Here is some great advice for working on your home garden with kids. Whether they are your own kids, grandkids, or if you just need some great advice for working on your first home garden, this article pulled from 510families.com has you covered!

Tips to start an East Bay garden with kids:

1. Designate some garden real estate for kids, let them own the space. Try to find the sunniest spot, somewhere that gets 6+ hours of sunlight outdoors, or in a south-facing windowsill. Our yard allowed us to reuse an outgrown sandbox as a new raised planter bed. Maybe you have a wagon or busted wheelbarrow.

2. Give kid helpers jobs and goals

   • Weeding: We like to have a contest to see who can get the longest weed with seeds in it. Sure a flower might get picked here or there, but we use those as our countertop bouquets.

   • Digging holes and planting: We use starters or seedlings, which are much easier than seeds and just as fun.

   • Reseeding lawns and sprinkling grass seeds.

   • Fertilizing: Using organic fertilizer is important because we can’t over-fertilize and it’s safer for little ones.

   • Watering: If you give your kids the hose, be prepared to be sprayed every now and then.

   • Composting: Kids can collect meal scraps each day for the compost bins.

   • Gathering earthworms: Collect worms for your outdoor garden or compost. Both my daughters love inspecting all the critters we come across.

   • Mulching: Good for any age — and relaxing, too.

3. Germinate seeds indoors: Our seed germination activities are a functional science experiment to sprout hearty garden seedlings. Pro tip: use cardboard egg cartons for sprouting and transferring seedlings to an outdoor garden (here’s how).

4. Find non-toxic pest control when little hands will be digging in treated yards and gardens. Check out these home remedies. We crush egg shells (with gloves on) around the base of our young plants to keep slugs at bay. Reflecting ribbons and a scarecrow also help to keep the birds and squirrels from eating our blueberries (for now).

5. After everything is planted and weeded, I keep my kids engaged by decorating your garden with DIY gnomes and scarecrows (scarecrows are super easy to make with clothes my kids have outgrown and some sticks).

6. Further reading and resources: Based in Berkeley, the Edible Schoolyard has designed a suite of lessons and activities to teach kids about growing food in the garden.

Best things to plant in the East Bay during spring

I’ve had the most success with the following in Oakland’s zone 10a (a numeric gardening zone based on the average temperatures across the US). It’s fun to figure out what zone you live in and discover what might grow in your garden.

• Lettuce: the easiest, edible and most rewarding because it grows quickly

• Sunflowers: heat and drought tolerant, durable and wonderful to look at

• Nasturtiums: this vibrant, edible flower can be for beauty or consumption

• Peppers or chilies: thrive in 510 climate (think jalapeños and bell peppers)

• Collard greens

• Mint: can also be a natural deterrent for vermin

• Basil & parsley: with fewer trips to the grocery store, herbs can add great flavor to meals

• Rosemary & lavender: thrive in a pot or in the ground

• Can’t find seeds or plants of what you’re looking for? Oakland mom, Carol, recommends trying a plant or seed exchange with a neighbor. Everyone wins!

Tools suggestions for gardening with kids

• Gloves: while tiny gloves are probably cute, I just let my daughter use my adult gloves, she doesn’t mind that they’re a little baggy. Besides they’re only worn 25% the time.

• Buckets: for collecting weeds, mulching, fertilizing.

• Shovel: My four year old uses a regular gardening hand-held trowel, my one-year old uses a plastic sand shovel.

• Kid scissors: used like gardening shears, but safer.

• Recycled containers for watering: my youngest daughter can stay busy walking water from a large bucket to the plants, with a smaller used yogurt container.

• Books: though libraries are closed, there are a handful of excellent Bay Area specific gardening books. (I included a list of bookstores further down that have new and used local gardening books for social distancing sale.)

Click HERE to read the original article from 510Families.com!

The Lure of Elegant Solutions
By Rev. Dr. Melinda V. McLain

In science - especially in mathematics – an elegant solution is “a solution to a question or a problem that achieves the maximally satisfactory effect with minimal effort, materials, or steps.” While I’m not a mathematician, I admit that I am always looking for elegant solutions to problems.

I’m not sure when or how I got lured into desiring elegant solutions for everything, but I do know that I have often told myself to “work smart, not hard”. Also, I may have unintentionally tattooed the “KISS” principle (keep it simple stupid) on the inside of my eyelids.

