positions available. To inquire about volunteering or ask questions about series contact workshop facilitator: Perma_fun_k@rocketmail.com. Full Scholarships available to 10 qualifiers. If applying for a scholarship do not register for individual workshops below. Once application is received we will contact you within 3 business days to let you know if you were accepted. For more information: http://cultivatingcommunitynv.org/perma-fun-k-permaculture-workshop-series/ or email: Perma_fun_k@rocketmail.com.
Oct 24 – Redding: 2nd Annual FOOD DAY Field to Table Growing Local Celebration 5:30 – 8:30 pm. First United Methodist Church – Community Room, 1825 East Street, Redding, CA 96001. This year’s theme, Field to Table, brings together great chefs and local food – an unbeatable combination! Watch cooking demonstrations from three of the area’s talented chefs and enjoy a 3 course meal – salad, soup and dessert – while you listen and learn. Our goal is to embrace cooking together and eating together as families and community. Families welcome! Suggested donation of $5 for adults and no cost for children of all ages. We will be taking advanced reservations – more information on reservations coming soon. Food Day is a nationwide celebration and a movement toward more healthy, affordable, and sustainable food. The ultimate goal of Food Day is to strengthen and unify the food movement in order to improve our nation’s food policies.
Oct 24 – Chico: Cultivating Community Workshop: Planting Hedgerows to Diversify Your Farm or Garden 6pm – 8pm. The Organic Vegetable Project at the Chico State University Farm 311 Nicholas C. Schouten Lane, Chico, CA 95928. Maintaining a diverse strip of flowering plants along the perimeter of your vegetables can help maintain habitat for beneficial insects and birds, provide a wind break and buffer, and provide a source of perennial flowers, herbs, and fruits. This workshop will discuss how to select perennials that will attract pollinators to your farm or garden as well as how to plant, irrigate and maintain your perennial hedgerow. With Lee Altier (CSU Chico College of Agriculture, OVP Director.) For more info: www.cultivatingcommunitynv.org
Oct 27 – Red Bluff: Red Bluff Garden Club annual Floral Design Program with Kate Gleim from House of Design 9:30 am – 2 pm. Reserve Tickets are $25. The Red Bluff Garden Club is brewing its annual floral design program and luncheon for Saturday, Oct. 27. Kate Gleim will be presenting a cornucopia of floral designs which will include décor ideas for Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s. Kate is a renowned floral artist, design teacher, member of the American Institute of Floral Designers and owner of House of Design located in the old Kraft Library building on Jefferson Street. She loves sharing her ideas for beautifying people’s environments, and inspires people to experience the joy of working with floral materials, through classes at her store and design seminars. For more information, call Kathy at 527- 9403 or Diane at 824- 5661. Tickets can be purchased from Kathy, Diane or at House of Design.
Oct 27 – Redding: McConnell Arboretum & Botanical Gardens at Turtle Bay: Walk with Horticultural Manager Lisa Endicott 10:30 am. Bring your notebooks and camera! We’ll make our way through the Gardens with frequent stops for discussions about (what else?) plants! Free with Park or Garden admission. Meet at West Garden Entrance. Take N. Market Street, turn on Arboretum Drive. Take the right fork. Parking lot and entrance are on the left.
Oct 27 – Redding: Wyntour Gardens DORMANT SPRAY CLASS 11 am. Presented by Holly. Everything you wanted to know about Dormant Spraying but were afraid to ask! Find out which plants & trees benefit most from a dormant spray schedule. Learn how and when to
start your treatment and which products are available. Very informative class; handouts provided.
Our classes are always free, please call or email to reserve your seat. Wyntour Gardens, 8026 Airport Rd (1 mi. South of the Redding Airport, next to Kents Mkt). 365-2256 www.wyntourgardens.com
Oct 27 – Chico: Chico Permaculture Guild Permablitz Gathering, Potluck and Surplus Swap 3 pm – 6 pm. 1926 Salem St. Chico, CA. Join us for an educational gathering to prepare for our first Permablitz! We will talk about the design and discuss the permaculture principles which will be applied during the Permablitz hands-on learning day! Please bring a small dish to share as well as your chair, own dishes, utensils and cup for the potluck. If you have anything in surplus (vegetables, eggs, fruit, seed, plant starts etc.) go ahead and bring it and we will have a ‘share the surplus’ swap after the potluck. Parking is limited so please ride your bike or carpool. Utilize your contact list and get a hold of each other to see if you live close to one another -that way we can ease the use of our cars! We’re looking forward to another gathering with fabulous people, incredible food and sharing our garden abundance! Please RSVP to Stephanie at modcpg@gmail.com or 530-828-6390 if you will be attending (RSVP IN ADDITION to our joining the Facebook Event). https://www.facebook.com/events/265578633560096/
Oct 27 & 28 – Chico: Fall Home & Garden Show – Chico Horticultural Society’s Flower Show “Autumn Splendor” and fabulous FAll Plant Sale! 10 am – 5 pm Saturday and Sunday, Silver Dollar Fair Grounds. Adults $5, Seniors $4, Children 12 and under free with paying adult.
Oct 28 – Chico: Mt. Lassen Chapter of the California Native Plant Society FIELD TRIP: TEN MILE HOUSE TRAIL, UPPER BIDWELL PARK 9:30 am Meet at the Green Gate entrance to Upper Bidwell Park, 7 miles east of Bruce Road along Highway 32, with lunch, water, insect/sun protection and wear hiking gear. We’ll walk down an old road through Kellogg and blue oak forest to Chico Creek for lunch. On the return we’ll stop at a spring and possibly pick some persimmons to break the 700-foot climb. Rain cancels. Call Wes at 530-342-2293 for more information. For more information: http://mountlassen.cnps.org/
Oct 28 – Chico: Cultivating Community North Valley Workshop Series with Perm-a-Fun-K: #6 of 7 Ferro-cement water Tanks 9am-6pm. Sliding scale fee from $30 – $50. At the GRUB Cooperative 1525 Dayton Rd Chico, CA 95928. This is the sixth in a series of 7 focusing on permaculture in your home garden led by Via Rosa Maicas. $30-$50 sliding scale for each workshop. Collaborations, Trade, and Volunteer positions available. To inquire about volunteering or ask questions about series contact workshop facilitator: Perma_fun_k@rocketmail.com. Full Scholarships available to 10 qualifiers. If applying for a scholarship do not register for individual workshops below. Once application is received we will contact you within 3 business days to let you know if you were accepted. For more information: http://cultivatingcommunitynv.org/perma-fun-k-permaculture-workshop-series/ or email: Perma_fun_k@rocketmail.com.
Oct 29 – FULL MOON
Oct 30 – Chico: Butte Rose Society Regular Monthly Meeting & Program 7 pm. Chico Veterans Memorial Hall 554 Rio Lindo Avenue. Public Welcome! For more info: http://www.butte-rosesociety.org
Oct 31 – HALLOWEEN
GUEST OPINION: Breaking up is Hard to Do – By Tina Hoover, Chico, CA
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In a North State Garden is a weekly Northstate Public Radio and web-based program celebrating the art, craft and science of home gardening in Northern California. It is made possible in part by the Gateway Science Museum – Exploring the Natural History of the North State and on the campus of CSU, Chico. In a North State Garden is conceived, written, photographed and hosted by Jennifer Jewell – all rights reserved jewellgarden.com. In a North State Garden airs on Northstate Public Radio Saturday mornings at 7:34 AM Pacific time and Sunday morning at 8:34 AM Pacific time. Podcasts of past shows are available here.
