Sustainability Sunday at Sol

Nick and I went to Sol (Sustaining Ourselves Locally) to be part of the community work party and help with winter garden prep last weekend. I've been waiting to tell about it all week!

Digging out grass and sorting out rocks and glass.

Installing a watershed roof over the cob bench

Collecting chicken eggs

Sol is a group of young people who are bringing what they learned at Slide Ranch into the urban environment of south Oakland. In a grubby, gritty part of town, in a nearly abandoned building and trash-filled vacant lot with BART hum-howling nearly overhead every 10 minutes, they honor community, they honor growing things, they honor sustainability, and they even honor the grimey unclean street people that poke their faces up against the fence.

I got stuck with weeding and prepping an area that was more rocks than dirt, and I found it difficult to save all the earthworms and nightcrawlers I came across, gingerly lifting dirt so as to not crush them between the stones. I did kill a few, darn it.

We ate a stunning, satisfying squash and bean stew that Sol-mate Andrea made. Nick played with the chickens and I think even planted some carrots.

I can hardly wait until I have my own yard for people to dig into. Updates on the housing situation are percolating!

What about you? What did you do to promote harmony or healing in yourself or the world around you this week? Come on and play along!

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In a final, most wonderful note, Leigh Ann demonstrated generosity even while feeling her own pinch, and sent me money to help get me to Permaculture Class! What a sweetie! Thank you very much, I'll send you a Happy Box just 'cause you make me happy. Perhaps I'll now be able to have some big news about this class by mid-week.