June 2020 Homestead Headlines

Volume 65, Issue 7 | July 2020

Download the Headlines here

July 2020 Community Center Calendar

Public meetings are cancelled until further notice due to the

shelter-at-home order.

7 | HVCA Board |

14 | HVLT Board |

21 | Firewise Committee |

28 | Sanitary District Board |

1st/3rd Wed. | Tam Design Review Board |

Saturdays | A. A. Meeting |

Wednesdays | Mill Valley Zen Meditation |
Fridays | SingDancePlay - Music Together |

Community Center Updates

Come See The New Garden at The Community Center

By David Melchert, Terry Nevin and Leslie Dixon

Photos by Terry Nevin

As residents of Homestead Valley, we know that Climate Change is here and have seen the wide range of impacts it is having on Homestead Valley and the Bay Area. These impacts extend beyond an increase in temperatures. The effects of climate change have been attributed to an increase in fire risk, decrease in water resources leading to an increase in drought and associated stresses to our native plants and wildlife. As residents of Homestead Valley, we are both Stewards and Guardians of our environment and we can make a difference by learning how our home landscapes can mitigate these impacts associated with climate change.

With climate change and fire-safe practices on the minds of many residents, we wanted to be pro-active in increasing community awareness of what we can do in own home landscapes that can make a difference in the impacts of climate change. Individual efforts can help reduce the risk of wildfire, mitigate the impacts of drought and develop a more viable, healthy and sustainable community and natural environment.

The garden at the north edge of the parking lot at the Community Center is the second, of hopefully many educational display gardens that the HVCA intends to develop. This, and future display gardens, will embrace the goals outlined in the California Healthy Soils Initiative. Through the implementation of these goals, combined with the selection of appropriate plantings, the residents of Homestead Valley can help mitigate the impacts of climate change, make their properties more fire safe, and in the process create a more viable, healthy and sustainable community in these changing times.

In the future, plant Identification signs will be placed in the gardens that identify the plant(s) by name, as well as, if the plant is a California Native, it's "Water Wise" rating, if it is attractive to pollinators, and if the plant is significantly helpful in carbon sequestering. Educational kiosk(s) are also being developed to further explain selected gardening concepts that you can apply in developing a climate friendly/ fire wise garden at your home.

We invite you to come check out the new display garden between Montford and the HVCC parking lot to learn more, and if interested, inquire how you can be involved in this exciting new adventure at the community center. Thank you to the generous grants from Marin County, Outdoor Art Club and the Marin Municipal Water District to help make this come together.

Before...

Interested in helping HVCA explore adding an owl box through the Hungry Owl Project? Please contact David Ross at [email protected].

"Speak Softly and Wear A Mask"

By Alex Scalisi

Board President, Homestead Valley Community Association

This, of course, from Theodore Roosevelt's Big Stick ideology which described his style of foreign policy as the exercise of intelligent forethought and of decisive action. During these times we need both --including the action of ensuring we're keeping ourselves and others safe by maintaining social distancing and wearing our face coverings. As a reminder, masks and face coverings reduce the spread of droplets in the air from exhalation, coughing and sneezing. Please continue to do your part in keeping our community safe.

As a reminder, additional information on reopening status can be found on the Marin County recovers website here: marinrecovers.com/

Also, information around the "Social Bubble" model championed in New Zealand and other countries to allow for small groups of 12 people or less to safely come together can be found here: marincounty.org/main/county-press-releases/press-releases/2020/hhs-covid-social-bubbles-061920

Enjoy the holiday weekend and continue to take care of each other.

Land Trust Notes

Firewise "Goat Rodeo" Coming In August

By Claudette Heisler and Marabeth Grahame

The "goat rodeo" route (see map above) begins in the clearing at Edgewood and Ridgewood, a Pixie Trail trailhead. We expect the goats to arrive at the beginning of August and stay for a few weeks - as long as it takes to get the job done. You can follow their progress from the trails between Ridgewood and Janes but please, while the goats are in Homestead, follow all posted signs and keep dogs on leash along these trails.

Utilizing goat herds for our shrub-brush fuel reduction work-effort facilitates treatment of hard-to-reach locations (e.g., steep culverts, steep grades, areas under low branches). Although goats are not "picky eaters" and tend to consume anything in their path, we will be targeting areas with mostly non-native plants. The typical goat herd treats one acre per day! The extensive work completed by the goats compliments human-powered work efforts, and will be followed by crews targeting fire fuel reduction. The result is a more effective, efficient, and expanded treatment of Homestead Firewise areas in order to minimize our wildfire risk.

Please take note:.

As is typical, the herd will be encircled at all times by an electric fence. Do not touch electrical fences. Monitor children carefully.
Keep all dogs on leash and under control. This temporary leash law is necessary for the safety of all, as the herd's guard dogs are very protective!
Do not touch or feed goats.

Having said that, take time to come and enjoy the "Homestead Valley Goat Rodeo"!

HVLT-Firewise 2018" CFSC GRANT - 18-SMG 11765

Sponsors: HVLT & HVLT-Firewise

Contractor: Star Creek Lands Steward, Inc.

Homestead Valley Vignettes by Chuck Oldenburg

Jack Kerouac

In the early 1900's, Anton S. Perry and his large family lived at 370 Montford in Homestead Valley. He milked cows on the Dias ranch. In 1956, the historic Perry house was occupied by Locke Mc Corckle, a poet/carpenter. He and his family lived frugally, considering themselves refugees from American consumerism. After a shack up the hill was converted into a habitable cabin, Locke invited Gary Snyder to stay there. Gary moved in, named the dwelling "Marin-An" and invited Jack Kerouac to join him there for rent-free peaceful living. They both took Buddhism seriously. Beat generation poets and writers who hung out with them there included Allen Ginsberg, Neal Cassady, Kenneth Rexroth, William Burroughs, Peter Orlovsky, Michael McClure, Philip Whalen, and Gregory Corso. There were poetry readings, meditations, serious discussions and co-educational parties, always with lots of wine and sometimes nudity. Jack Kerouac's book, "The Dharma Bums" describes the scene and his experiences while living at Marin-An. Typical of his writings, real characters are given fictitious names and the site is said to be in Corte Madera. Today, the site is on Homestead's Open Space Land. The custodian lives in the old Perry house.

Homestead Valley & COVID-19

We hope this finds all our friends and neighbors healthy, happy and safe at home in these continuing turbulent times. As of this writing, the shelter-at-home order in response to the COVID-19 pandemic continues. All public meetings and gatherings are cancelled indefinitely.

" We may have all come on different ships, but we're in the same boat now."

- Martin Luther King, Jr.

Useful links:

HVCA contact information:

[email protected]

Marin County Coronavirus website:

coronavirus.marinhhs.org/

Marin Recovers

marinrecovers.com

Individuals may contact Marin Health and Human Services with non-medical questions about the coronavirus by calling (415) 473-7191 (Monday - Friday, 9:30 AM to 12 Noon and 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM) or emailing [email protected].