Dear Friends & Supporters,


Yesterday, I was walking down our driveway here at the Farm on Putah Creek, alongside our insectary hedgerow, and noticed the beautiful Redbud blossoms almost ready to open. By this weekend, they will likely be ablaze with color! It reminded me of how things are progressing here at the Center for Land-Based Learning - so many activities and programs just bursting with new growth.


Farm Academy Welcomes 4th Class


Just last week, our 4th Class of the California Farm Academy embarked on their 7-month journey. I welcomed them to the program on Tuesday, and also thanked them for their commitment, passion, time and energy...to be the next generation of California farmers. Yesterday, our Incubator farmers (beginning farmers that are leasing land from us either here at the Farm on Putah Creek or in our West Sacramento Urban Farm locations), met for the 5th time in the last month to continue planning their 2015 crops. Very soon, the cover crops will be tilled under, beds formed, and thousands and thousands of vegetable transplants will be going in the ground. Just in the last month, we have formed five new partnerships to support our Incubator Program - Orchard Hill Family Fund, Gro1000 Grant (via US Council of Mayors), Raley's Supermarkets, Nugget Markets, and Agrium. These new partnerships, along with ongoing funding from Community Business Bank and the City of West Sacramento will create more opportunities for new farmers to grow and sell their goods locally.

Land-Based Learning to Lead Industry Roundtable

In addition to the great work we are doing with adults, our work with youth is expanding as well. Through a partnership with NextEd, over the next four years, the Center for Land-Based Learning will lead the Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources Industry Roundtable in the Sacramento region, where we will bring business folk together to collaborate about how to best provide high school youth with work-based learning experiences. The inaugural meeting for this Industry Roundtable will be March 9th. For over 20 years now, the Center for Land-Based Learning has been at the forefront of this work, providing California high school students (in 18 Counties!) with the experiences that lead them to understand Career and College Opportunities in Agriculture and the Food System. This work is critical to our food system: in the next five years, there will be a 30% shortage in the number of youth graduating from a 4-year college or university in Agriculture, compared with the number of jobs that are expected to be available.

I invite you to join us - come out to the Farm to see the blooming Redbuds, attend a high school career-focused field day, or help us connect youth with internships that help them develop their stills and provide our state with the needed Agricultural workforce. Thank you for your support, and I look forward to even more growth and connections in 2015.

With gratitude, 








 
Fabian's Italian Bistro & Bar
February 28, 2015 at 6 p.m.

This year Fabian's and Sierra Nevada Brewing are teaming up with the Center for Land-Based Learning to bring you a very special Farm-to-Fork Beer Dinner. Chef Tom Patterson's menu will feature locally sourced ingredients, to be paired perfectly with Sierra Nevada Brewing's award-winning craft beers.

Proceeds from this event benefit Land-Based Learning
Call Fabian's Bistro to Purchase Tickets (916) 536 - 9891

Menu & Information »



Agriculture, Natural Resources and Food Industry Roundtable Meeting
March 9, 2015, 8 a.m. - 10 a.m.
Sacramento County Office of Education
10474 Mather Boulevard
Mather, CA 95655

The California Department of Education awarded $21 million to improve educational outcomes throughout the Capital Region. CRANE - Capital Region Academies for the Next Economy, awarded $15 million and CAP - Capital Academies and Pathways, awarded $6 million, will serve a combined 114,000 students at over 70 schools through the partnered initiatives. The Center for Land-Based Learning has partnered with Next-Ed to bring together leaders in the Agriculture, Natural Resources and Food industries to work together to develop work-based opportunities for high school youth in our region. Your input and participation in the education of our youth is essential for success. Please join us!

For more information and to RSVP, please contact:
Christine McMorrow, Christine@landbasedlearning.org, 530-795-9569

Map & Directions »
 
Information [pdf] »

April 12, 2015

Chef Michael Thiemann of Mother is one of the most popular chefs in Sacramento. Michael will prepare vegetarian specialties and exquisite dishes reflecting the bounty of the spring harvest. You don't want to miss this!

Tickets go on sale in two weeks.    


Other Important Dates
May 3, 2015 - Spring Open House and Picnic on the Farm
May 5, 2015 - Big Day of Giving
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5265 Putah Creek Rd., Winters, CA 95694