Summer 2026 Food Forests Course

This summer, we welcomed a wonderful group of participants to our second annual Food Forests course. Together, we explored the art and science of designing, implementing, and stewarding perennial edible … Read more

What is a Food Forest?

Food forests are biodiverse, regenerative ecosystems designed to mimic the structure and intelligence of natural forests while producing food, medicine, fiber, and habitat for humans and wildlife. Rooted in ecological … Read more

Residential Rainwater & Fire Resilience Workshop Nov. 2nd

Join us Saturday, November 2nd from 10AM-1PM for a Residential Rainwater and Fire Resilience Workshop co-hosted by the Occidental Arts and Ecology Center, Gold Ridge RCD and Sonoma County Ag + …

Brock Dolman Featured on Two Podcasts

WATER Institute Co-Director and OAEC Co-Founder Brock Dolman has been busy! He recently participated in two podcasts which we recommend listening to! In the first, Permaculture Perspectives, Brock speaks with …

Compost Revolution in the Mother Garden

As the number of guests in our retreat program has increased in recent years, so has the volume of food scraps that our kitchen produces. For decades, our chickens, goats, … Read more

Take a virtual or in-person garden tour!

  After a long Covid hiatus, on-site tours of the gardens led by real live humans will resume this April! Join us 1st and 3rd Sundays of the month at 1pm, starting at the … Read more