ONE OF MY MOST MEMORABLE undergraduate university courses was astronomy with Dr. Karlis Kaufmanis at the University of Minnesota. He was a brilliant lecturer who took us around our planet Earth and deep within the cosmos during his 50 minute lectures.
One of his best attended annual public lectures was in December when he spoke about his research into the Star of Bethlehem. Dr. Kaufmanis suggested the Star was the conjunction of Venus, Jupiter and Mars.
This past Saturday there was a wonderful conjunction of our Benicia community talking about new ways of living with abundance in time of drought.
In the morning at the Community Center, Benicia Community Gardens presented the third in a series of four public presentations on permaculture. Christopher Shein was Saturday’s speaker. He is the author of the book, “The Vegetable Gardener’s Guide to Permaculture: Creating an Edible Ecosystem.” He lives in the East Bay and does permaculture gardening, design and landscape through his Wildheart Garden business. I had the opportunity to film his presentation and I’ll provide a link below so you can see what he has done in his own backyard and learn more about the permaculture process of design.
That afternoon, an event was brought together by the Master Gardeners and the Benicia Public Library, who sponsored a three-hour workshop with speakers ranging from myself talking about my explorations in rain harvesting to Winona Victery demonstrating her transformed yard to drought-tolerant and beautiful landscaping. Alison Fleck provided comprehensive information on low-water-need plants, and Rae Lynn Fiscalini provided an in-depth tutorial on mulching and soil amendments.
Rae Lynn, who has served on the Community Sustainability Commission and is a Master Gardener herself as well as a highly respected architect, has frequently pointed me toward topics of interest. On Saturday she introduced me and workshop participants to the benefits of a soil amendment called Coir.
Coconuts
Who knew that coconut husks — the pith of the outer husk around a coconut shell — were an amazing soil amendment? Benicia’s own Harmony Organics has Coco Coir bricks as part of their product line and I recommend you take a tour around their website. This business is really interesting!
Here’s what we learned about Coco Coir. It has high water-holding capacity, superior to peat, that allows good drainage, and which means we can reduce watering frequency. It retains nutrients against leaching and has less shrinkage. There are no pests, weeds or diseases embedded in the product. It is 100-percent organic and promotes strong root growth. The list of uses of Coco Coir are in potting mixes, seedling nurseries, home gardening (indoor and outdoor), amending clay soils and worm bedding.
I wish I had taken a photo of the coir “brick” that Rae Lynn brought for her presentation. It seemed like it was 12 inches by 12 inches by 4 inches and weighed 10 pounds. Donna Sesslar, a major organizer of this workshop and a Master Gardener herself, said you put the brick in an empty garbage can with about 8 gallons of water. The Coir absorbs the water and becomes fluffy and provides about 2 cubic feet of amendment for digging into your garden bed.
Having planted my spinach too early (with pathetic results), I’m going to harvest what is remaining in my raised beds and try this Coir product, along with implementing some of the wonderful practices and suggestions from Saturday’s two water and gardening events.
Community — Nov. 4
When we Benicians come together on any challenge, opportunity or problem, it is amazing to see what gets done. I’m hoping you will mark your calendar and plan to attend the upcoming City City Council meeting on Tuesday at 8 p.m., when the Council will decide on our opportunity to join Marin Clean Energy. This is an opportunity that will allow us a choice in our electricity providers, along with a reduction of rates and greenhouse gas emissions.
Learn more
• Benicia Community Gardens presentation: youtu.be/C8TGluzXr6s?list=PL4CEB0F984F43D37D
• Community Choice for Clean Energy:
> City of Benicia — Clean Energy Materials: benicia.siretechnologies.com/sirepub/mtgviewer.aspx?meetid=488& doctype=AGENDA
> Benicia City Council Special meeting on Clean Energy: youtu.be/EfHn4La4FKs?list=PL4CEB0F984F43D37D
> Community Sustainability Commission Panel on Clean Energy: youtu.be/IKPrGqAjGbM?list=PL4CEB0F984F43D37D
> Crewmember report on Clean Energy: beniciaheraldonline.com/crewmember-report-benicia-california-spaceship-earth-3/
Constance Beutel is the chair of Benicia’s Community Sustainability Commission. She is a university professor and videographer and holds a doctorate from the University of San Francisco.
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