But here’s the crazy part. My primary work for many years has been to nurture and/or create diverse human communities designed to serve neighbors in need. And the moment you start working with humans - forget simple solutions, it will always be an exercise in balancing various individual needs with the needs of the group. Plus, the complexity grows if the group also wants to serve and be accountable to the wider community - especially marginalized communities. 

As complex and difficult as it can be to work in human community, I have sadly discovered that managing a construction project in California (and perhaps other places too) isn’t just inelegant, it’s downright ugly. The process has been byzantine, bureaucratic, and wicked expensive. And we’ve lost time (and money) due to the pandemic, conflicting requirements by government agencies, a massive burglary in June 2021, and a stretched way too thin management team that is deeply committed to maximizing every dollar spent.

Our vision for creating a pay-what-you-can and pay-it-forward community cafe, organic tree and plant nursery, and gathering space for community arts and education is multi-faceted, but elegant in its design. We just want to provide a place where community can gather freely and get a good cup of coffee too. This simple vision is also desperately needed in the little town of El Sobrante that currently has none of the above. Even though the process hasn’t been pretty, we will someday get The Good Table open and it will be an elegant solution for creating a more resilient and just community.

When working in human community, I have found that loving kindness is the elegant solution to just about any problem that arises. It isn’t always easy for everyone to commit to this solution, but when they/we/I do, it works every time. While choosing loving kindness is always the solution to most human problems, the individual path varies over time. Some folks get there via spiritual practice and others through education and ethical commitment. I think the most elegant path is through gratitude. Take time to be grateful and soon the loving kindness will flow. 

Thank you for your support and patience as we continue to create The Good Table Café and Planting Justice Nursery in El Sobrante. And if you have any elegant suggestions to help us, be in touch, or stop by any last Saturday of the month from 12-3 for our Community Work + Fun day.

IN THE COMMUNITY

Meet Sharon Miller a longtime El Sobrante resident and community volunteer. She shares some of the work she's been doing in the community and expresses her excitement about the Cafe and Plant Nursery's opening!

Special thanks to Jacob Day for conducting and editing the video, and to Sharon for chatting with us!

Click HERE to watch the complete interview!

Join us for our next Work + Fun Day!

When: Saturday, March 25th from 12-3 PM

Where: 5166 Sobrante Ave, El Sobrante 94803

Sat. March 25th will be our Community Work + Fun Day @ 5166 Sobrante Ave, 12- 3p. Wear sturdy shoes and clothing and bring work gloves and favorite gardening tools. And please bring a good quality mask so we can all stay safe from COVID and construction dust.

Help us share the Good word by following us on Facebook and Instagram

Click HERE to view the entire Newsletter!

Quinoa Veggie Bowl

An easy, plant based meal that celebrates the bounty of spring. This Quinoa Veggie Bowl will leave you feeling healthy and satisfied. A big dollop of pesto brings tons of bright, fresh flavor.

Link to the Original Recipe from www.veggieinspired.com

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups dry quinoa

• 2 ½ cups water or vegetable broth

• 1 bunch asparagus woody bottom stems snapped off or trimmed

• 1 bunch radishes halved or quartered (stems and leaves removed)

• 2 teaspoons olive oil divided (see notes for an oil-free option)

• salt and pepper to taste

• 2 handfuls fresh spinach leaves

• ½ cup chopped or slivered raw almonds

• 1 recipe Pumpkin Seed Pesto

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 400°F.

• You can use your favorite store bought pesto OR make the pesto from scratch. You can make the pesto ahead of time if you wish and keep in the fridge. (click here for Pumpkin Seed Pesto recipe)

• Toss the radishes with 1 teaspoon of olive oil and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Spread on a rimmed baking sheet in one even layer.

• Spread the asparagus spears out in one even layer on another baking sheet. Drizzle with 1 teaspoon olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

• Roast both pans for 20 to 25 minutes until the vegetables are browned and tender. Stir the veggies on the pan and spread back out after 15 minutes.

• While the vegetables are roasting, place quinoa and water (or vegetable broth for added flavor) in a medium pot and bring to a boil. Turn down heat to a simmer, cover, and cook for about 15 minutes until the water is absorbed and the quinoa is cooked through. Fluff with a fork.

• To assemble the bowls, place a small handful of spinach in a bowl, top with quinoa, roasted veggies, almonds, and a dollop of pesto.

