Chico, Sustainable

The Chico Green School, a new charter (public) high school with a sustainability theme is set to open this Fall with a freshman and sophomore class, 50 students in total. The school will grow to 200 students, grades 9 - 12, over the next four years.

Small class sizes and a supportive learning community are also highlights of the school.

Teaching staff are on board, and school founders are in the final stages of negotiating an appropriate site.

Prospective students, parents, and the public are encouraged to attend the next public information session at Hooker Oak School on Wednesday, March 24 at 7 p.m.

Also, the school's "Green Tie Affair" fundraiser will take place at the Chico Grange Hall on Saturday, March 27 from 5:30 p.m. - 11:00 p.m. The event includes a live and silent auction, live music, and dinner catered by David Guzzetti.

I purchased my second copy of "Urban Farm Magazine" from S & S, and for a second time I was disappointed.

Kind of like the Harry Potter films, I was hoping for something better.

The magazine is on the right track, but in addition to highlighting the "shining stars" of the urban farm movement, I would like to see articles that explore the challenges faced by the folks in the trenches, the ones who are banging their heads against economic and political roadblocks.

I personally can do without another piece on composting or an article that describes turning your lawn into a garden as if it was a Saturday morning project.

I'll give the periodical one more chance this summer, then call it quits.

(FYI, the photo above is not the Chico Nut Jumps--The Nut Jumps are similar, however.)

I gave a thumbs down to disc golf in Upper Park. But after some thought, I think the Chico Nut Jumps should stay.

Surprised? A double standard? Let me give my reasoning before you pass judgment.

The key point for me is that I do not hold Lindo Channel to the same standard of "wildness" as I do Upper Park. I think you can have mixed, often high impact use along the channel while at the same time respect and appreciate the greenery and wildlife that it brings to the heart of Chico.

And yes, while the impact of the jumps to the soil is extreme, it is also contained. By comparison, the disc golf course sprawls over many acres, causing erosion to thin, sensitive soils and causing damage to many trees, especially in the spring when they are adding new growth.

Both sports have much in common that I appreciate--Both get people outdoors and moving, something that is lacking more and more in our society. But in short, having the Nut Jumps in Lindo Channel is a better match than a disc golf course in Upper Park.

But it is far from perfect.

I would like to see a buffer of plants established between the jumps and channel to reduce erosion off the site.

I believe the liability concerns of the City are legit, and the very least there should be signage that strongly recommends the use of helmets and pads and that riders should jump at their own risk.

I think the site is too big, and can be cut back by a third.

And lastly, I wish city planners and outdoor recreation enthusiasts could go back in history and PLAN for both a disc golf course and a BMX jump course, going through appropriate process--like the Humbolt skate park--to get these resources established in a manner that has room for community input and discussion.

Unlike our present model. What a mess.

I am not a big beef guy, but I do have a soft spot for a turkey burger every now and again.

There are some places in Chico that make a fine turkey burger.

But the condiment bar made me pause. I put a couple sliced of tomatoes on my burger because it is tradition. But did they actually enhanced my burger? Two pale, pasty pink slices of imported, truck-jostled Mexican tomatoes?

What would a seasonal condiment bar look like in Chico? Lettuce for certain. Pickles and onions are both good. But perhaps some thinly sliced radish could suffice in place of the tomatoes, or a tomato pesto, made from local tom's picked at the peak of the summer?

It's rutabaga season (a.k.a. "winter"). So I bought two at $1/lb.

I had never tried a rutabaga before. (Coincidentally, neither had the two college-aged vendors who were picking up a few extra bucks working the stand). Technically, a rutabaga is thought to be a cross between a cabbage and a turnip.

When I got home I found two recipes for rutabaga in an old copy of "The Joy Of Cooking."

I can tell you now, rutabagas are outstanding. Imagine merging the flavor and texture of a potato with a tender steamed broccoli stem with a very subtle mustardy bite. That's a rutabaga (at least to me).

Anyway, the first recipe was for rutabaga chips. It goes something like this:

1) Preheat oven to 425 degrees
2) Thinly slice (1/4") the rutabaga
3) Spread slices on a lightly greased/oiled baking sheet
4) Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and paprika (optional)
5) Bake for 30 minutes or until brown, turning once at 15 minutes.

I baked about 30 chips. They were very good, and disappeared very fast.

The second recipe is to boil them as you would potatoes, and mash'em up. Serve them as you would mashed potatoes, or even mix them with the potatoes. I ended making a faux-potato salad.

Rutabaga. Healthy, local, cheap, easy to prepare, tastey. Your grandma used to eat them. Give one a try today.

(A public service message from the Organic Rutabaga Growers Association)

I spied a chanterelle under a live oak in the Big Chico Creek Ecological Reserve. My daughter and I bent down for a closer look. While the orange 7" mushroom itself is striking, it's aroma is what penetrates to my soul, a scent which I can only describe as the entire forest floor concentrated into a single breath: the smell of soil, tree roots, leaves, young grass, future wildflowers and dew.

Later that day I heard a breeze from the other side of the world, as a reporter spoke on her cell phone from a windy location in Afganistan.

The last few months I decided I was going to sample every variety of winter squash that was for sale at the farmer's market. I had not been giving this nutrient-dense, filling, locally-produced vegetable its due.

There is more out there than just butternut.

I bought squash from about 5 different farmers--When all was said and done, my favorites were the dark green "buttercup," blue-hued "blue hubbard" and a bright orange variety called "sunshine" (aka orange kabocha).

Less thrilling to me were delicata (not enough meat), sweet potato squash (tastey, but the real deal still has more flavor and is also available at the market in winter), and an unnamed Asian variety (bland).

