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
General
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
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
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
Inspire your holiday feasts with the OAEC Cookbook
Order your copy today! The Occidental Arts & Ecology Center Cookbook: Fresh-from-the-Garden Recipes for Gatherings Large and Small, by the OAEC Staff Collective and former Kitchen Manager Olivia Rathbone, is … Read more
Afterburn – Response to North Bay Fires
Afterburn, photo by Jim Coleman October 2017. In the middle of a tightly scheduled month of strategic planning retreats at OAEC, an unprecedented wildfire ripped through our region, consuming 300,000+ … Read more
Meet the OAEC Board
OAEC is proud to introduce our new Board of Directors members, the amazing “dream-team” that supports and oversees our self-governing staff collective. We are so grateful for the wealth of experience … Read more
CCOF cost share program
This year the OAEC nursery and gardens were able to waive 75% of our organic certification fees through the Federal Organic Cost Share program. Why is Cost Share Important? Historically, farm bill … Read more
Localizing California Waters Conference
Localizing California Waters Conference November 1 – 3, 2017 Yosemite CA For the 3rd year, OAEC will help to convene onsite water advocates, practitioners and regulators under one roof for … Read more
Wheat Breeding Experiment for Climate Adaptation
What will the climate be like 20 years from now? How can we breed food crops that will thrive and adapt to change? With an increasingly unstable climate … Read more
Chautauqua SOLD OUT!
Sorry, all three evening performances and the matinee are SOLD OUT! There will be no tickets available at the door.
Fall Plant Sale Aug 19-20 & 26-27
Fall Crops Plant Sale, Art Show & Garden Tours August 19 – 20 & August 26 – 27 Sat & Sun, 10am – 5pm Join us for the Member Preview – August 18th, 4-6pm – … Read more
New Meeting Center Construction Begins
After 15+ year master planning process, capital campaign, and successful completion of numerous other construction projects and renovations, we were thrilled this spring to break ground on our final capstone project – a … Read more
2017 Chautauqua tickets on sale now!
The 15th Annual Chautauqua Revue is now open for business! Tickets are on sale for the most unique show to be found this side of the Russian River. This … Read more
Hayward City Hall Water-wise Garden
On April 15, 2017, Keep Hayward Clean and Green Task Force (KHCG TF), Earth Team, City of Hayward’s Landscape Department, Occidental Arts & Ecology Center and the local and surrounding … Read more
Time for Spring planting!
April is coming! Join us at the OAEC Nursery! Spring Crops Plant Sale Event April 1-2 & April 8-9, 10am-5pm Friends of the Nursery* preview March 31, 4-6pm Summer Crops Plant … Read more
Resilient Community Design video
Click HERE to watch the video! Introducing the new Resilient Community Design video! This video is a brief conceptual overview of the steps that we use here at OAEC to … Read more
Dutchbill Creek Streamflow Improvement Plan
The long-awaited Dutchbill Creek Streamflow Improvement Plan has been released! Congratulations to the Russian River Coho Water Resources Partnership and Brock Dolman of the WATER Institute for your hard work … Read more
Seed Swap in Sebastopol, Feb 16, 2017
Join us for our favorite Seed Swap! Meet neighbors and fellow gardeners at the Grange in Sebastopol on Thursday evening, Feb 16th at 7pm to share seeds, scions and stories. … Read more
Brock coins the term “egosystem” in scientific literature!
OAEC WATER Institute Director, pun-tastic wordsmith and meme generator extraordinaire, Brock Dolman has co-authored, with Dr. Matt Deitch, a new peer reviewed scientific paper in the Journal WATER called Restoring Summer … Read more
Compost Toilet Research Project Fundraising Success
Click here to watch the video We are thrilled to report the resounding success of OAEC’s first ever crowdfunding campaign! Thanks to 371 generous donors, we raised almost $70K! In addition … Read more
OAEC Receives Groundbreaking Compost Toilet Permit
Legitimizing Ecological Sanitation via Scientific Research After 2 years of negotiations, OAEC is excited to partner with county and regional agencies with the acquisition of an “Alternate Methods and Materials” research … Read more
AB1810 Non-commercial seed sharing protected
A victory for seed sovereignty: AB 1810 passes with help from OAEC OAEC’s Dave Henson and Cooper Freeman along with a group of partner organizations – Sustainable Economies Law Center, … Read more
OAEC Releases New Beaver Stewardship Guidebook
Call our main office to purchase a booklet (707) 874-1557 x101 or Download for Free> Beavers are one of our favorite watershed restoration partners! They are the original champions of … Read more
Action Alert: Support Healthy Soils Initiative
Call your Reps. and tell them to support sustainable agricultural solutions to climate change. Good news! Governor Jerry Brown is staying the course and is again calling for $20 million … Read more
