Thank you to everyone who supported the recent series of Common VIision’s Benefit Concerts by volunteering, attending, and spreading the word! It was a fun and busy week with four concerts in four cities across Northern California. The events were attended by over 1000 people. The music ranged from world electronic to Country mystic jam rock! Artists included, Youssoupha Sidibe, Cheb I Sabbah, Lynx and Janover, Jah Levi, Freedom, Diane Patterson, Arjun and Guardians, The Human Revolution and Shakina. The events raised more than $14,000!
Thank you to Nutiva for your sponsorship of the Green Fest after party event and thank you for your continued support!
Also thank you to Zak Human for sharing his artistic genius in support of the project.
The fliers were beautiful!
Can't see slide show? It's a problem with Internet Explorer. > Get FireFox It's free and better.
Saturday, December 6, 2008
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Planting a Food Forest
The dense planting of ground-cover, nitrogen-fixing shrubs and trees, berry producing bushes, and nut- and fruit-producing trees is an attempt to mimic Nature's natural processes - except in fast forward. It would take Nature some hundred years to transition from grass land to forest. With a little observation of Nature's principles and processes, we expect to establish the foundations of a resilient forest eco-system within the decade. In addition to Native trees and shrubs, we will also be including some non-native human favorites like apples, pears, pomegranates, persimmons, and jujubes (Chinese dates).
If you would like to get involved in this project go to Green-Friends.org.
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Catching the Rain, Growing a Forest
Can't see slide show? It's a problem with Internet Explorer. > Get FireFox It's free and better.
Common Vision, recently orchestrated a momentous workshop at the MA Center in Castro Valley with international environmental organization GreenFriends. Geoff Lawton, considered by many to be the world’s best Permaculture Designer and Teacher, flew from Australia to teach this 3-day course titled “Permaculture and Reforestation: Harvesting Rainwater, Growing Food Forests, and Planting Ecosystems.” Over fifty course participants, including MA Center Residents and environmentalist from across California and Oregon, learned from Geoff how to harvest thousands of gallons of water in the landscape, design a resilient ecosystem, generate soil fertility, and produce food and timber in abundance.
The MA Center has almost 400 acres under its stewardship. Over 150 of these acres are treeless with a clay soil that has been compacted from at least a half century of intensive and insensitive cattle grazing practices. The compacted clay coupled with the lack of trees makes the ground very susceptible to slumps and slides in the rainy season. Yet, by the end of the summer the hillsides are crusted over with a think shell of dry, hardened clay. Deer, pigs, gophers, and voles graze and burrow for any food sources remaining at the end of the harsh, dry summer.
During the 3-day workshop, Geoff made clear that in order to grow trees on these hillsides we need to “fast-track” an ecological regeneration. While nature may take hundreds or thousands of year’s to recovery in this area, human beings can support the successive unfolding ecological processes and see recovery in less than a decade. First step, says Geoff, is water design. Without water there is no life. Before the cutting of trees and soil compaction by the cattle, this land was a living sponge that soaked rainfall into the ground. Currently the majority of rainfall tends runs fast along the surface into the valley and out to sea.
To help soak water into the landscape, Geoff led the group on an exercise to site, survey, and dig a massive ditch on contour (level no slope up or down) to catch rainwater running down the slopes, slow it down, spread it out, and soak it into the hillside. With the help of Rusty Davis and his excavator, the course dug over 500ft of this on-contour trench, known in permaculture as a swale. With each rain, even if it be moderate, the swale will sink over 10,000 gallons of water into the soil. This water slowly travels under the soil, and remains available throughout the summer for trees to drink and grow.
The MA Center is becoming a model of sustainable design for ecological regeneration and reforesting Bay Area hillsides. We are learning that through knowledge of how ecosystems evolve and a willingness to support nature’s processes, human beings can truly be a positive force in the environment. Common Vision looks forward to supporting the GreenFriends planting trees with diverse people from across the Bay Area and to inspire the larger community into compassionate action for Mother Nature.
The MA Center has almost 400 acres under its stewardship. Over 150 of these acres are treeless with a clay soil that has been compacted from at least a half century of intensive and insensitive cattle grazing practices. The compacted clay coupled with the lack of trees makes the ground very susceptible to slumps and slides in the rainy season. Yet, by the end of the summer the hillsides are crusted over with a think shell of dry, hardened clay. Deer, pigs, gophers, and voles graze and burrow for any food sources remaining at the end of the harsh, dry summer.
During the 3-day workshop, Geoff made clear that in order to grow trees on these hillsides we need to “fast-track” an ecological regeneration. While nature may take hundreds or thousands of year’s to recovery in this area, human beings can support the successive unfolding ecological processes and see recovery in less than a decade. First step, says Geoff, is water design. Without water there is no life. Before the cutting of trees and soil compaction by the cattle, this land was a living sponge that soaked rainfall into the ground. Currently the majority of rainfall tends runs fast along the surface into the valley and out to sea.

Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Green-LA features Common Vision

Green LA is a non profit dedicated to unifying the environmental movement in Los Angeles. They strive to illuminate the vast spread of environmental organizations and projects at work in the city while promoting cooperation and broader grassroots participation. Green LA featured Common Vision in their five-minute trailer that is launching their project.
Monday, June 23, 2008
Permaculture/Reforestation at MA Center
The MA Center is the US headquarters for international humanitarian and spiritual leader Mata Amritanandamayi also known as Amma. The Permaculture and Reforestation course with Geoff Lawton this August will be designing this property and the laying the groundwork for a broad-acre reforestation project. The below information will introduce you to the design project in words, pictures, and interactive 3-D maps.
1. Download: Client Brief for the MA Center
2. View: Photos, the Topographical Map, and Google Earth Images of the MA Center with descriptions. In the Flickr slideshow interface, click the "i in circle" to reveal the information about each image. > Click here
3. If you are really ready to get to know the site, download these google earth places.
( Don't have Google Earth? Well, it's time. > Click here )
If you open these files with Google Earth than you can fly around them and get to know the lay of the land. This is a super powerful tool for Permaculture Design.
Download: All MACenter places in a .zip file
OR
Download them one at a time:
Property Boundaries
Topo Map
Design Area 1
Design Area 2
Cow's Pasture
1. Download: Client Brief for the MA Center
2. View: Photos, the Topographical Map, and Google Earth Images of the MA Center with descriptions. In the Flickr slideshow interface, click the "i in circle" to reveal the information about each image. > Click here
3. If you are really ready to get to know the site, download these google earth places.
( Don't have Google Earth? Well, it's time. > Click here )
If you open these files with Google Earth than you can fly around them and get to know the lay of the land. This is a super powerful tool for Permaculture Design.
Download: All MACenter places in a .zip file
OR
Download them one at a time:
Property Boundaries
Topo Map
Design Area 1
Design Area 2
Cow's Pasture
Reforestation with the National Forest Service

16 Volunteers from San Francisco, Grass Valley, Sacramento, Mendocino, and LA came together to replant 4 acres of the burn site and reconnect with our ability to heal ourselves and the earth. Our team planted over 1,000 red fir, white fir, and sugar pine trees to jumpstart the forest’s recovery from a 2006 wildfire.
The planting became even more of an adventure when the planters were joined by unexpected rain-clouds. Not to be deterred from reaching the day’s goal, planters donned trash-bags as ponchos and planted on!
The experience was so positive for both the Common visionaries and the Forest Service that Vicki Stoll, partnership coordinator for the Forest Service, urged the Common Vision staff to work towards inviting groups of urban youth to a planting project in 2009! We look forward to continuing stewardship of public lands and to help expand this collaboration to more organizations and tree planting enthusiasts!
Thank you to the National Forest Service and to all the reforestation participants for caring for our national treasure and for creating such a memorable experience! Special Thanks to Viki and Paul who were diligent in making this project happen. Your dedication to the forest is inspiring. Thank You!
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Common Vision invites Geoff Lawton
On August 8-10th, world renowned Permaculture designer Geoff Lawton, will be joining Common Vision to teach a Permaculture and Reforestation course. Geoff is director of the Permaculture Research Institute of Australia, a master of harvesting rainwater in the landscape, and a frequent co-teacher with Bill Mollison. He has been invited by governments, NGOs, businesses, and communities in 27 different countries to teach, restore damaged ecosystems, and direct sustainable design projects. In case you haven't heard of Geoff's work, we would like to share the power and impact that his water-harvesting knowledge has had. Check out "Greening the Desert" below, it will boggle your mind...
Monday, May 12, 2008
Fruit Tree Tour Wins Emmy Award !!!

