Ground Work Party at Stemple Creek Ranch
Sunday, January 15, 2017, 9:15 am - 5:00 pm
Start the New Year as a climate hero!
Join a tree-planting party and farm tour to support carbon farming at Stemple Creek Ranch, courtesy of CUESA, Slow Food SF, and The Perennial! Your efforts will be rewarded with a great meal prepared by Chris Kiyuna and Anthony Myint of The Perennial, along with drinks and stimulating conversation.
Stemple Creek Ranch is one of the first farms to participate in a decade-long carbon farming trial through the Marin Carbon Project. Since 2014, Stemple Creek has implemented many climate-beneficial features on the ranch. More trees mean more CO2 pulled out of the air, and this is where we can lend a hand! The willows and redwoods we plant will sequester about 3 tons of carbon per year—over their lifetime, that’s equivalent to 27,000 gallons of gasoline.
After we plant the trees, we’ll take a walking tour with fourth-generation Stemple Creek rancher Loren Poncia, and learn how animals are a crucial part of regenerative agriculture: improving the soil, drawing down greenhouse gases, and making the pasture more resilient to drought. Then we’ll enjoy food, drinks, and conversation in Stemple Creek’s barn. The Perennial is bringing their beloved Kernza bread (made from a perennial grain whose deep roots also fight climate change), as part of a delicious lunch featuring Stemple Creek’s meat, produce from some of our favorite farms, and tasty adult beverages!
Meet us at The Perennial (59 Ninth St, SF) by 9:15 on Sunday morning of MLK weekend (Jan 15) for a 9:30 departure. Please be prompt! We cannot wait for stragglers. You’re also welcome to make your own way to the ranch – choose your ticket level accordingly, but please consider the environmental impact and ride with us if you’re coming from SF or points south of Marin. We plan to return to The Perennial by 5:00pm, but traffic conditions can be unpredictable and we can’t guarantee an exact arrival time.
Tickets include round-trip transportation from The Perennial in San Francisco in a comfortable bus and a delicious lunch featuring Stemple Creek Ranch beef and seasonal produce. Your ticket price also includes the cost of the willow or redwood saplings and compost – an investment in the ranch and in our climate future. The event will take place rain or shine!
What to bring: Please bring shovels and gloves if you have them (we will have some). Wear closed-toed shoes appropriate for work in the dirt or mud, and layered clothing in case of cold. We also recommend a water bottle, sunscreen, and/or a change of clothes and shoes (in case of rain). Optional: snacks, a camera, and a book or other entertainment for the bus.
The tour is geared toward adults and will probably not be enjoyable for young children. Children who are likely to appreciate an adult-level tour are welcome to come with their guardians. Please call if you have questions.
We sincerely thank our farm tour sponsor, First National Bank of Northern California, for underwriting tour costs and Coach 21 for providing a discount on the bus charter fee.
Please note: Tickets are nonrefundable but are transferable to another guest for this tour.
A note about price: CUESA is committed to providing accessible food system education to all. If you are interested in a scholarship for one of our farm tours, please email Carrie Sullivan (carrie@cuesa.org) for a scholarship application.
For more details on parking and transit to The Perennial, visit their website, theperennialsf.com or call (415) 500-7788.