Many Thanks to All!
Many thanks to all for an incredible Transition to Organics’
Farm to Table Dinner event
July 28th, 2012!
Honored Farmers
Valerian Trust
Rancho Del Pueblo
Tomatomania Mano Farms Sulphur Mountain CSA Ojai Olive Oil
Earthtrine Farm Casa Barranca Wine
Special Thanks to
Knead Bakery for deliciously baked bread!
Sponsors
Valerian Trust
Steve Sprinkel and Olivia Chase
Sacred Cow Biodynamic Compost
Gena Nonini of Marian Farms
Chef Justen Bear Annunziato
“Sustenance in balance … Crafting your world of food”
Musician Dani Ma
Volunteers
Noel Douglas-Roth,
Mary Geraghty, Allison Leete, Matt Boeck,
Robert Gluckson, Lyn Wandell, Dane Whitman,
Sue Williamson, CeCe Yazadzhiev, Carol Vesecky,
Ojai Lily, Mary Jo Healy, Valerie Mintz, Ebn Wandell,
Karen Scott, Natasha, Cory Fouchi and Van Vermeesch
Special Thanks to
Elegant Party Rentals
Farmer John’s Johns
Ace Hardware
Rainbow Bridge
Center for Regenerative Agriculture Aqua-Flo Supply
Auction Items Donated by
The Mob Shop (Electric Bicycle Tour in Ojai)
Su Nido Inn (One Night Stay)
Ojai Retreat (One Night Stay)
Good Cause Marketing (Consultation)
Sacred Cow Biodynamic Compost (Biodynamic Compost Tote & Consultation)
Ojai Beverage Company (Artisan Crafted Organic Beer & Wine)
Ortiz Nursery (Mini Fruit Orchard)
Aqua Flo Supply (Sacred Cow Biodynamic Compost Tote) EcoLogic Life (Consultation: http://ecologiclife.com/)
Love Heals (Carnelian Turquoise Necklace)
Farmer & the Cook (CSA One Month Membership)
Mano Farm (Organic Seed Collection)
Chris Sobenes (Horsemanship Lesson)
New Leaf (Organic Make-up Application)
Ebn Wandell (“Pyramid Within”, Mandala Rock) Ojai Olive Oil Co (Oil & Vinegar Gift Box) Connor Jones (Permaculture Consultation) Karen Scott (Pottery: http://bernscottpottery.com/)
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Pesticide-free the way to be (letter to editor in the Ojai Valley News, Aug 6th, 2012)
DULANIE ELLIS-LA BARRE,
CO-CHAIR, FOOD COUNCIL,
OJAI VALLEY GREEN COALITION
Kudos to Pesticide-Free Ojai for an outstanding weekend of events last week. They featured a nationally-prominent farmer, Gena Nonini, who gave a rapid-fire introduction to biodynamic farming over several days at Oak Grove School. In a nutshell, biodynamics is like homeopathy for the plants and soil, a way to infuse more fertility with specialized preparations. Saturday afternoon, they screened “One Cow, One Man, One Planet” at the Ojai Playhouse and we got to see the huge biodynamic movement in India, where villages are turning away from pesticides and GMOs and embracing these simple methods to revitalize their farmland.
The show-stopper, however, was the farm-to-table dinner on Saturday night. In a word — Wow! I thought I’d dropped into southern Italy. Our hostess at Stony Grove (so named for the plentiful crop of rocks in the soil) is transitioning her citrus grove to organic-biodynamic. She and Patty Pagaling of Transition to Organic and Gena, put on the most exquisite evening of dining I can remember in the valley. Three long white-clothed tables with candles were set next to raised stone beds of vegetable and herb gardens and a lap pool, with twinkle lights draped around like a European piazza. Mellow music from a live band accompanied course after course of the most scrumptious, organic dishes. Rarely have I seen so many blissed-out, chewing faces! To top it all off, we had a meteor sail through the sky. Let’s have more dinners like this, celebrating more growers who choose to enrich the fertility and growing potential in our valley.
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Transition to Organics presents…
“How To Save the World, One Man, One Cow, One Planet” 4:00pm, Saturday, July 28th, 2012 at the Ojai Playhouse 145 East Ojai Ave. Ticket Price: $10 per person at the door
About the movie: “I just watched your movie and I have unbelievable chills, and an excitement that I can barely find words to express. I will do what I can to spread this word.” Marsha Weiner, Food Muse Media
“A beautiful prayer of hope – with the David versus Goliath reality clearly stated.” William E. Mark, author, ‘The Holy Order of Water’
“How to Save the World is amazing. Indeed it may be the answer to the most pressing problem of world food. Do get yourself a copy.” Dr Robert Anderson, Union of Concerned Scientists
Directly following the movie: 6:30pm: Evening Farm To Table Dinner at a transitioning orchard. (additional price: $125. Group rate available.) Please join us for an amazing evening of great food, great talk, new and old friends, in the citrus orchard under Ojai’s pink sky.
