Wilderness Calls by Paul Berensmeier A Lifetime of Art
Dirt First by Will McQuilkin
There’s been regular cloud cover and rain these past few weeks. The garlic and onions are growing, but it’s dif- ficult to stay on top of the weeds when we can’t get into
He Was Always There
the field without making a muddy mess. We’ve had to come indoors and wait for the weather to change, so we’ve used the time to make headway on the 2024 crop plan. We’ve circled April 15 on our calendar, because that’s generally about the last light frost in our mild spring. That’s an important date, but it doesn’t mean that we should wait until then to plan and plant the garden. We’re planning to sow carrots, beets, arugula and spinach straight into prepped beds in February, and transplant larger brassicas and alliums like broccoli, onions, cauliflower and cabbage as soon as it’s dry enough. These late winter and early spring days are also ideal for either sowing or transplanting cut-herbs like parsley and cilantro. We want to get outside to greet spring as quick as we can! Once April hits, we’ll have to hustle to simultaneously stay on top of weeds and plantings, so a good crop plan is important. April through May is the time to transplant tomatoes, eggplant, peppers, cucumbers, melons, summer squash, winter squash, corn, beans and on and on. We’ll work to get all of these heat loving crops in the ground quickly, because the sooner they’re in after the last frost, the longer they’ll have to grow and develop fruit. Local nurseries, farms and community gardens often have plant sales in the early Spring. Keep an eye out for news from your favorite growers and mark those sale dates and be sure to thank them for their hard work! Crop planning can be exciting. The prospect of a new season fills us with hope, but we’ll need to remember that we are responsible for all the plants we grow. Knowing our plant-spacing, average harvest volume and our budget before we purchase seeds helps keep us from overexerting ourselves or the land. We sometimes forget how we struggled to harvest all the squash last summer when we’re sitting with empty beds in January. Remember the weed and harvest management plans when crop planning. It can be nice to arrange plants by family, so that the tomatoes live near the peppers and eggplants, while broccoli lives near the cauliflower and kale. That way we’ll be able to more easily rotate crops, so that one plant family doesn’t wind up in the same bed year-after-year. Then, once we’ve got the plan set and the wet season gives way to the dry, we’ll be ready to throw the whole thing out! Bugs, gophers, weather and more can throw off a crop-plan, so we try to stay flexible and patient.
He sat there . . . opposite Jean . . . next to me . . . listening . . . encouraging . . . giving advice . . . support. He was the wind beneath our wings. He is the reason we’re here . . . choosing to be “horse wrangler” at Forest Farm Camp in ’51. Talented artist . . . sending sketches . . . golden rolling hills . . . Valley ridges . . . to Jean! He helped with everything . . . Jean needing a good ear . . . intricacies of defeating the ’61 Master Plan . . . Paul needing a good catcher . . . a good coach. He was there. First thing we’d do . . . after big moments . . . sit together . . . tell our story . . . really listen. The greatest times in our lives . . . shared . . . respected . . . honored. He kept out of the limelight . . . doing art . . . lending support. He worked in the studio listening to Native American flute music. I was so proud to make him a flute CD he loved . . . native sounds echoing through the studio. He was always there . . . through thick and thin . . . enabling us to be our best . . . giving our greatest gifts: Saving the Community Center building . . . sav- ing the Valley from the ’61 Master Plan (5,000 homes, 20,000 people) . . . saving the ridges . . . purchasing Roy’s Redwoods . . . Gary Giacomini Open Space . . . creating Wilderness Way . . . artwork that filled the Community Center . . . Wilderness Way’s giant fish mural! He did it for all of us . . . to be included . . . to share beautiful images together . . . of love . . . of life . . . of home. He filmed our greatest moments. We’d sit together . . . edit films . . . Wilderness Way projects . . . rafting the Grand Canyon with grandpa! . . . beating the All-Star team! . . . winning the decathlon conference champion- ship! . . . interviews . . . environmental awards . . . acceptance speeches! He was always there . . . in his quiet way . . . a step back . . . strong . . . encourag- ing . . . supporting . . . advising . . . listening . . . our foundation. He shined through art . . . Wilderness Way’s “go-to-guy”: fine art pencils . . . brushes . . . paints . . . tools . . . flutes . . . fish cutouts for Wishing Poles . . . salmon crossing signs. He always figured a way . . . together . . . as a family . . . happily. . . lovingly.
Yes, he was always there . . . husband . . . father . . . artist . . . in love . . . in light. “Old Man Image Maker.” Now he is on the other side . . . yet . . . there is his love . . . there is his light . . . here. It permeates me. It blankets the Valley. See his light upon the golden rolling hills . . . feel his love here in your heart . . . as you pass through this special Valley he loved so dearly. . . . Author’s note: I know Lee’s spirit is dancing. Please see his dance on YouTube. Google “Raven Dancer by Fred Berensmeier” . Marin County Parks Roy’s Redwoods Restoration Update
ported more than 300 sword ferns to a temporary home, nicknamed Fernlandia, at the native plant nursery. This will shield them from the risk of being damaged during upcoming restoration work. After the construc- tion of the new trails is complete, the ferns and thousands of native plants propagated at the nursery will return to the preserve as part of a multiyear effort to revegetate the forest floor. Work took a pause with the arrival of the rainy season. Watch for more volunteer opportunities next summer, as the restoration of Roy’s Redwoods continues.
Work has begun on restoring Roy’s Redwoods, one of Marin’s few old-growth redwood groves. These trees are precious. Only 5% of the original old-growth redwood forests remain, of the many that once flourished on the Pacific Coast.
The goals of the project are to restore the resiliency of the redwood forest, improve the hydrology of Larson Creek through the redwood forest, and improve the visitor experience for everyone, including people with limited mobility. This past fall, Conservation Corps North Bay and community volunteers worked alongside Marin County Parks staff on the first phase of restora- tion. Volunteer workdays focused on smoothing the first stage of trail building in collaboration with the Parks road and trail crew. They also helped build the stone steps that will connect the grove to Roy’s Loop Trail, as part of a re-imagined trail system. Native plants such as sword ferns and trillium live in close relationship with the great trees. A healthy redwood understory is part of what makes a red- wood forest so magical. To benefit the understory, Marin Master Gardener volunteers helped collect native seeds. The Parks team also lovingly trans-
SGV Community Center Stone Soup Page 15
Made with FlippingBook - Share PDF online