Stone Farm Update

...by Susan Churchill

The Foundation has entered into an agreement with the City of Santa Rosa to lease approximately 5-acres of the 100-acre Stone Farm property, located at 5750 Occidental Road (at the corner of Sanford and Occidental Roads). The portion of the property to be restored by the Foundation includes a 2-story white farmhouse, a small barn and a large round hay barn and will be called The Laguna Learning Center at Stone Farm.The four palm trees planted in 1903 are a signature landmark of the property. Originally built sometime between 1860 and 1870, the farm house was expanded adding a kitchen and indoor plumbing. Electricity came in the early 1930’s.

Stone Farm has been continuously farmed for more than 100 years and three of the structures (the farm house, the hay barn and small barn) have been designated as historical landmarks by the City of Santa Rosa’s Cultural Heritage Board. These buildings have fallen into serious disrepair, yet hold the potential of serving an important educational purpose once restored.

Approximately 86 acres of Stone Farm property are currently being grazed by heifers (female cows that have not yet been bred) and irrigated by the City using tertiary treated wastewater from the Sub Regional Water Treatment facility located on Llano Road.

The Foundation has developed a phased approach for the restoration and improvement to the buildings and building compound area as follows:

Phase I (1 to 2 years)

• Restore the historic farmhouse to use as administrative offices for the Foundation
• Stabilize the rapidly deteriorating main historic hay barn structure
• Improve the access road from Occidental Road
• Clean up the building compound area and plant landscaping typical of a 19^th-century family farm in the Santa Rosa Plain
• Provide for a small amount of parking

Phase 2 (2 - 3 years)

• Restore or rebuild the smaller historic barn to use as a nature interpretive center and an interim classroom for educational gatherings

Phase 3 (3 to 5 years)

• Remove the existing small storage building and concrete milk shed (neither have structural integrity, historic value or landmark designation)
• Build a new structure that is architecturally compatible with the historic buildings to use as a permanent classroom
• Completely restore the main historic hay barn structure

The architectural firm of Siegel and Strain, out of Emeryville, have be retained by the Foundation to prepare a Master Plan to further define and pictorially depict the Foundation’s vision for The Laguna Learning Center at Stone Farm.

A major capital campaign will begin shortly to raise the funds needed to restore and improve the property. Docent and Board Member Susan Churchill is the project manager for the Stone Farm Project.

July Press Democrat Article Overwhelms Foundation Office!

Imagine our surprise when we opened the newspaper on July 8 to see the Laguna Walks program featured in a full page article, with incredible photographs, and spilling over to another page.  The phones were ringing off the hook, Mary’s email box overflowed and voice mail was jammed. When all was said and done, over 500 new people visited the Sebastopol Preserve this summer and learned about the role of the Laguna in their lives.  Docents who led the walks were:  Mary Abbott, John Condon, Rebecca Dwan, Christine Engel, Norman Hill, Nik Hrebtov, Jennifer Joell, Cheri Johnson, Nancy Presson, Sue Shea, and Erin Sheffield.  The walks are continuing on Saturday mornings at 9:30 am on November 11 (8:15 am), December 11, January 8, February 12 and March 5.  The walks have generated over $1200 in donations for the Education Program.  If you haven’t been on one of these walks – please join us!

Continuing Education Is Well Attended by Docents

Our continuing education series started this summer with two night walks in the Laguna.  The first one, in July was a silent walk around the Barlow Field at the Sebastopol Preserve attended by over 40 docents, family and friends.  A lovely evening graced by the full moon, night critters and owls, we also experienced the tremendous traffic noise emanating from Highway 12.  We went out again at the end of August for a full moon walk at Delta Pond.  This was a truly enchanted evening:  as the sun set we watched dozens of shore birds, white pelicans, osprey and swallows.  Rounding the corner of the pond, the full moon rose to greet us. 

16 docents and staff enjoyed a hike on the South Fork of the Gualala River this summer at Mary’s family property, ending up at a rocky swimming gorge, identifying plants, scat, and birds along the way.  And in August, CJ and Rick hosted “Where Do Birds Nest?” – a workshop, bird box building and pizza eating day of fun. Thanks to Glenn Lippard and Brian Purtill for bringing tools, organizing the construction and assembly lines, we built 85 nest boxes using leftover recycled redwood from the construction of the Johnson/Theis home.  Docents took some boxes home but donated most of them to be installed in the Laguna.  These new homes will house bluebirds, titmice, violet green and tree swallows.