episode of the show Natural Heroes, had won an emmy, because it was time to celebrate! The award-winning show was based on our DVD Planting the Vision. The special episode aired on PBS across the nation. This award is a huge tribute to programs like Natural Heroes and the featured groups that are working for positive change. We hope many more people will see the show and be inspired to plant a tree in their community!
Watch a 6-minute trailer for the DVD "Planting the Vision" below.
> Order the DVD today
> Watch the Natural Heroes Fruit Tree Tour Promo on the Natural Heroes site
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
CV Crew Supports GreenFriends

Reforestation Weekend Retreat
After returning from our fifth annual tour planting 1000 fruit trees in urban schools across California, we asked ourselves, “How else can we be in service to the planet?” Plant more trees, we concluded! Join Common Vision to bring this tree planting energy from the cities out into the National Forest to plant 1,500 trees on five acres of fire devastated land. The weekend will be a festive celebration of life, spring, and stewardship of our beloved planet. Forest base camp is in Alder Springs, less than 3 hours from the Bay Area, Ukiah, and Grass Valley, located southwest of Chico. Weekend Includes: Organic vegetarian meals, Forest camping, Campfire singing, Yoga classes, and Tree planting! Sign up.
Monday, May 5, 2008
Permaculture Hillside Transformation


1000th Tree Planted Celebration

Thursday, April 24, 2008
Emmy Nomination for Common Vision !!!

Common Vision will be on the red carpet at the Northern California Emmy Awards, May 10th 2008 at the Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco, CA. The Fruit Tree Tour segment on Natural Heroes, a national television series of independent films on the environment, is nominated for an Emmy in the category of children/youth-program special. The episode “Fruit Tree Tour” was based on Common Vision’s DVD, “Planting the Vision”. Order the DVD here to see what the academy is talking about!
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
Fruit Tree Sale Varieties
To make an order contact Faith ~ 530.277.1408 ~ faith[at]CommonVision.org
Tree Sales Location:
Thurs. April 8th @ Ukiah Natural Foods COOP, Ukiah
Fri. April 9th @ Mariposa, Willits
Sun. April 11th in Bay Area Location TBA
Wed. April 14th @ Briar Patch, Grass Valley
Thurs. April 15th @ Mother Truckers, North San Juan
Fri April 16th @ Willow Springs, North San Juan
Sat. April 17th @ Earth Day Event, Healdsberg
Sun. April 18th @ Ukiah Natural Foods COOP, Ukiah
Tree Sales Location:
Thurs. April 8th @ Ukiah Natural Foods COOP, Ukiah
Fri. April 9th @ Mariposa, Willits
Sun. April 11th in Bay Area Location TBA
Wed. April 14th @ Briar Patch, Grass Valley
Thurs. April 15th @ Mother Truckers, North San Juan
Fri April 16th @ Willow Springs, North San Juan
Sat. April 17th @ Earth Day Event, Healdsberg
Sun. April 18th @ Ukiah Natural Foods COOP, Ukiah
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
1000-Tree Fruit Forest in a Box


Biggest Planting in Tour History!


