Soundscapes to Landscapes
Enhancing and securing habitats for biodiversity is one of the core goals of the OAEC Wildlands Program, using traditional knowledge and modern science to tend the 70 acres. The diverse plant … Read more
Farallones Institute Rural Center Reunion
Farallones barn raising 1978. Photo courtesy of Alison Dykestra As we look back on 25 years of OAEC’s history, we owe a great debt of gratitude to the people who … Read more
OAEC Board Members on Resilience – watch videos
Resilience is a concept that we at OAEC think about a lot, even now as this “viral”, often co-opted term has taken on so many different interpretations. Nature’s resiliency mechanisms inspire … Read more
Happy Mother’s Day from the Mother Garden!
Sometime in the late ’80s, the gardeners here affectionately started referring to the “Mother Garden” because of her abundant fertility and the fact that she was providing a wealth of … Read more
Farming While Black Event – SOLD OUT!
This event is completely SOLD OUT! Tickets will not be available at the door. Performances
Who’s at OAEC? Bay Area Land Justice Convening
A powerhouse group of some of the leading thinkers on land access came together at OAEC for the Bay Area Land Justice Convening in April co-organized by staff at Sogorea … Read more
KMUD Interview with Kate Lundquist on the Benefits of Beavers
Listen to this interview with WATER Institute Director Kate Lundquist on using beaver to restore endangered salmon in California. Beaver dams slow down the flow of water off landscapes, … Read more
Nursery Season Opens April 6th!
Happy Spring! We are so thankful for the generous rains that have invigorated our gardens and promise an explosive Spring of extravagant growth and abundance! Our nursery tables are packed … Read more
Congratulations Doug for 30 years at the Food Bank Garden!
For over 2 decades, OAEC has had a deep collaboration with Food For Thought (FFT), a food bank in Forestville that serves over 700 clients living with HIV/AIDS and other … Read more
Seed Swap – February 12th @ Sebastopol Grange
Join OAEC, Community Seed Exchange, Daily Acts and the California Rare Fruit Growers at the Mother Garden Biodiversity Program’s FAVORITE event of the year! We love sharing seeds, scions and … Read more
Beaver Restoration Assessment in the North Fork Kern
Given the potential benefit of beaver to mountain meadow restoration and related focal species, OAEC WATER Institute conducted a beaver restoration feasibility assessment to aid in the Prioritizing Meadows for … Read more
Bring Back the Beaver Campaign: Spring 2019 Events
Want to learn about all the amazing benefits of beaver for California watersheds? Join WATER Institute Directors Kate Lundquist and/or Brock Dolman at these upcoming events: February 19-21 – State of the Beaver … Read more
Localizing CA Waters Conference Report Back
On November 7-9, 2018 a diverse group of water professionals and activists including water agency staff, government regulators, engineers and designers, plumbers and landscapers, indigenous water protectors, community action groups, … Read more
Compost Toilet Project: Pleasing Government & Grandma!
Compost Toilet Research Project Update: Pleasing Government & Grandma! Since we embarked on this journey to introduce Ecological Sanitation principals into the mainstream, our mantra has been to “satisfy both … Read more
2018 End of Year Update
When you close your eyes and imagine a more just and sustainable future, what does it look like to you? We bring this question to life every day, at OAEC … Read more
Living with Lions: Event FULL – Please carpool!
This event is FULL due to limited parking (Our overflow parking area is too soggy.) If you have already RSVP’ed, please consider carpooling! Downtown Occidental is a great place to … Read more
Tending the Oaks
What’s wrong with this picture? The beautiful view of the OAEC backcountry from our new Meeting Hall deck is a lovely place to enjoy the sunset, but seen through a … Read more
OAEC at Bioneers
Join us at the Bioneers Conference – Oct 19th – 20th At the upcoming Bioneers Conference, OAEC’s Program Manager Cooper Freeman will discuss the evolutionary wheat breeding project he is leading … Read more
Nursery – only a few weeks left in the season!
Above: Of the two species of Patchouli grown for it’s essential oils, Java Patchouli is more common to find in cultivation and can be grown as a beautiful container plant, as … Read more
New Meeting Hall Complete – now booking 2019 retreats
After an extensive master planning process, capital campaign, renovations and new construction of several key buildings including new Guest Houses, we are thrilled to announce the completion of our latest project … Read more
Being Salmon, Being Human: The Performance
Join us in the North Garden Theater on Wednesday August 15th 7-9pm BEING SALMON, BEING HUMAN is a unique storytelling performance from Norway combining traditional tales, original music, and … Read more
Busy Beavers
WATER Institute co-directors Kate Lundquist and Brock Dolman have fully embodied their busy mascot this summer as they hit the Bring Back the Beaver Campaign trail! The past few weeks … Read more
OAEC Nursery joins Fibershed
The OAEC Nursery is a new member of Fibershed, a consortium of growers, ranchers, artisans, and retailers working to create a culturally, socially, economically and ecologically viable local textile industry. … Read more
Bring Back the Beaver Campaign: Upcoming Events
Like busy beavers, the WATER Institute staff is jamming this spring! Hope you can join us for these upcoming events: WATER INSTITUTE BEAVER EVENTS Partnering With Beaver To Restore Rivers … Read more
Compost Toilet Project Update
Our composting toilet project is up and running! Two of our three new systems are fully installed and operational in the guest housing accommodations – the third will come on … Read more
Summer crops are here!
Well, the weather has changed from deep winter to summer in just a day, like a light switch turning from off to on, as it always seems to do every … Read more
Nursery Now Open! Fri-Sat-Sun, 10-5
As you may have heard, the Climate is Changing and so is the OAEC Nursery! > In the interest of long term sustainability of our business, we are moving away … Read more
Friends of the Nursery Preview Sale – April 1st
Friends of the Nursery Preview Sale April 1st 10am-5pm As you may have heard, the Climate is Changing and so is the OAEC Nursery! > In the interest of long term sustainability … Read more
The climate is changing and so is the OAEC Nursery
The OAEC non-profit nursery is the outward face of our 45-year-old esteemed Mother Garden and represents an outreach into the community from the experience, work and wisdom we’ve gained by … Read more
Seed Swap, Feb 13th at Sebastopol Grange
Join us for our FAVORITE seed swap (and we go to a lot of seed swaps!) on Tuesday February 13th, 2018 at the Sebastopol Grange 6000 highway 12, Sebastopol CA … Read more
