Upcoming Events

Think Globally, Act Locally: An Evening with Visionaries
Friday, July 30
6-8:30pm
$15, includes an organic supper
Join us for an opportunity to mix and mingle with people working for change in our community. We’ll hear from two visionaries who will speak about the protection of our watershed. Local visionary Warren Truitt, of Save the American River Association (SARA), will discuss his organization"s commitment to preserving the American River and Parkway, and we will watch a DVD of Brock Dolman, director of the WATER Institute, from the 2009 Bioneers conference, in which he discusses the importance of "hydro-literacy."

Proceeds benefit SARA and Soil Born Farms Urban Agriculture & Education Project. Register online.

Gardening Classes

Register for classes at the Sacramento Natural Foods Co-op, 1900 Alhambra Blvd. Sacramento or call the Customer Service Desk at 916 455-2667 weekdays, 9 am – 5 pm and pay by credit card. You can also register online.

Classes will be held at Soil Born Farms American River Ranch, at 2140 Chase Drive in Rancho Cordova unless otherwise noted.

Saving Seeds
Saturday, July 31, 9-11 am
$20, $15 Coop Owners
The gifts from the garden don't stop at harvest! Learn about the ancient art of seed saving - including which seeds to save, how to store them and the best ways to start them for next year's garden. Find out some creative ways to share the abundance of your garden with others by offering your seeds as gifts. Instructor: Alison Harris, owner of Peas and Harmony, LLC

Raising Chickens in Your Own Backyard
Saturday, August 14, 9-11 am
$20, $15 Co-op owners
Location: Soil Born Farm, 3000 Hurley Way
Backyard chickens are all the rage, but are you ready to have your own flock in your backyard? Learn how to take care of chickens in an urban environment. Urban gardener Antonio will cover such topics as housing, nutrition, predators, diseases, and more. Instructor: Antonio Garza, Soil Born Farms

Edible Container Gardening
Saturday, August 14, 10 am-noon
$20, $15 Co-op owners
Location: Soil Born Farm, 3000 Hurley Way
Small is beautiful... and delicious! Learn how to make the most of small spaces. This class will cover suitable vegetable and herb varieties, space-saving techniques and succession tips. We will also show you how to simplify irrigation and soil preparation for containers. Instructors: Alison Harris and Julie Steele, owners of Peas and Harmony, LLC

Lazy Landscaping with Native Plants
Saturday, September 11, 9 am-noon
$20, $15 Co-op owners
Using plants that are well adapted to their natural environment is the easiest way to garden because you're working with nature rather than fighting against it. Native plants save water and provide food and shelter for native wildlife; it's the drought tolerant way to welcome nature into your yard! Join Chris, and learn how gardening with native plants creates a beautiful landscape, saves money and time and preserves our environment. Then take a walk to the Parkway to see some of its treasures. Bring your hat, water, and walking shoes. Instructor: Chris Lewis, Sacramento Valley Chapter of CNPS, Elderberry Farms Native Plant Nursery Leader

Fall and Winter Garden Planning
Saturday, September 25, 9 am-11 am
$20, $15 Co-op owners
Get ready for your fall food garden now, and create an abundance of produce for soups, stir-fry and salads though the fall and winter. We will go over bed preparation, seeding, plant selection and spacing so that you can make the most of your garden all year. Instructors: Alison Harris and Julie Steele, owners of Peas and Harmony, LLC

Grow Your Groceries: Two Day Farming Intensive
Saturday, Aug. 21, 8 am-5 pm
Sunday, Aug. 22, 8 am-5 pm
$150
Meet at Soil Born Farms' American River Ranch, 2140 Chase Drive, Rancho Cordova For a truly local, sustainable food supply, we need more farmers. This class is intended to give participants an up-close and hands-on snapshot of the various skill- and knowledge-sets needed to be a small scale farmer (20 acres or less).
Two days of intensive in-class and in-field training will give a good overview. We will cover: how and where to find land and what constitutes good land for farming, basic farm business planning, crop planning, irrigation systems, soil fertility (animal management, cover cropping, composting, etc), orcharding, farm tools and machinery, marketing/sales, and plant propagation/greenhouse management. If you are thinking about farming or want to have a home garden that serves as a food supply for your family, this is a great place to start. Instructors: Sean Hagan, Randy Stannard and Antonio Garza, Soil Born Farms, and Steven Zien, Living Resources Co.

