Chico, Sustainable

Don't let the weather stop you: the Chapman Friday Market and the Chico Saturday Market are great places to purchase your Thanksgiving fixin's

My wife and I aren't going to let the fact that we're headed to the Bay Area stop us. Hmong-farmed jicama and Pyramid farm carrots and broccoli will be the vessels for faux-artichoke dip made with Mike's locally grown sunchokes.

Check your recipes. There are plenty of other great locally grown foods at the farmers market that will be snazzy as a part of the Thanksgiving menu, even if you are planning on traveling. All of these foods will have no problem staying delicious through Turkey Day:

-Potatoes (yellow or blue) from Red Bank Farms
-Local eggs from Chaffin Family Farm, Chris's Egg Farm or Red Bank Farms
-Onions and garlic from multiple growers
-Beets and other root crops--try adding thin slices of watermelon radish to a salad
-Fresh, seasonal fruit, including mandarins, apples, and persimmons
-I saw local fejoas at the market last week, I bet they would go great in most cranberry recipes
-Winter squash galore - Bruce at the corner of 2nd and Flume has an amazing selection
-Goat cheese from North Valley Farms
-A seasonal bouquet from Marc Kessler of California Organic Flowers (like the pumpkin pepper bouquet pictured above)

Posted by jmiller at 07:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

One summer at camp when I was twelve we made solar ovens out of shoe boxes and aluminum foil. Our "ovens" heated our Ball Park Franks perhaps slightly better than if we had simply left them out on a hot rock.

That was then.

22 years later, my wife and I received a solar oven for our wedding. It has taken a couple of years, but we are finally using it pretty regularly for cooking. Rice, butternut squash, potatoes, and eggplant have all been cooked up via solar power. Our solar oven regularly will surpass 300 degrees, even on an cooler November day, provided the sun is shining.

If you already own a regular oven (I would guess most of the readers of this blog do), be forewarned that the solar oven we use costs between $200 and $250, but the technology is free, and relatively easy to reproduce on your own.

For those that want to go after "lower hanging fruit" (non sequitur alert), here's a neat trick that will allow you to print a document double-sided, even when your printer is not as smart: Start by printing out all the odd pages, then feed those pages back in and print out the evens on the reverse side. A helpful hint (from personal experience): practice first, and then write a note to yourself regarding how you oriented the pages in the paper try when you printed the evens. Tape the note to your printer.

Posted by jmiller at 07:12 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

To care for Bidwell Park, including
trimming trees, mowing lawns,
managing erosion, picking up trash,
maintaining trails, educating the public,
servicing the toilets, repairing fences,
controlling invasive plants,
and handling the countless other needs of this 3,670 acre recreation area, the city has all of six permanent workers, one supervisor and, when funding allows, two to three seasonal workers.

These employees are also responsible for maintaining other city-owned open spaces and parks.

Even when you factor in hundreds of volunteer hours each year, these efforts still aren’t enough to maintain the needs of the Bidwell Park. As a result the park suffers in the form of erosion, invasive plant species that are able to gain a foothold and choke out the natives, and trails, fences, and other human-made features that are in a state of disrepair. On top of all of this, the Park needs improved facilities (such as restrooms) to meet the needs of Chico’s growing populace.

In short, Bidwell Park is underfunded.

City parks receive roughly 6% of the City's General Fund, which itself comes from taxes. When you multiple the General Fund by 6% and then divide by the population of Chico, you get a shade under $30.

That is how much a Chico citizen pays each year to enjoy one of the greatest municipal parks in the country, not to mention our green spaces and other city parks.

Continue reading "Valuing Bidwell Park" »

Posted by jmiller at 07:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

CHICO FOOD NETWORK SEEKS NEW MEMBERS
The mission of the Chico Food Network is to foster a local food system that contributes to the long-term viability of farms in our region, provide Chico-area residents with fresh, healthy food choices, provide education regarding local food systems, and create an awareness and interdependence between Chico consumers, food businesses, and local farmers.

Do you have an idea that falls under this umbrella? Want to get involved with a small, energetic non-profit organization?

Feel free to join us at our next meeting, Tuesday, December 2 at 7:30 p.m. at 1525 Dayton Road to learn more. Bring a friend!

