Benicia Community Gardens envisions workshop, food source; Saturday

Benicia Community Gardens will plant a permaculture seed forest Saturday that organizers said will provide food and education and be the site of workshops for the public.

The project, at 430 West K St., is a back yard with chickens; soon, spokesperson Heather Pierini said, there will be seeds in the ground that are expected to grow into a food-producing ecosystem that will be irrigated by used “gray” water from the home’s washing machine.

Those volunteering to help Saturday will learn about sheet mulching a lawn, installing bioswales to retain rainwater on the site and selecting and planting trees, bushes and supporting plants for the “food forest,” Pierini said.

This is the community gardens organization’s third food forest demonstration. The first two were created by a team of 17 Benicia Sustainable Backyard volunteers.

The first front yard food forest was installed at 489 Marina Place, and the second also is in a front yard, at 2321 Old Suisun Road. Like Saturday’s endeavor, the site is sheet mulched, and it has two bioswales. Planting at this yard was delayed until a graywater system could be installed earlier this month.

Those who want a preview of Saturday’s activities may view a three-minute time-lapse video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bb_YlM_0570.

Volunteers may gather at 8:45 a.m. at 430 West K St. at 8:45 a.m. Saturday for registration and coffee. Orientation starts at 9 a.m., and the first information session will describe an overview of the design, its major elements and how water will move on the site.

Work will begin and continue until 11:30 a.m., when the second information session will start and volunteers will break for lunch. They’ll resume the project after lunch and continue until 4 p.m.

Those interested may call 415-948-3131 or email info@beniciacommunitygardens.org.