Olivos de Oro

Decades back, the Sacramento Valley produced olives commercially. I imagine that the fruit did well in the hot climate, and that Mediterranean families planted them in droves. But as many things in the central valley do, they fell the way of industrialization. The farms left are few and far between. The fact that Davis roads are now flanked with olive trees are a testament to those times. Relics of a former incarnation, the Davis trees now beg for foragers to relieve their heavy limbs. 

Last weekend, Damian and I joined other sustainable ag students in an olive harvest. The snap shot at left is the top of one of our bags (for all you Ortlieb pannier fans, they work fantastically as picking satchels). He and I picked just over a hundred pounds of olives, and then headed with the group to the press of Mike Madison, a local farmer who traded us the use of his press for a portion of the oil it will become. Again I am in awe of the simple pleasure of creating a seemingly intangible food product. Oil. Our hundred pounds will equal between one and two gallons of it. If petroleum oil is black gold, then what is olive oil? I would say liquid gold, but unfortunately the industry has also assumed that name. Keep it simple. Olivos de Oro. Oro de Olivos. Olives of Gold. Gold of Olives. 

In search of the perfect Home.

As a child I grew up in many houses. My parents are builders and we moved once or twice a year for my entire childhood. They would buy a house, tear it down, and then we'd live in it until it sold. And then we'd move on. From big house to small house, one side of town to the other. When my parents divorced they began to repeat the movement pattern on their own, and as such, my own movement doubled. I developed a strong skill of setting up home very quickly. I can feel at home nearly anywhere and have never really felt the need to set down deep roots or nest. But as I've grown into my mid-twenties, and subsequently taken a job that has me traveling all over the world my need to find a stable place to call home has become increasingly intense. In April I came across my answer- The Tiny House.

A growing movement, buyers and builders of Tiny Homes have been springing up all over the States. I have a mind to build one.

There are a ton of models on the web. The one in the pic is done by the Tumbleweed Tiny House Company out of Sebastapol California.

The reasons that I believe that this tiny house is my perfect home are several fold. First, the tiny house is in line with my ecological beliefs, it is an all around perfect low impact example (aka it can be fitted with solar and composting toilet). Secondly, it's low-commitment. I am still at a place in my life were I feel unable to commit to owning something larger than a studio. Lastly, this little house is built on the back of a horse trailer- that's right: it's mobile! I can't think of something more perfect for a wandering twenty five year old than an enchantingly small mobile-house. Now... if only I can figure out how one of these beauties fits into my life plan...

Barack the Nation

I am breathing daily sighs of relief. In each new city I visit since the election I see more signs of celebration and hope. In Miami, victory posters were erected. In Washington DC the train conductor told me he was calling in sick on Inauguration day. In New York tables have been set up all over town that present the opportunity for passerby's to buy any possible thing with the Obama theme.  Even with all of the hype, I wish our new president the best in these troubled times. I think that he is going to have a tough row to hoe unless all of those who voted for him pull together in support of his policies and ideas. May we all as citizens continue to hold him and our other elected officials accountable to their actions through continued participation in our representative democracy. Winning the election is not enough. I encourage everyone to continue to make their voice heard, believing that only through continued sustained pressure will we achieve a semblance of true democracy. Thankfully, Mr Obama has streamlined the process for us with his new transition website (note that it is concurrent with the philosophy that drove his campaign all the way to the white house.)  

Please check out:www.change.gov 

Transition Towns

In the final days of the move toward a new Administration, I'm turning my sights to the next political frontier. I believe that together, the economic crisis and the coming election in the US are going to create an opportunity for a new conversation in our political planning. The most inspiring thing I've come across yet is the Transition Town movement. Started by a former permaculture designer in the UK, the concept behind the movement is for communities to create energy decent plans incorporating transportation, food system, and civic planning- any city variable dependent on fossil fuels. Santa Cruz just started a chapter and I'm going to participate. The movement is inclusively designed, using Open-Space technology and wiki based websites. Looking forward to participating in the design of a new American social structure; one that is locally based, self-reliant, non- exploitive and above all- Resilient. 

http://www.transitionnetwork.org

http://transitionsc.org/