Notes

~ The pesto can be made ahead of time and kept in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

~ Rinse the quinoa well before cooking to remove any debris or bitterness.

~ Fluff the quinoa with a fork when it’s done. Do not stir it with a spoon…that will just make it sticky and mushy.

~ Use rice, couscous, orzo or any grain you love instead of quinoa to mix it up.

~ A drizzle of oil on the vegetables will help them brown and caramelize and produce a richer flavor. It will also prevent them from sticking to the pan.

~ For an oil-free option, use a squeeze of lemon juice or dash of tamari instead. Place a sheet of parchment paper on the baking sheet under the veggies to prevent sticking.

~ Add some white beans or baked tofu for an added protein boost.

IN THE COMMUNITY

Meet Nancy Lemon a longtime member of The Good Table and Mira Vista! Nancy shares her excitement with us about the Good Table Cafe and expresses her welcome to the El Sobrante community into the soon to be opened cafe space.

Special thanks to Jacob Day for conducting and editing the video, and to Nancy for chatting with us!

Click HERE to watch the complete interview!

Join us for our next Work + Fun Day!

When: Saturday, February 25th from 12-3 PM

Where: 5166 Sobrante Ave, El Sobrante 94803

Sat. February 25th will be our Community Work + Fun Day @ 5166 Sobrante Ave, 12- 3p. Wear sturdy shoes and clothing and bring work gloves and favorite gardening tools. And please bring a good quality mask so we can all stay safe from COVID and construction dust.

Help us share the Good word by following us on Facebook and Instagram

As I drove back to El Sobrante from Santa Fe, NM at the beginning of the month, I was again awestruck by the changing vistas while traveling cross country. It takes about 16 hours to make the trek without any stops, so an overnight stay in Kingman, AZ is a good idea because it is a slightly less than halfway going west on I-40 which mostly follows the old route 66 of movie and jazz standard fame. (hopefully you are singing now . . .)

Coming out of Kingman on day two of the journey at about dawn, I had the enormous privilege of crossing the high desert with the sun rising over the mountains. It was still and quiet. I had stretches where I didn’t see another vehicle traveling in either direction.

When crossing the more isolated stretches of the American West in the past, radio stations were few and far between, but fortunately, 5G allows for streaming music, radio, and podcasts with ease, so I was able to listen to the amazing music of Max Richter during this awe-inspiring drive across the high desert.

The beauty I encountered that Ground Hog day morning helped to lift my spirit that was almost unbearably sad to be leaving my spiritual homeland in New Mexico where I had been blessed to spend about two months healing and recovering from exhaustion, anxiety, and self-destructive overwork.

My time away basking in the high desert had eased my anxiety and relieved my exhausted body, but more importantly, I gained a new perspective for how to work more holistically and manage my life differently.

A key learning came from a friend who is a mountain climber and “gym guy”. He told me that when you try to lift too much weight, you go brain dead and really cannot think clearly until you drop or reduce the weight. All you can do is try to not be crushed. It takes you to a place of survival thinking which is fine for a few moments in the gym, but not healthy when leading a complex nonprofit project and being the solo pastor of a church.

With this particular insight, I made a list of all the responsibilities, worries, and concerns that were “weighing” on my psyche and spirit. And now that I have returned to work, I am carefully choosing what I am able to lift while also crafting strategies to be able to put it all down at least once a week on my Monday sabbath day. I am deeply grateful that some of the things I was doing before my leave are now being carried by others and for the flexibility of the church community for giving me the freedom to find a new way of working.

I also took a very powerful course online that paired the wisdom of the enneagram with the revolutionary system knows as spiral dynamics. Grappling with my own personality quirks while also recognizing patterns of thinking in myself and the wider culture has given me some new tools for exercising better habits of being and thinking. If you’re interested in these topics, the course I took will be offered again in the fall and you could sign up by clicking the link above.

It is also true that we can “lighten the load” through good spiritual practices such as mindfulness, elegant self-care, and by simply remembering to laugh and have fun. Another important perspective is to move toward a both/and or non-dualistic perspective.

My cross-country trek also illustrated this new way of seeing. After the long crossing of the Mojave desert in Eastern California, I-40 passes into the Tehachapi mountains east of Bakersfield. While I was traveling up into this mountain range, the dark brown of the desert suddenly gave way to the emerald green brought on by the plentiful rains in January. It was almost like the technicolor Land of Oz that Dorothy (and all moviegoers) saw for the first time in 1939.