Workin at the Bus Wash

Green Theatre 2008 Slide Show
Can't see slide show? It's a problem with Internet Explorer. > Get FireFox It's free and better.
The 2008 Fruit Tree Tour “Green Theatre” performance has inspired over 8,000 students this year. The story follows two urban students on there journey to find out how the food they eat is interrelated to the health of the environment. Their adventure includes a magic book that come to life, an old grandmother who shares how the birds, animals, and cycles of nature taught her about how to grow her food, and a crew of rhyming street kids who transform trash in a littered lot into instruments and music. With colorful veggie busses as backdrops, intricate puppets, drumming, and dancing, the performance engages whole school assemblies with messages of cooperation, earth stewardship, and community action for positive local and global change.
Drum Group
Common Vision brings enough drums for all the students in the workshop to play a variety of rhythms together. In the drum group, facilitators bring to life the importance of communication, respect, and recognition of interconnectedness. Students learn about traditional and contemporary cultures that use music and rhythms to celebrate seasonal cycles, to accompany farming work, and to remember that all people and animals share the common rhythm of the heartbeat. The drumming group marks time for their classmates to pickax, plant, and transform their schoolyard. Click Here to hear from Pranav, lead facilitator of the 2008 Fruit Tree Tour Drum Group.
Nature in the City
The Fruit Tree Tour crew is dedicated to helping urban students and community members renew a relationship with the Earth. Acknowledging the challenges of connecting to Nature in city environments, the crew sometimes needs a little inspiration to remember the interconnectedness of the plants, animals, and human kind. Thanks to the 10-year-old nephew of veteran tree-planter and eco-hip-hopper Koral Delatierra, Fruit Tree Tour received two fuzzy-golden bears suits for this year’s Green Theater. The inherited costumes quickly became a favorite accessory for the earth-loving, adventurous crew of Fruit Tree Tour 2008.
Can't see slide show? It's a problem with Internet Explorer. > Get FireFox It's free and better.
Can't see slide show? It's a problem with Internet Explorer. > Get FireFox It's free and better.
Saturday, March 29, 2008
The making of a Schoolyard Orchard
What does it take to transform a schoolyard? This video created by tour veteran Annapurna takes us on the journey of planting an urban orchard at Jonas Salk Tech High from the perspective of the Fruit Tree Tour behind the scenes team--from the soil donation yard to planting site. Common Vision had the honor to work with a dynamic urban agriculture educational project, Soil Born Farms, on this planting. Catch a glimpse of how Common Vision joins forces with local organizations to meaningfully connect with students, schools, and communities.
Monday, March 17, 2008
Expression Session Video Part 1: Regroovables

Check out another video about Regroovables.
Compton Planting Celebration Video

Sunday, March 16, 2008
The Sweetest Oasis
We’ve always seen the Sugar Shack as a miracle oasis in the heart of the asphalt desert of Los Angeles, and this year their status as urban miracle makers grew even more. This intentional community of artists opened an invitation to share their home with the entire crew of 27 during a full week of tree planting events in the city. Imagine 27 people getting their morning cup of coffee in your kitchen! Then, after graciously hosting the tour for a week, they didn’t flinch at our phone call that we needed an emergency landing site after a series of small scale catastrophes at our next campsite. Our heroes hosted the caravan for two more days making it possible to fulfill another two planting events. Fruit Tree Tour in Los Angeles would not be possible without the Sugar Shack. Thank you for being the sweetest oasis. We love you Sugar!!
The Best Day Ever
It is so important to remember at every tree planting on tour, what a special and unique experience that tree is for each child. If we ever forget for a moment the kind of impact a day of Fruit Tree Tour has for its participants, we are quickly reminded by the heartwarming letters and pictures we receive from the students themselves! 4th grader Robert lets us know, he is proud to tell his mom, dad and 20 month baby brother, “I know how to plant a tree”.


