Common Vision at Castle Park High in San Diego

by Libby Woods, Spring 2015 Tour Crew Member



Last Friday Common Vision visited Castle Park High School in San Diego. Our first High School of this tour. Castle Park High is located upon a hill that over looks the city with a great view of the mountains. The school is 50 years old and has not had an Agriculture program within any current teachers memory. This install came through a dedicated and enthusiastic special needs teacher Rhonda. Like most school yards we visit, Castle Park High school grounds was extremely compacted and nearly hard as concrete. Michael and I visited the school a couple evenings before to lay a drip line and soak the grounds. This small step accelerates our morning digging process tremendously.

The Biggs Miracle Orchard

FALL 2014 TOUR REPORT: BIGGS



CHICO, CA - Biggs is one of our many miracle orchards. First planted in 2008, we were somewhat flabbergasted by the success of this orchard. Since our last orchard care visit in 2011, we returned this Fall to find the drip-irrigation system in disarray. But these trees were determined. They managed to root down into groundwater during the drought and are thriving. On this visit we add 8 new fruit trees to the 16 we planted on past visits. Nothing smacks a big old smile on our faces more than watching kids fill boxes and boxes of pomegranates, pears, apples and persimmons from their superabundant school orchard.

Sacramento school orchards are thriving

FALL 2014 TOUR REPORT



SACRAMENTO, CA We are super happy to report that school orchards at CCAA Elementary and High School, Orangevale, Skycrest and Serna Village in Sacramento are all thriving. These schools represent orchards comprised of over 200 fruit trees, and our return visits this Fall were focused mostly on pruning back these super abundant trees to get them ready for next season. CCAA is another great example of total campus transformation. Where there was once just a patch of grass, there is now a food forest complete with a canopy that creates a living classroom on campus.

Teaming up with The Polish Ambassador

FALL 2014 TOUR REPORT: ALTA SIERRA SCHOOL



GRASS VALLEY, CA - Infinite gratitude to The Polish Ambassador, Ayla Nero and Mr. Lif for a sold-out Sunday evening show that helped raise $21,000 for our school orchard program. Also, a humongo thank you to all of the fans who came out to Alta Sierra school to work with Common Vision on the first day of action on The Polish Ambassador’s Permaculture Action Tour. Many hands make light work, especially when jackhammering compacted soil, picking out giant rocks and moving concrete rubble to make room for a new orchard. Our action team and more than 50 TPA fans showed up at Alta Sierra Elementary School with shovels in hand ready to get dirty. We dug holes for fence posts and prepared the water irrigation system.

Sacramento school district green lights new pilot orchard

FALL 2014 TOUR REPORT: PACIFIC ELEMENTARY


SACRAMENTO, CA - Pacific Elementary marked the first time in ten years that the Sacramento school district gave the green light to plant a new school orchard. Similar to our pilot program in Richmond, we are working closely with the district to prove that school orchards are doable, and delicious!

Ag Revival at Luther Burbank High

FALL 2014 TOUR REPORT: LUTHER BURBANK HIGH SCHOOL

Farm to Fork Capital of America

FALL 2014 TOUR REPORT


YOLO COUNTY - We love Yolo County! The Sacramento Area recently decided to become the farm-to-fork capital of America, so Common Vision teamed up with Yolo County Farm to Fork to plant orchards at Zamora, Plainfield, Knights Landing and Dingle elementary schools. In 2008, the present-day principle at Knights Landing was a 3rd grade teacher at Plainfield when we first planted peach, nectarine, apple and apricot trees there.