Some folks wait with giddy anticipation for their latest movie rental to arrive in the mail. Others look for letters from Mom. Me? I pace the front porch waiting for the arrival of my seed catalogs. Well, apparently, it’s still too early for those. But I got something equally exciting yesterday: my invitation to the Soil Born Farm AUTUMN EQUINOX CELEBRATION!
What better way to party than with a gang of dirt-loving, plant-hugging gardeners? Weeds and wall flowers won’t stand a chance with this bunch! The affair promises live music, strolls under the stars and through the gardens on Hurley Way, and seasonal, organic food prepared by some of Sac’s finest chefs. The Waterboy, Grange, Hawks, Old Soul, and plenty of others are turning out to provide yummy eats. They’re even serving up wine and organic beer.
In case you haven’t heard of the wildly popular farm yet, Soil Born Farms started in 2000 when two ambitious youngsters left a note in the mailbox of a local landowner, asking permission to grow crops in exchange for fresh produce. With a nod and a handshake, the farm began.
Today, there are two farms: one on Hurley Way and another in Rancho Cordova. In addition to growing food, they educate youth and reconnect them to the land. On Saturdays, you can volunteer at their American River Ranch in Rancho Cordova and discover farm life first-hand. You can also sign up for one of their monthly gardening seminars to learn about pruning fruit trees or composting with worms. Or, if you just want to eat their juicy heirloom tomatoes already, you can sign up to receive a weekly box of fresh farm goodies year-round. The fun never ends!
It’s pretty cool stuff, and it’s happening right here in urban Sac. If you want to join the fun, hurry and get your ticket to the Autumn Equinox Celebration, held Saturday, September 19 from 4:30 to 8:30 P.M. They anticipate a sold-out event. You can call the farm at (916) 363-9685, or purchase tickets at the Sacramento Natural Foods Co-op, 1900 Alhambra Blvd.
Novella Carpenter compares herself to the witch in Hansel and Grettle, “I fatten things up so I can eat them.†A more apt description might be Charlie from the Chocolate Factory: she’s found a golden ticket to building community through urban farming, and she sure is ecstatic! Carpenter recently spoke about her new book, Farm City: The Education of an Urban Farmer at the Sacramento Natural Foods Co-Op as part of a fundraiser for Soil Born Farms.
The Sac Rag 