To learn more about the Chico Food Network, please check out our website: www.chicofoodnetwork.org

For an email or phone contact, please reply to this blog post.

COMMUNITY GARDEN AT THE DOROTHY F. JOHNSON CENTER
We are creating a fruit, vegetable, herb, and flower garden for the Community and by the Community. An informal potluck to discuss the future of the garden will take place on Friday, December 5 at 5:30 p.m. at 689 E. 18th Street (adjacent to the garden site). Folks who are interested in learning, teaching, sharing, and smiling are encouraged to get involved. Come by the Dorothy F. Johnson Center, 775 E 16th Street to check out the site.

For an email or phone contact, please reply to this blog post.

Posted by jmiller at 06:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I had the opportunity to sample the new Leon Bistro a couple weeks ago, and I was impressed with its dedication to emphasizing locally-produced food in its menu items. It joins Spice Creek and Red Tavern in this regard.

Leon Bistro is also similar to Spice Creek and Red Tavern in its prices. To me, this is a meal for special occasions, and not a place the average Chicoan can afford to frequent on a regular basis.

I am still waiting for the "local eats" model to infiltrate some of our burrito joints and pizza parlors.

Posted by jmiller at 10:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I put my absentee ballot in the mail last week. Though my choices will not surprise many people, if you're still curious, here they are:

1A: Yes
Though a high-speed passenger train system is expensive, I don't believe that the present economic crisis is a reason our children and grandchildren should be denied a fuel-efficient, environmentally friendly modern transportation system.

2: Yes
How we treat and respect other creatures is a reflection of who we are as a society.

3: Yes

4: No

5: No

6: No

7: No
I will vote for renewable energy initiatives that make sense. Based on what I have read, this one doesn't.

8: No
The only political sign in our front yard is a "No On 8" banner. Many excellent opinion pieces have been written on this topic. Other than the sign, I have nothing new to add besides my emphatic "No" vote.

9: No

10: No
See 7.

11: Yes

12: Yes

Partisan Offices: I voted Democrat.
Many are concerned that too many Democrats in our government will upset the value of our "balanced" two-party system. I have seen the results (or lack there of) of this philosophy too many times since 1980, and with few exceptions, I have not been overly impressed.

School District: Jann Reed, Zane Schreder.
I almost voted for Liz Griffin over Schreder, as she also seems like a good candidate. The News and Review made a good argument that Schreder's professional background would present a conflict of interest in regards to school development projects, and would thus prevent him from voting on many key issues. However, I still think that his wisdom and insight in these matters will make him a valuable member of the school board.

CARD: Mark Sweany, Jerry Hughes

City Council: Jim Walker, Ali Sarsour, Ann Schwab, Andy Holcomb.
There is criticism that voting for these candidates will result in a development-hostile environment for Chico, which could have serious repercussions for our local economy. I don't think that any city councilor--progressive, conservative, liberal, traditional, sustainable, or otherwise--can deny that development is one of the key elements of Chico's future. The recent 7-0 vote to allow for the expansion of Chico Volkswagen attests to this.

However, I believe a progressive council will look at development critically with an eye towards the long-term welfare of our community. Perhaps they will make demands of contractors and builders that might not have been made ten years ago, such as requiring the use of permeable concrete for all new construction or expecting that housing developments be designed to better accommodate pedestrian and bike traffic than those built in the 80's and '90's.

I think developers looking to ply their trade in Chico will buy into the fact that Chico is a great place to do business for a multitude of reasons, and it will be worth jumping through these additional hoops to operate here.

And if the existing development community thinks that this state of affairs isn't worth the trouble and wants to move on, I am sure that there are other, more progressive builders who will see this as an opportunity.

Yes, I am optimist; I find it more pleasant than the alternative.

Posted by jmiller at 07:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Severely Handicapped program at Bidwell Jr. High school will make almost $1800 this year by recycling all of the school's plastic and aluminum cans and bottles. These funds are used to purchase specialty education materials specific to the needs of the students in the program, as well as the occasional treat, such as movie tickets.

In addition to raising money, Bidwell Jr.'s recycling program is these students' first introduction to the type of vocational education that many will be receiving in high school.

If Bidwell Jr, with an enrollment of 789 students, can earn $1800 through recycling, than the idea of Chico's 2000-student high schools each being able to pull in $5000 a year by recycling is not out of the question, provided that the schools can able to put together cohesive recycling programs.