Vegetarian lunch, simple snacks and drinks will be provided. Bring clothes that can worn into the field, water bottle, hat, sunscreen and garden gloves if desired. For more information, please contact Sean Hagan, shagan@soilborn.org or (916) 363-9685.

Growing Healthy Children: Fun on the Farm

Kids on the Farm: California Country June 2010.

Bring the kids to the farm to enjoy the bounty of summer. Each class in this new series will focus on a different aspect of farm life. We'll explore the farm, enjoy a farm-fresh snack and create something special to take home.
Instructors: Julia Thomas & Kellan MacKay
Please note the suggested ages for each class. Parents are expected to participate if children are five years old or younger.

Bees: What's All the Buzz About?
Saturday, July 31
9:30-10:30 am, suggested ages 3 - 5
11:30 am-12:30 pm, suggested ages 6 - 10
$15, $10 Co-op owners
Bees and other pollinators are very important farm animals. We will discover how bees help our food grow, chase and identify bugs, and snack on buggy cakes with honey and fresh fruit.

Plant Parts: Fabulous Fruits
Saturday, August 28
9:30-10:30 am, suggested ages 3 - 5
11:30 am-12:30 pm, suggested ages 6 - 10
$15, $10 Co-op owners
We love to eat fruit, but fruits also play an important part in the life of a plant. We will explore one of summer s most abundant fruits  the tomato  in all its colors, sizes and flavors, practice seed saving and create a tomato work of art.

The Wonderful World of Worms
Saturday, September 11
9:30-10:30 am, suggested ages 3 - 5
11:30 am-12:30 pm, suggested ages 6 - 10
$15, $10 Co-op owners
Wiggly worms are fun to play with, and they have the amazing ability to turn our garbage into a wonderful fertilizer for our gardens. We will enjoy a worm-inspired snack, explore the ecosystem of a worm bin, and learn how worms can help reduce kitchen waste.

Save the Date

Autumn Plant Sale
Saturday, September 4

8th Annual Autumn Equinox Fundraiser
Saturday, September 18
Fine food, wine, music at the farm on Hurley Way. Sponsored by the Sacramento Natural Foods Co-op.

Grandparents Day at the Ranch (bring the kids)
Saturday, October 9
Farm tour, garden activities, pumpkins and snacks.

Art & Appetizers for Acres
Sunday, November 7
A fundraiser at Beatnik Studios with a photo exhibit by members of Sacramento'’s Focus Group featuring fine art and commercial photographers.

Ongoing Events

American River Ranch Farm Stand
Saturdays 8am - 1pm through November 23. Closed September 18.
Find out what's in season each week by becoming a fan of Soil Born on Facebook.
The farm stand features fresh, seasonal, local and organic vegetables and fruit. Stop by every week and enjoy a country experience in the city. We encourage you to bike or walk to the ranch and bring your shopping bag. Cash and EBT accepted. Address and directions here.

McKinley Park Farm Stand
Saturdays 9am - 1pm through October 30
In front of the library at McKinley Park in Sacramento
Proceeds will be used to subsidize prices of food for others in our community who need assistance. The farm stand offers certified organic produce from Soil Born Farms as well as produce from other small local farmers. When you shop at the farm stand you are supporting many small farms and local growers from Sacramento, Yolo, Placer, El Dorado, Yuba, Sutter, Solano and San Joaquin counties! We encourage you to walk or ride your bike to the farm stand and bring your own bag. Cash and EBT accepted.