Santa Cruz Celebration Event
at the Vets Hall- 846 front street, Santa Cruz, CA
Doors open at 7:30
Music starts at 8:00
$15 donation at the door
Join us for music with Youssoupha Sidibe and members of Sila and the AfroFunk Experience, and Love Eternal. Story telling with ChoQosh Auh-Ho-Oh, and a special theatre production and slideshow with Common Vision.
20 out of 20 common vision crew members could be found dancing to music by Kora virtuouso Youssoupha Sidibe at Common Vision’s benefit in San Francisco, last fall. After that most amazing event, Common Vision asked Youssou to bring the band and his unique musical style
and help us lift our spirits and our feet to benefit Fruit Tree Tour 2008!
Directions to M.A. Center
FROM THE WEST:
Going east on 580 take Grove Way/Crow Canyon Road exit. Make left at end of ramp (at traffic light). Continue straight (under 580) - Grove Way turns into Crow Canyon Road. Go 5 miles and turn left into our driveway and follow posted signs from there.
FROM THE EAST OR NORTH:
Take I-80 west to 680 south. Take Crow Canyon Rd. exit in San Ramon and go right on Crow Canyon Rd. for 3 miles. Turn right onto the asphalt road.
FROM THE SOUTH:
Go north on 680 to Crow Canyon Rd. exit in San Ramon. Go left on Crow Canyon Rd. for 3 miles. Turn right onto the asphalt road and follow our posted signs from there.
FROM THE CASTRO VALLEY BART:
The MA Center provides a 9am shuttle from the Castro Valley BART station.
You must reserve a spot. Call Thomas in advance: 510.326.5757
Going east on 580 take Grove Way/Crow Canyon Road exit. Make left at end of ramp (at traffic light). Continue straight (under 580) - Grove Way turns into Crow Canyon Road. Go 5 miles and turn left into our driveway and follow posted signs from there.
FROM THE EAST OR NORTH:
Take I-80 west to 680 south. Take Crow Canyon Rd. exit in San Ramon and go right on Crow Canyon Rd. for 3 miles. Turn right onto the asphalt road.
FROM THE SOUTH:
Go north on 680 to Crow Canyon Rd. exit in San Ramon. Go left on Crow Canyon Rd. for 3 miles. Turn right onto the asphalt road and follow our posted signs from there.
FROM THE CASTRO VALLEY BART:
The MA Center provides a 9am shuttle from the Castro Valley BART station.
You must reserve a spot. Call Thomas in advance: 510.326.5757
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Performance Tune-Up
At each school program the 27 Fruit Tree Tour educators put on a 35-minute theater performance that includes colorful puppets, drumming, dancing, earth-conscious hip-hop, and a message about community, earth stewardship, and positivity. In this video, veteran tree planter Brian Flynn shows a behind the scenes look at the crew in performance practice. Special thanks to Blair Phillips for developing the storyline, to Xylem Larla Dey for pulling together and directing the script, and to George Martinet our costume designer and on-tour director.
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
A New Fruit Corridor in LA


Saturday, February 23, 2008
Grafting at the Schools with Brian
I think I should start my first Common Vision blog by being completely honest: I've had my doubts about grafting at the schools. And it's not because I don't think grafting is cool. Grafting is way cool. I mean, we take a little stick from one tree, slice into another tree, insert our little stick into the slice, wrap it with tape, slap some goop on it, and BAM! if it heals properly we got ourselves a brand new yummy fruit tree. But I've still had my doubts as I've wondered whether or not a group of 4th or 5th graders would really find this little miracle as interesting as me, the over-enthusiastic somewhat quirky long-haired tree-planting stranger.

So, there's a video at the top of this blog if you haven't noticed it yet. It was taken by crew member Annapurna this past week at Birney Elementary in San Diego. I think it gives a good snapshot of a grafting group, in case any of you out there were wanting a small taste of what a day of Fruit Tree Tour might look like. I'm hoping to get more video uploaded soon with more tree planting, scenes from our green theater performance, drum workshops, creative expression session footage, and, hopefully, some behind the scenes footage of "Life on Tour." So make sure you keep checking back here, ok?
Tomorrow we begin the LA chapter of Fruit Tree Tour '08!
Lots of love from the road,
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Some Upcoming Community Collaborations
Collaboration with local organizations is a hallmark of the Fruit Tree Tour project. This year’s tour is rich and abundant with opportunities where Common Vision will support local non-profits in their mission and spreads the message of Fruit Tree Tour meaningfully into the communities whom the organizations serve. Throughout the tour we will be sharing these stories. Here is a glimpse at two highlights coming up in Southern California:
Edendale Farm: On March 8th, Fruit Tree Tour will be planting up to 80 fruit trees at Edendale Farm and the surrounding Silver Lake (LA) neighborhood. Edendale Farm is an urban homesteading developing a replicable urban center that raises healthy wholesome food for the local community, teaches sustainable food cultivation skills, reduces waste and fosters community economics and relationships. This planting is open for the public to plant trees to the rhythm of the drums with Common Vision and Edendale Farms.
Alpha Resource Center of Santa Barbara, a non-profit organization established in 1953 that provides services and supports for people with developmental disabilities and their families in the County of Santa Barbara, California. On March 10th, Common Vision will working with the community of the Alpha Center and the Santa Barbara Permaculture Network to transform the
landscape.
“Common Vision’s visit as a catalyzing moment of drawing the local community together. The clients at the Alpha Center have a great joy to share with the world and the Common Vision program is a wonderful opportunity for them to share with their local community while entering into a collaboration with the local permaculture network to create a sustainable food producing living environment.”
-Marisa Bourke, Alpha Center Outreach Coordinator
Alpha Resource Center of Santa Barbara, a non-profit organization established in 1953 that provides services and supports for people with developmental disabilities and their families in the County of Santa Barbara, California. On March 10th, Common Vision will working with the community of the Alpha Center and the Santa Barbara Permaculture Network to transform the

