November 2021 Homestead Headlines

Volume 65, Issue 11 | Nov. 2021

Download the Headlines here

November 2021 Community Center Calendar

9 | HVLT Board Mtg |

16 | HVCA Board Mtg |

23 | Sanitary District Board Mtg |

1st/3rd Weds. | Tam Design Review Board Mtg |

Saturdays | A.A. Mtg | 10:00 AM

Homestead Valley News

It was a wild and wet weekend!

In case you missed the storm, here are some photos from the valley: roaring creeks, jumping puddles, blustery winds, meadow and streets turned into ponds, .....oh what fun! On a related note, our new generator kicked into action when the power went out a few weeks ago (it works)!

Homestead Valley Annual Service Awards

Accepting Nominations for Homestead Valley Annual Service Awards

Homestead Valley (HV) has a long history of volunteerism whereby residents see an opportunity to create 'a more perfect valley' and make it happen. From the creation of the Community Association (HVCA) over a hundred years ago and the Land Trust (HVLT) in the early 70's, to a music festival in Stolte Grove that then moved to the Community Center meadow, and more recently the installation of a display garden based on sustainable, regenerative gardening, featuring plants that grow well in HV gardens, the spirit of community service and generosity is omnipresent in Homestead Valley.

Each year, HVCA recognizes two of the many people who passionately give their time to make a difference in HV. You can find a list of prior Service Award winners on our website: Homestead Valley.Annual Service Awards. Winners are announced at the HV Annual Meeting in January.

While it has been an unusual couple of years, the HVCA Board would like to reach out to the community for nominations for 2021 Volunteer of the Year and Distinguished Community Service Award. Please send your nominations with a one paragraph write up describing the reason for your nomination by November 30, 2021 to info@homesteadvalley.org.

Volunteer of the Year - this recognizes someone for their outstanding contribution of service and leadership in the community this past year. (This award can go to a previous recipient.)

Distinguished Community Service Award - this person has been continuously giving extraordinary service, inspiration, and an enduring dedication to our community (while giving generously of their time). This is a one-time award.

Many thanks to everyone who helps make Homestead Valley a very special place to live.

HVCA Board

HVCA Board Seats Open!

By Alan Cowan

The Homestead Valley Community Association (HVCA) Board of Directors has two seats open starting in January 2022. We are looking for enthusiastic, mission oriented people to fill these seats. The HVCA Board is composed of 15 volunteer members from our community. Serving on the Board is a great way to get involved in your community and make sure we continue to provide programming and services that meet the needs of the neighborhood.

Board Members are asked to attend monthly meetings (3^rd Tuesday night of the month @ 7PM) as often as practical, given this is a volunteer position. In addition to the monthly meeting, Board Members choose at least one committee to join. These committees provide direction for activities and services like our pool (currently under construction), rental of the Community Center and Meadow, special events like the 4^th of July parade/picnic and the Music Festival, communication to the community (like this newsletter!), safety and other important functions related to the overall management of HVCA.

Do you have ideas on how to engage our community? Do you want to get to know your community better and have a role in shaping our future? Do you have expertise that you want to share (e.g. finance, marketing, fund raising, property maintenance)? If you are interested in joining the HVCA Board of Directors, please contact Alan Cowan (HVCA Board Member and Nominating Committee Chair) at alan.cowan@homesteadvalley.org

Homestead Valley Halloween

It was a festive start to Halloween at Volunteer Park!

Thank you to the Scalisi and Wyman families for gathering the community in Volunteer Park before the tricks and treat hunt began!

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Job Posting

HVCA General Manager

As many of you know, long time Executive Director, David Ross, retired at the end of the Summer and we are now conducting a search for a General Manager to handle all on-site operations at our Community Center.

The HVCA is a 501(c)(3) Nonprofit Corporation, with a mission to enhance the community of Homestead Valley residents through cultural, educational and recreational activities, events and service. Our Board of Directors oversees the operation, with the General Manager as our full-time employee who is responsible for all administration, finance, infrastructure, rental activity, event coordination and communications.

