Hi ,

Potato Hilling Time!

Yes, we have a FoCuS/Sonora High School potato patch this year, and those potatoes are looking quite healthy. With last-minute changes in planting times due to weather and high school field trip schedules, my apologies to all for not getting word out so all could participate. However, a large crew of high schoolers arrived for a mid-week field trip at the Wildcat Ranch site and literally dug in to the tasks at hand. They planted potatoes, a beautiful purple corn from Mexico, and a raised-bed veggie garden before noon! This crew of students really has what it takes to make things happen!

Now we have an opportunity to show our support for the high school project and its objective to put a local food system on the map. Please come June 14^th, 8 am-10 am, to help hill this beautiful potato patch with an enthusiastic group of students. Hilling potatoes means we will cover the stems of the potato plants with loose soil so the plants can produce more potatoes from the stems we cover (all potatoes grow between the seed potato planted and the leafy top of the plant—the more the stems are buried, the more potatoes can form). Many hands make hilling light work, so come see for yourself what the high school has accomplished in just a few short months. Wildcat Ranch is located on the corner of Tuolumne Road and Wards Ferry Road, about ½ mile west of the Standard baseball fields.

WHEN: June 14, 8 am – 10 am
WHERE: Wildcat Ranch, the corner or Tuolumne and Wards Ferry Roads

Mother Lode Farm to School Network

The local food supply is always of interest to FoCuS members. We have a newly-formed collaboration in our foothill counties called The Mother Lode Farm to School Network (MLFSN). Kevin and Autumn Hesser have done a amazing job of pulling together excited participants from several counties who are interested in providing our children with knowledge about healthy eating habits and hands-on training in growing food in their schools and at home. FoCuS is “…dedicated to the principles of sustainable living and improving community self-reliance and well-being through education and collaboration…” according to our mission statement. MLFSN is a great example of furthering the FoCuS mission. Anyone interested in updates or volunteer opportunities with the network, please email Katryn Weston (blueoakfarmsonora@gmail.com) or Val Dambacher (valdambacher@yahoo.com).

Eco Summit Coming Up

This year the Eco Summit will be held June 21^st and 22^nd, at Mountain Sage in Groveland. June 21^st will feature informative presentations, booths, exhibits, and music. There will be a concert Saturday night. June 22^nd will be devoted to more in-depth workshops. The Summit includes topics such as green building, alternative energy, climate, sustainable farming, water reuse, and many more. If you would like to help with the FoCuS booth for this event, we still need one more volunteer forSaturday morning. Call Val Dambacher at 588-3879 if you can help us out. For more information on the Eco Summit, visit www.ecosummit.org.

Volunteers Needed

FoCuS is growing, both in its need to serve our communities and in the number of activities and events in which it is involved. We would love feedback regarding:

1. What more would you like FoCuS to do for your community, and
2. How would you like to help out?

Please send the answer to these two questions tokurtdambacher@yahoo.com, or call Kurt at 588-3845. The answer to the above questions will tell us how to proceed as a nonprofit organization.

P.S.
FoCus has a  wide variety of seed packets for a winter garden (think FREE water!) available for $1 per pack. Email Val or go to the FoCuS seed rack at “The Egg Lady’s” booth at Mountain People Organics, located at the Columbia Airport Armory (the Farmery). Most winter garden seeds should be started July and August for planting out in the fall.

Val Dambacher
Secretary of FoCuS

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION