All Sonoma Valley Schools to Have Gardens this Spring

(Posted By Sun News On January 24, 2011)

All of the students in Sonoma Valley will have school gardens this spring to dig, plant and further their education thanks to the School Garden Project. Kathleen Hill has been formally named as the School Garden project director, and Alissa Pearce just joined the effort as the School Garden education coordinator. Pearce has served as the garden coordinator at Dunbar Elementary School for several years. Each school site in the district will also have a staff member who acts as a site garden coordinator.

The goal of the School Garden Project is to establish both planted garden areas, living classroom spaces for outdoor learning, and improved school lunch nutrition. Each school is now growing a variety of plants and vegetables. Flowery, Dunbar, Prestwood and Woodland Star schools have long-standing garden traditions that now serve as models for all of the schools. Pearce will work along side school garden project director, Kathleen Hill. Hill organized and led the garden project from the start, inspiring both the school district and the community to support the idea of school gardens at every Sonoma public school site.

“The garden projects at the schools in our district go right to what a quality education and serving the community is all about,” said Sonoma Valley Education Foundation Executive Director Laura Zimmerman. “We live and learn in an agriculture-based Valley and for students pulled towards this vocation these garden projects really hit home.”

Over a recent weekend, volunteers spent an entire day cleaning and clearing the garden area at Sonoma Valley High School, which was organized through an effort by Organizing for America in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. More than 50 volunteers turned out to contribute time and effort, including Sonoma Valley School Board President, Nicole Abate Ducarroz. Hill is also helping to organize a kitchen garden for the High School Culinary Department.

Thanks to a generous donation from Stone Edge Farms, both middle schools have moved forward on their gardens, with green houses and other key structures now in place. Wedekind’s Garden Center, Sonoma Mission Gardens and Sonoma Materials have all been generous to the School Garden Project, providing plants, supplies, tools and valuable expertise. The Sonoma Valley Education Foundation is funding the personnel and elementary garden infrastructure through a community effort. To donate, visit or call 935.9566.
Chapter Website: cittaslowsonomavalley.org

Cittaslow Sonoma Valley
Creative. Catalytic. Sustainable.

In a mighty nation intensely involved in big, fast, shiny things, Sonoma Valley said—some time ago—“Thanks but no thanks, to crazy-fast. We think thoughtful, logical, intentional life at a slower speed, works best for us.”

Writers and thinkers and artists and shopkeepers and scientists and farmers of all ages and persuasions live here.

The people fit the land instead of forcing the land to fit the people.

The Valley embraces the best of progress, and works on its challenges. Cittaslow is an Italian word that literally means “slow city.” Cittaslow International was launched in 1999, taking the tenets of the Slow Food movement to the next level that includes many facets of community life.

Sonoma chose to be Cittaslow by claiming its own values instead of being another look-alike city with the same fast food, the same local craft products, and the same menus. Cittaslow towns realize the importance of each town’s uniqueness, and that suits Sonoma just fine.

Sonoma—often whimsically called “Slownoma,” has grown deep, not tall. Consistent, not trendy. New technology is as significant as preserving our heritage.

“Slow” is not a negative…
It means making a conscious decision to take time to enjoy life.

“Slow” does not mean living in the past or moving backwards.
It means living with shared values to preserve our quality of life.
Our Cittaslow projects will embrace:

• Community-wide partnerships to preserve Sonoma Valley’s environment
• Working with Slow Food Sonoma Valley on local sustainable food projects
• Teaching our children to be responsible community citizens
• Designing family-friendly activities for residents and visitors alike
• Supporting cultural, heritage, multigenerational, and multi-cultural programs

…and so much more.

Welcome to Cittaslow Sonoma Valley.

Chapter President: Gary Edwards

Chapter Website: cittaslowsonomavalley.org