Biggs Orchard to Rain Fruit

First planted in 2009, Biggs Elementary's orchard just finished its third summer in the ground.  In September 2011, Common Vision came to support with tree care, training for the caretakers, planting some new varieties, and collecting the stories of a school that has really grown the inspiration planted with the Fruti Tree Tour program.

Fall Tour Slide Show

Gathering the New Crew

The new crew getting ready to get on the bus.  

Animals in the Orchard

Common Vision is stoked to announce that Chris Kerston will be joing the Holisitc Management course. He is leading the Saturday evening's session "Animals in the Orchard" describing the farming operations at Chaffin Family Orchards, a 3,000 acre organic olive, stone fruit, beef, egg, and broiler operation that is one of the top examples of animal-integrated agriculture in the US.

The Holistic Management course will be taught by Kirk Gadzia of the Savory Institute and will run from September 9-11.

> More Info and Register

Follow Chris on a tour of the 3,000 acres of Chaffin Family Orchards:

Holistic Management Intensive

Holistic Management is an essential tool for sustainably managing farms, organizations, and, households in a profitable and resource enhancing engagement of the land.
Common Vision is honored to join forces with GreenFriends Farm at the M.A. Center to make this course available.

> Click here for more info and registration

Thank you GreenFriends Farm, Savory Institute, Biologic Systems, and Living Mandala
!

Fall Tour 2011

September 17-30th
Ukiah, Big Bend, Shasta, Chico, and Nevada City

Common Vision will work with 8 schools and 2 community sites to plant 200 Fruit Trees across Northern California. We are excited for this Northern California focused tour to reach a new area of the state and share this community-transforming experience with our rural neighbors.

9/21 -Wed -   La Vida Charter School - Ukiah
9/23  - Fri - Mountain Union School - Big Bend
9/23 -Fri- Indian Springs School- Big Bend
9/24  -Sat - Big Bend Community Planting - Big Bend Hot Springs
9/25 -Sun- Chaffin Family Orchards - Oroville
26th - Mon - Blue Oak School - Chico
27th  - Tues -Biggs Elementary- Chico Area
28th - Wed - Deer Creek Elementary - Nevada City
29th - Thur -  Forest Charter School (Tentative) - Nevada City
29th  - Thurs - Community Planting @ Forever Flowering - Nevada City

Fruit Tree Tour will plant varieties including apple, pear, plum, fig, persimmon, and cherry among others. Fruit Tree Tour typically travels the state for two months each spring with an Emmy Award-winning green theater troupe onboard, but this fall’s special tour will focus exclusively on putting new orchards in the ground and bringing art into the new orchards with sign paining.   It also marks Fruit Tree Tour's furthest foray into remote regions of rural Northern California.

Since 2004, the all-volunteer crew of modern-day Johnny Appleseeds has directly impacted over 85,000 students and planted nearly 5,000 fruit trees at public schools and community centers throughout California, mostly in junk food jungles and other areas classified as urban food deserts due to a lack of local access to fresh fruits and vegetables.

Loving up the big trees!