Posted by jmiller at 09:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

It seems that the gold standard for a compost bin is one that is hot and steamy.

Mine is always cold and clammy.

I have added greens, browns, water, turned it, massaged it, and fed it my choicest kitchen scraps.

But I got no heat. Not even an ember.

I called PG&E. They were no help.

Not that things aren't decomposing. They are just doing so kinda slowly. The up side is that the resulting soil is very rich, and my seeds have had no problem germinating in it. The earthworms are happy.

The down side is that all seeds, including the weeds, have no problem germinating in it. And my earthworms have plenty of creepy crawly neighbors, not all of which are as beneficial to my garden. I have enough pill bugs to open a drug store.

Maybe Mark Herrera's "The Basics of Composting" workshop at this year's Sustainability Conference will help me warm things up.

Posted by jmiller at 08:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

It is not too late to register for the 6th Annual Organic Farming and Food Conference, which will be Wednesday, November 5, or for CSU Chico's This Way to Sustainability (aka the Sustainability Conference), which kicks off Thursday, November 6 and runs through Sunday the 9th. I have been told that one should register for the Sustainability Conference before Monday, October 27 (like, this weekend).

The Organic Farming and Food Conference costs $15, and takes place at the CSU Chico Farm Pavilion on Nicholas G. Shouten Lane.

The Sustainability Conference is FREE to all CSU Chico students, faculty, and all K-12 students and teachers. For members of the community who work for the government or a nonprofit organization, the registration fee is $50, and that includes the Friday night banquet dinner. For everyone else the conference fee is $75.

There are some really great topics on the schedule, and I would encourage anyone to attend. The Thursday Keynote topic of "Food, Fuel, and Our Future" caught my eye, as did Friday morning's presentation on "Greenwashing" at 9:00 a.m.

I would also encourage folks to drop in on the plethora of sessions offered on Saturday, including "How to Incorporate Bicycling Into Your Everyday Life" and "Green Babies: Sustaining Their Future."

I will also be presenting on Saturday, as a part of a panel discussion on school garden programs.

There is an ongoing dialogue of how to better involve the greater Chico community in the conference.

While tweaking the registration fee has been discussed, I would also encourage the conference organizers to add Sunday morning sessions, and perhaps even evening sessions to better accommodate citizens that have 9 - 5 work schedules during the week.

I am impressed with the efforts that appear to have been made to be sure that duplicates of key presentations, such as "Sustainability 101/What is Sustainability" are offered on Saturday, however other presentations that might be of interest to "Average Joe (sixpack) Chico," such as the health related "Sustain Your Body, Sustain the Earth" or "Recycling 101" are only offered on Thursday during business hours.

For those that can't attend weekday sessions, I don't think a single weekend day (Saturday) is sufficient enough to provide time slots for all of the great sessions that one would wish to attend.

Posted by jmiller at 12:31 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

I have been told that trying to grow avocados in a Chico backyard is a hit or miss prospect. This summer I found out how direct sun can scorch leaves and brown the bark of these trees. Indeed, these plants would be more at home in a humid subtropical environment than the 100 degree oven that is late July in Chico, and a few 20 degree January mornings in a row may kill off a young tree entirely.

We are having to strike a balance between not wanting to “baby” our avocado trees for the next decade with shade cloth and annual frost protection apparati and the desire to procure guacamole directly from the backyard.

There are supposedly some “hardier” avocado varieties out there, including the Stuart, Mexicola, and the Zutano, but even so my wife and I are learning (the hard way) that where and how they are planted is just as important as the heat and cold.

I am presently experimenting with the Duke avocado, and am trying to sprout the pits from a quintet of fruit purchased a couple of weeks ago at the Farmers Market from Chaffin Family Farms. My method is the ‘ole “pit-propped-in-a-cup-of-water” techinique.” What intrigues me the most about this variety is that the Duke is a Butte County native, and has been grown in this area for over a hundred years (the original pits were said to have come from Mexico). The Duke’s thin skin kept it from achieving much commercial viability, as it does not hold up to long-distance transport as much as other varieties.

But it tastes like butter.

Now if I can just get one of these dang trees to grow.

Posted by jmiller at 07:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)