The General Manager will work on-site, M-F, with occasional after-hours responsibilities related to special events. There is a separate residence on the property, and if interested, the General Manager may be eligible to occupy the apartment as part of the compensation package.

This is a unique opportunity for the right candidate, and we would be thrilled to speak with interested residents, or referrals from residents before opening up our search more broadly. If you would like more information or to speak with us directly, please email: info@homesteadvalley.org

Land Trust Notes

First Rain

The first measurable rain of the fall had come the afternoon before. The horse pasture above Montford offered slippery footing, but the warm sun cutting through the mists and the rising white clouds against the clean blue sky gave a superb feeling.

Geoff Barrett and I had met two men from the Marin Youth Conservation Corps for a walk to show them the projects the land trust board had in mind for this fiscal year. For me it was playing hooky from my usual job, and I felt lucky to be out on such a morning.

It seemed in the mood of the day that there should be a host of wildflowers. Wildflowers in October after a long dry summer? They obviously hadn't sprung up in response to the rain less than 24 hours before. These merry yellow blossoms floating above the bleached stubble and bare clouds were tarweed, so called because of their stickiness. In other respects, such as their appearance and aroma, they are quite pleasant. Their smell is far from the sweetness of a rose; it's more evocative of dry sagebrush lands, and fairly strong, like damp bay leaves.

But we weren't there to look at the posies; we were examining the come-back tenacity of the broom plant. The ideal is to have the hills once again become grassland, with lots of native wildflowers in their season. It was dismaying to see the thousands of new broom sprouts where last year's cleared brush piles had been stacked prior to burning.

Coming down the eastern half of that holding, we picked our way through a broom "forest," only coming out in the clear when we got to the considerable area that Maverick has cleared east of his house.

Next we headed up Ferndale, stopping to talk about the steps at the bottom of the lane that short cuts up to Ridgewood. Phil Greene built those steps years ago when his daughters and Cappy were walking in and out daily. Now the steps need rebuilding.

Passing the old yellow farm house, we were soon following the lovely Homestead Trail to the south. Our two guests were enchanted with the fern clad beauty of the gullies and the live oak stateliness of a more level spot. They marveled that the people of Homestead had the wisdom and foresight to keep part of their valley unencumbered with roads and houses.

After looking around a place needing more broom control, we headed down Madrone Trail. Again the visitors were impressed as we passed chinquapin and madrone on this dramatic descent. At the slide area of '82 I took leave of the rest of the company.

Descending, then working my way around to the west, I came out in the small canyon up from the first bend of Ridgewood. It is another absorbing place to pass through, and one the land trust board hopes eventually to put a trail through so it will be more accessible to people. Geoff says there are some exquisite flowers there in the spring. And there is a handsome stand of redwoods. On this morning the pungent aroma of the bay fought with the leaf molds awakened by the rain.

November 1988

These timeless articles are reprinted from "On Foot in Homestead - A Hiker's Journal of a Coastal Valley," by Matthew Davis, 1988. Matthew Davis (1935-2015), a former HVLT Board member, wrote articles which appeared in the Homestead Headlines beginning in 1984. In 1988 Matthew compiled his columns into a book "On Foot in Homestead - A Hiker's Journal of a Coastal Valley," published by the HVLT.

Homestead Valley Vignettes by Chuck Oldenburg

Community Centers

In 1908, the Vallecita Ladies Outdoor Improvement Club acquired a lot on what is now Linden Lane. The Club held dances at Homestead School to raise money for building a community center. The grand opening of Vallecita Hall occurred on April 2, 1910. Over two hundred and twenty people attended. In August 1910, Vallecita Hall was the local precinct’s polling place. The building was the center of Homestead Valley’s community activities: meetings of several organizations, political debates, movies, dances, special events, etc. In 1918, catechism classes began to be held there every Wednesday afternoon. Vallecita Hall later became known as Scout Hall and then Homestead Hall. In 1933 after it had been sold and renovated as a home, Brown’s Hall on Miller Ave. became the community center. In 1972, Brown’s Hall was sold to the Buddhists of Marin for their temple. A home on Montford became the present day community center.