September's Breakfast in the Laguna was a huge success this year with nearly 100% docent attendance!  The food was fabulous, (thanks to Veronica La Dolce V Bowers, Jymmey Fruit Purtill, Mary Sticky Bun Abbott, CJ Coffee, John Figgy Condon and Raini Juice Vallarino), the company unparalleled, and the activities –most engaging!  Do we have to wait until next September to do this again??

In October, six docents traveled to Walnut Creek for a docent led tour of "The Past in Present Tense" an exhibit of 100 of Julia Parker's baskets.  John Condon drove his van and provided refreshments.  We did a little high speed birding on Hwy 37 along the way, too.

Coming Up...

Oct 26...California Indian videos at Pam Moskovitz's

Nov 6...LagunaKeepers acorn planting in Sebastopol

Nov 19...Basketry demonstration with Julia Parker

Dec 17...Year End Appreciation party

Jan 2-8...Register to docent Spring 2005 program

Jan 5...Ca.Ind Tools and Traditions/Marty Falkenstien

Feb 05...Experience the California Fawn Lily - field trip

Anecdocents: 

Thaddeus encounters a tick

It was about 11:45PM and I was sitting on my couch watching the Rockford files. I glanced down at my left knee and saw the wierdest thing. On the inside of the knee, about 1.5 inches down was a little dark spot. The lights were out and I was tired. Maybe it's only a piece of food or an old scab.....No! it's a **** tick!! I can see his head is buried in my flesh! I thought to myself, I'll have to take the whole leg off!! My Leg, not the tick leg!  I woke my Jeanine, my girlfriend, and told her the situation. We both agreed the tick would have to come out. I grabbed the tweezers from my swiss army knife and handed them over. I'm not doing it. My thoughts drifted back to the rock climber who lopped his own arm off with a leatherman's tool. I'm a wimp about these things. I could never be a woman, bleeding like that once every month...OK, pull it straight out and don't wiggle it, that only makes them mad. She got a hold of it and tugged; nothing. "pull hard" I wailed and she did. Out it popped, head and all with a little chunk of my flesh in it's mouth. I saved it in a plastic bag. This is all your (docent program's) fault! What was I thinking? It was sucking my blood! I have plans for that tick. Ever see the movie "Scarface" with Al Pacino? The scene in the bathroom. Next time I'll not forget to wear long socks.

Your humble docent, Thaddeus

December 17 - Appreciation Party

6 pm - Wischman Hall in Sebastopol

Docent Profile:  Linda Hanes

Linda Hanes, docent and day leader graduated in 2002.  Linda got interested in the Laguna via the Painters in the Laguna with Helen Shane– she wanted to be a docent for the artists and wasn’t even aware of the Foundation’s school program.  Linda is not an artist, but really enjoys the company of artists and the outdoors – the docent program was the perfect blend for her.  Having been a children’s librarian for 19 years, doing tours, puppet shows and storytelling, Linda was a natural docent. She loved the training, and had so much fun with the kids – especially the wetlands model, her favorite activity.

As many of you know, Linda is very involved with Coastwalk, and has been the president for the past three years.  She started as a volunteer cook coordinator, then began leading the Sonoma summer camping/hiking trip.   Now Linda leads hikes all over the California coast! In 2003, she walked 1200 miles of the Coastal Trail with 10 other hikers, to raise awareness of the trail.  It took them nearly four months.

 Linda is married to docent David Hanes, and has two grown children:  John and Laurie.  No Hanes grandchildren yet, but they are training Jake, their new puppy.

Linda became a day leader for Learning Laguna when she saw how overwhelmed Raini and CJ were with the growing program.  She felt like she could do it and “secretly loves to organize things.”  Besides hiking, reading, learning and “engaging my curiosity” are her favorite things to do.  Linda’s advice to docents:  “Don’t be afraid to plunge in!  Just go out and lead the group – see how possible it is to have a good time.  You don’t have to have all the answers.”

Can You

Identify

this Butterfly?