“Common Vision’s visit as a catalyzing moment of drawing the local community together. The clients at the Alpha Center have a great joy to share with the world and the Common Vision program is a wonderful opportunity for them to share with their local community while entering into a collaboration with the local permaculture network to create a sustainable food producing living environment.”
-Marisa Bourke, Alpha Center Outreach Coordinator
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Meet the New Bus...
Common Vision's Newest Kitchen Bus received hundreds of hours of painting love this January before it joined the Fruit Tree Tour fleet. The bus is adorned with scenes of indigenous cultures farming their staple crops and urban communities transforming their cityscapes to food forests in celebration. The following video was produced by Jah Sun, a returning crew member whose positivity is a driving force for the project.
Although Leo's interview may suggest something to the contrary, the artists involved in the painting project were Anna Purna, Jah Sun, April, Lilly, Squirrel, "E", Lindy, Katrina, and ChoQosh. While Leo did not paint the bus, he did lead the project of outfitting the interior in sustainable materials, installing the 1000 Watt solar system, and converting the engine to run on Waste Vegetable oil.
Although Leo's interview may suggest something to the contrary, the artists involved in the painting project were Anna Purna, Jah Sun, April, Lilly, Squirrel, "E", Lindy, Katrina, and ChoQosh. While Leo did not paint the bus, he did lead the project of outfitting the interior in sustainable materials, installing the 1000 Watt solar system, and converting the engine to run on Waste Vegetable oil.
Rolling to our First San Diego School

Friday, February 15, 2008
Creating a fruit salad on one tree...
In the course of an afternoon, the Fruit Tree Tour crew learned how to graft loads of varieties onto one tree from Common Vision's newest super friend Joe Sabol. This video is a load of fun, don't miss it!
This video was created by Brian Flynn, a 3rd year returning volunteer and a crucial part of the project.
This video was created by Brian Flynn, a 3rd year returning volunteer and a crucial part of the project.
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Orientation in Joshua Tree

Saturday, February 9, 2008
Lots of miles and weird fixes!
In the last three days the caravan has driven about 580 miles and burnt about 240 gallons of vegetable oil. There's plenty to do for the small group of mechanics, fixers, and builders while we're up here in Joshua Tree. Over the next few days we'll be installing solar systems, fixing dump trucks, maintaining air brakes and any number of unpleasant/necessary things. The best fix of the last few days was when The Lioness' brake lights stopped working. The archaic air solenoid that activated the lights had failed. Inspired by electric guitar, unavailable parts, and a desire to safely be on the road, Stephen and I quickly came up with a makeshift repair. We drilled out the pedal and installed a push-button switch right in the center! Check out the video:
C'etait bien,
C'etait bien,
Monday, February 4, 2008
Sunday, February 3, 2008
New bus leaves the shop
After days of desperate attempts to leave, the new bus and I finally made it out of the shop alive/running. The last days of the shop were characterized by blood, engine coolant, rain, and an impending sense of doom. The final push is always hard. The last of the shop crew stayed back an extra day to finish cleaning while the new bus and I rodevouzed with the crew in Santa Cruz. Here high winds and pontential tidal waves have forced them from their comfortable campsite on the beach to the cold and bitter downtown area. They are holding up though, with a deep respect for natures destructive force. Barring any unforeseen applications of this force the bus will be comleted over the next few days, but for now I ask myself "how long oh lord, how long?"
In solidarity with whatever YOU stand for,
Leo
In solidarity with whatever YOU stand for,
Leo
Friday, January 25, 2008
check your rigging
When the stove for the new bus arrived it was clear the installation was going to require some creativity. The stove that would feed the crew, was way too big to fit through the bus door. The pre tour crew would not be intimated by the 600 lb stove, and quickly devised a plan to bring the stove through the roof of the bus. Special thanks to Common Vision Hero- Brock Archer whose skills as a fire fighter ensured a safe stove raising!







Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Modern Day Johnny Appleseeds?

1. Johnny Appleseed was an American pioneer nurseryman who introduced the apple to large parts of Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois. Common Vision are pioneer earth-lovers who are introducing fresh fruit to salad bars in the public schools of LA, Oakland, and Santa Barbara.
2. In 1792, 18-year-old Chapman went west. In 1998, 18 year-old Michael Flynn our director of education came west.
3. In the early 1800’s Appleseed carried a load of seeds by canoe and pack horse into Ohio. In the early 2000’s Common Vision carried several loads of bareroot fruit trees, rootstock, and planting volunteers into the cities of California.

5. Appleseed's managers were asked to sell trees on credit, if at all possible, but he would accept corn meal, cash, or used clothing in barter. Common Vision only accepts payment in corn meal or used clothing in extraneous circumstances on a case-by-case basis.
6. Appleseed remained an itinerant his entire life. Common Vision would like to develop a land-based education center.
7. Appleseed obtained the apple seed for free; cider mills wanted more apple trees planted since it would eventually bring them more business. Common Vision receives scion (the wood needed for propagating fruit tree varieties) for free from the California Rare Fruit Growers. The cider mills in particular and alcohol industry in general have yet to show any interest in supporting the Fruit Tree Tour.

10. Appleseed was well known throughout the region by his eccentricity, and the strange garb he usually wore. This is also true of Common Vision.
11. Johnny Appleseed dressed in the worst of the used clothing he received, giving away the better clothing he received in barter. He wore no shoes, even in the snowy winter. Common Vision is required to wear shoes in the public schools under California State Law.
Monday, January 21, 2008
Where do fruit trees come from?

The Heritage Orchard in Santa Clara contains over 350 varieties of fruit trees used for scion wood. Michael, Blair, Koral and I all attended our first scion cutting party to learn all we could from the devoted fruit tree lovers.
How it works: (what's grafting?) Little sticks of trees are cut in order to be grafted onto rootstock or a compatible older tree and produce the desirable fruit. Common Vision’s Roots to Fruits program offers the students a hands- on opportunity to learn by participating in the propagation of and care for newly grafted fruit trees (Roots2Fruits).

At the first of a dozen CRFG scion exchanges throughout the state, I collected heirloom varieties that fruit during the school year for propagation on FTT 08, including Tydemans Late Orange & Ashmead’s Kernal apples. Common Vision is honored to help preserve DNA and pass on delicious fruit to students and communities across the state.
Sunday, January 20, 2008
OrganicLivingFood.com gives 5% to Fruit Tree Tour
Common Vision has been so blessed to have the support of a wide range of people, organizations, and companies that work in different ways to support the health, vitality, and wellness of the communities they serve. The superfood distribution company, Organic Living Food, has sponsored school scholarships two years in a row, and the companies owner Eric Botner is often seen sporting his hemp Common Vision Fruit Tree Tour hoodie, supporting the vision and project.
Organic Living Foods has just launched a program where 5% of every order placed with them that uses the "PlantTrees5%" code on their website will go to supporting the Fruit Tree Tour Project. Whether you are looking for cacao products, nut butters, goji berries, or green foods, Organic Living Food has some of the best prices available. Use the "PlantTrees5% special offer coupon" today, and support both your health and the health of school children across California. > Make your order

Friday, January 18, 2008
New Friends for Green Theatre!



Thursday, January 17, 2008
It's been a while...



Arregato,
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