At the same time, the clear skies and deep quiet of the Mojave were also replace by smog and heavy truck traffic on I-5. Life here in California is unspeakably crowded, complex, and yet beautiful too.

I look forward to seeing you all in person soon. In the meantime, may your hearts and souls be lightened by beauty and a fresh perspective on how to live better in this world.

Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries

Indulge in chocolate-dipped strawberries as part of a romantic desert this Valentine’s Day. Drizzle over milk and white chocolate for the wow factor! Check out the recipe below or click the link for the original!

Link to the Original Recipe from www.bbcgoodfood.com

Ingredients

• 100g dark chocolate, roughly chopped

• 400g strawberries

• 30g white and milk chocolate, roughy chopped (optional)

Instructions

• STEP 1

  Cut a strip of baking parchment and leave to one side. To melt the dark chocolate, fill a small pan with 2cm water and bring to a simmer. Put the chocolate in a heatproof bowl and rest it on top of the pan, ensuring the bowl isn’t touching the water. Stir the chocolate to gradually melt it. Or, melt the chocolate in 20 second blasts in the microwave, stirring after each blast until melted. Put the melted chocolate in a small deep bowl.

• STEP 2

  Gently hold the strawberries by the leafy top and dip into the chocolate. Tap off any excess chocolate and put on the parchment to set. If you have any leftover chocolate, pour it onto another strip of parchment and leave it to set, it can be used again.

• STEP 3

  If you'd like to decorate the strawberries, melt the white and milk chocolate and drizzle lightly over the fruit.

In The Community

Meet Bonnie & Sylvia! Longtime members of The Good Table and Mira Vista! Bonnie and Sylvia share their excitement with us about the Good Table Cafe's opening as well as their gratitude to the El Sobrante Community for being so supportive of the project!

Special thanks to Jacob Day for conducting and editing the video, and to Bonnie and Sylvia for chatting with us!

Click HERE to watch the complete interview!

Join us for our next Work + Fun Day!

When: Saturday, February 25th from 12-3 PM

Where: 5166 Sobrante Ave, El Sobrante 94803

Sat. February 25th will be our Community Work + Fun Day @ 5166 Sobrante Ave, 12- 3p. Wear sturdy shoes and clothing and bring work gloves and favorite gardening tools. And please bring a good quality mask so we can all stay safe from COVID and construction dust.

Help us share the Good word by following us on Facebook and Instagram

Vegan Winter Lentil Stew

A rich and hearty medley of vegetables, lentils, and herbs makes this freezer-friendly Vegan Winter Lentil Stew the perfect cold-weather comfort food.

Link to the Original Recipe from www.budgetbytes.com

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp olive oil ($0.32)

• 1 yellow onion

• 4 cloves garlic

• 4 carrots (about 1/2 lb.)

• 4 stalks celery

• 2 lbs potatoes

• 1 cup brown lentils

• 1 tsp dried rosemary

• 1/2 tsp dried thyme

• 2 Tbsp Dijon mustard

• 1.5 Tbsp soy sauce

• 1 Tbsp brown sugar

• 6 cups vegetable broth

• 1 cup frozen peas

Instructions

• Dice the onion and mince the garlic. Add the olive oil, onion, and garlic to a large soup pot and begin to sauté over medium heat.

• While the onion and garlic are sautéing, dice the celery, then add it to the pot and continue to sauté. As the celery, onion, and garlic are sautéing, peel and chop the carrots into half rounds. Add the carrots to the pot and continue to sauté.

• As the onion, garlic, celery, and carrots are sautéing, peel and cube the potatoes into 3/4 to 1-inch pieces. Add the cubed potatoes to the pot along with the lentils, rosemary, thyme, Dijon, soy sauce, brown sugar, and vegetable broth.

• Briefly stir the ingredients to combine, then place a lid on the pot, turn the heat up to high, and bring the stew up to a boil. Once it reaches a boil, turn the heat down to low and let it simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

• Toward the end of the simmer time, when the potatoes are very soft, begin to mash the potatoes a bit as you stir. This will help thicken the stew.

• Finally, after 30 minutes, stir in the frozen peas and allow them to heat through. Taste the stew and add salt if needed (this will depend on the salt content of your broth, I did not add any extra). Serve hot and enjoy!