The winter squash season is winding down, however Red Bank Farms is still selling butternut, which also made the top five.

Super-simple Squash - Baking instructions:

* Preheat oven to 350 F
* Cut lengthwise down the middle
* Scoop out the seeds
* Lightly coat the exposed meaty parts of the squash with butter or olive oil
* Salt and pepper to taste, with a touch of ground ginger (or cinnamon, or nutmeg, your preference - for a sweeter taste, use cinnamon sugar)
* Place cutside up in a baking pan with about an inch of water in the pan
* Cook until fork tender -- usually about 1 hour.

FREE SEEDS FOR EDUCATORS
Educators in Chico are invited to pick up free packets of garden seeds (vegetables, herbs, flowers) for use in their classrooms, school gardens, community gardens, and other educational settings.

Yes, free. Totally free. Do you know an educator in town? Tell them to come by!

Pick up seeds at the Chico Country Day School garden (102 W. 11th Street) on Monday, February 22 or Monday, March 1 between 4:00 p.m. and 4:30 p.m., OR, come to the Seed Exchange at GRUB on February 28--See below!

SEED EXCHANGE FOR ALL!
The Chico Permaculture Guild and the GRUB Cooperative are hosting at Seed Exchange at the GRUB farm on Sunday, February 28 from 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. at the GRUB Farm, 1525 Dayton Rd.

Bring labeled seeds to exchange/swap. The potluck-style exchange will feature hundreds of varieties of seeds as well as educational information about getting them to grow. A limited supply of soil, pots, and envelopes will also be available. Children are welcome and encouraged to participate.

In addition, educators with a school ID card will be welcome to take seed packets from the "Teacher Boxes." These seeds are intended to be used in educational settings (i.e. not for personal use.)

Contact Stephanie (828-6390) or Francine (965‐1073) for more information.

"Join us as we celebrate seeds, local food, and genetic diversity!"

A few quick updates on my efforts to balance economics, supporting local products, buying local, and reducing packaging as I shop for food. . .

Eggs: The 25 cent eggs at Chico Natural Foods are now up to 35 cents each, bringing them more in line with Farmer's Market prices. I have not yet learned much about them, but I am happy giving my $$ directly to the farmer (Chris, Chaffin, or Red Bank). However, its nice to know they're there.

Cooking Oil: Olive oil is a commodity item. If you have the room to store it in a cool dark place, then go for it. As such, purchasing a gallon of Chaffin Olive Oil at the Saturday Farmers market cost me 1/3 less than a bulk Chaffin olive oil purchase at the coop. Question: Has any out there tried rice oil? Is there a source of local, organic product? I have heard rumors. . .

Almond butter and rice: I have also moved to cutting out the middle man for these products, prices at the farmer's market are better or equivalent when compared to the bulk options at Chico Natural Foods or S&S.

Maple Syrup: Not a local product, but we all have our vices. I was disappointed to learn that organic maple syrup from Trader Joe's is significantly less expensive then buying it in bulk. The glass jar is recycleable, so TJ's it is.

Grocery Outlet: I took another stab at scoping out organic products at Grocery Outlet a few weeks ago, and all I came away with was some peanut butter and some organic vodka pasta sauce. If your goal is organic, in my opinion this isn't reason enough to warrant regular shopping there.

Just an aside, I am not trying to knock Chico Natural Foods--Very few people can get to the Farmer's Market every week (especially in winter, when Saturday is the only option), and CNF carries a great variety of local and organic products. I remain a visitor to CNF 2-4 times a month; my frequent purchases include milk, cheese, and bulk items that aren't sold at the farmer's market (such as beans).

A recent ER article brought to the attention the Park Division's pilot project to reduce starthistle in the park using the herbicide Milestone (MSDS: www.lanecounty.org/Roads/documents/MSDSMilestone.pdf).

Confused as to why the city would be supporting Dow Chemical by spraying one of their products along our trails, I inquired with the parks department, which responded by explaining that the application of Milestone was approved by the Bidwell Park and Playground Commission in December 2008 as part of a pilot project to reduce starthistle in areas where it could be spread easily by humans and animals, such as the trail heads and along trails.

While I was disappointed to find limited information about this project on the city website (however there is a flyer about helping with starthistle eradication through hand pulling), I was referred to Joseph DiTomaso's Yellow Starthistle Management Guide, which appears to be the bible on starthistle eradication.

The biggest pro's about using herbicides on starthistle are that it a) it appears to work better than other methods, and b) doesn't cost as much as other methods of control. And as far as herbicides are concerned, the EPA considers it relatively benign and has "designated (it) a reduced risk pesticide . . .because of its excellent toxicological and environmental profile."

But I don't buy it, for a number of reasons.

First of all, the goal of this pilot project is not to eliminate starthistle from Bidwell Park, but to control it along trails. This is fine, but one has to recognize that the starthistle will always grow back. And you will always have to apply more herbicide. How many applications of Milestone will it take before we start seeing adverse environmental impacts?

Secondly, according to Mr. DiTomaso, Milestone "is active on members of the sunflower family (Asteraceae), legume family (Fabaceae), carrot family (Apiaceae), nightshade family (Solanaceae), and a few other families." I can name a number of natives plants from these families that are indigenous to the park, and I would rather not see them disappear from the trails.

I would like to see more emphasis given to other control methods, for example: controlled browsing/grazing of sheep or goats, weed-whacking (preferrably with a scythe) in the early spring, hand pulling, or controlled burning.

While most agree that eliminating starthistle from Bidwell Park is an unattainable goal, I do see the value in trying to make a dent in it in strategic locations. But with this in mind, I don't think use of an herbicide is the way to go.