Reservations for dinner required: 805-646-4294. (To purchase dinner tickets, see post below. )
Transition to Organics (TTO) is a project of Center for Regenerative Agriculture (http://www.ojaicra.org/). TTO’s focus is to support the Earth by working with Nature. We are committed to inspiring and educating land stewards, offering workshops, conferences and hands-on advice about how to build self-nourishing systems which create happy, healthy farms, gardens and communities.
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Saturday, July 28th Farm to Table Dinner, 6:30pm
Transition to Organics is honored to present…
A Farm to Table Dinner at a Newly “Transitioning” Orchard
in Ojai’s East End
Saturday, July 28th, 6:30pm
The evening will celebrate Ojai’s Most Valuable Assets – Our Farmers, with fresh, organic food, reconnecting the community to the land and the growers who cultivate it.
Please join us for an amazing evening of great food, great talk, new and old friends, in the citrus orchard under Ojai’s pink sky.
Dinner Price: $125. (Group discount available.)
Please call to reserve your spot: 805-646-4294.
Space is limited. Reservations required.
Group Rates:
Dinner, 2 tickets: $110 ea.
Dinner, 3 -7 tickets: $100 ea.
Workshop & dinner together: $325 ($225 for workshop & $100 for dinner.)
To purchase dinner tickets now, please click here:
Or you can send your tax-deductible donation, check payable to:
CRA (Center For Regenerative Agriculture),
with notation: Farm to Table.
Mail check to Transition to Organics,
1129 Maricopa Hwy, PMB 190, Ojai, CA 93023.
Checks must be received no later than July 21st.
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3-Day Biodynamic Workshop, Movie & Farm to Table Dinner in Ojai
Bringing Biodynamics Down to Earth . . . from Cosmos to Compost
A 3-Day Biodynamic Workshop in Ojai
Friday July 27th, Saturday July 28th & Sunday July 29th, 2012
Biodynamic farming is a powerful and proven system of farming organically. Utilized heavily around the world, in North America farmers have yet to take full advantage of this elegant natural system.
California biodynamic farmer and educator Gena Nonini will teach how to implement biodynamic practices in a commercial-scale farming enterprise, small urban farm, and all facets of landscaping A basis in theory followed by a lot of practical knowledge will enable you to put biodynamic practices to work on your farm, in your yard, at your hotel, golf course or container gardens.
Workshop Price: $275. (Group discount available.) Please call to reserve your spot: 805-646-4294. Space is limited to 50 people.
Group Rates:
Workshop, a group rate of 3 or more: $225 ea.
Workshop & dinner together: $325 ($225 for workshop & $100 for dinner.)
To purchase workshop tickets now, please click here.
Or you can send your tax-deductible donation, check payable to: CRA (Center For Regenerative Agriculture), with notation: Biodynamic Workshop. Mail check to Transition to Organics, 1129 Maricopa Hwy, PMB 190, Ojai, CA 93023.
Day 1 – Biodynamic Agriculture: Background and History
A deeper look at the role of ‘natural’ law as defined by science vs. “cosmic” law as defined by the works of Goethe and Steiner. Intensive full day with lunch and dinner break. Lunch included.
Day 2 – Practical Applied Biodynamics (with part of the day on a biodynamic orchard) Paradigm Shift in Thinking: The fundamental shift in thinking required for biodynamic practice. The role of fertility in relation to composting, cover cropping, soil structure and humus formation and the integration of biodynamic practices.
Class ends with a screening of the film “How To Save The World One Cow, One Man, One Planet” at the Ojai Theater, 4pm. (Included in the workshop price, or separately: $10 at the door. For more info, see post below. )
6:30pm: Evening Farm To Table Dinner (additional price: $100. If bought separately: $125). Please join us for an amazing evening of great food, great talk, new and old friends, in the citrus orchard under Ojai’s pink sky. (For more details, see post below.)
Day 3 – Bringing biodynamics into the landscape arena. All aspects of BD principles, preps and applications will be covered in this wonderful morning focusing on landscaping and backyard food gardens.
ABOUT OUR INSTRUCTOR
Gena Nonini is the owner of Marian Farms and a master distiller. She studied Agriculture Business Management at Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo, California and did her graduate work in Agribusiness at Arizona State University in Tempe, Arizona. Gena is sought after as an accomplished biodynamic farmer and teacher throughout the United States and Canada. She serves on a number of boards and offers private consulting services as well. Nonini is the president of the board of the Josephine Porter Institute for Applied Biodynamics and president of the board of the Biodynamic Trade Association.
Marian Farms was the first certified Demeter Biodynamic vineyard in the Americas in 1995. In addition to the vineyard, Marian Farms was the first citrus, almond and distillery operation in the Americas to be Demeter-certified. Today, Marian Farms is a 100+ acre, horticultural diversified farm with a 5,000 square foot distillery and CSA operation. http://www.marianfarmsbiodynamic.com/
Transition to Organics 