Project Food and Farm Retreat - Updated!

Project Food and Farm Retreat 2008

Work. Learn. Connect.

This blog has been updated (August 4).
Scroll down to view:
-list of things to bring
-driving directions
-retreat rules
-updated itinerary

Suggestions of what to bring:

Please bring 1 pint and 1 quart wide mouth mason jars or bring $1.50 per jar

Tent
Sleeping bag
Sleeping pad
Headlamp/flashlight
Repellent
Camera
Sun Hat / Sunblock
Water Bottle
Sturdy Shoes
Fun things

Earplugs, if you are a light sleeper
Yoga Mat- optional
Portable folding chairs- optional
Personal toiletries

Notebook to take notes and write down thoughts, recipes, etc

Directions:

Please visit http://www.greenoakscreek.com/Directions.htm for detailed directions to the farm. If you get have trouble locating it, please call (650) 879-1009

*Helpful information: The farm is approximately 11.4 miles from Pescadero Road and 2.3 miles from Costanoa and Rossi Road, on highway one.

From San Francisco
Take 280 south to 92, and take 92 to Half Moon Bay. From Half Moon Bay, drive south on Hwy. 1 and continue beyond the “Pescadero” sign. After you pass Costanoa Resort on your left and the sign for Rossi Road (you have approximately 2.3 more miles to go), there will be a passing lane. As this passing lane narrows into one lane again, slow down and look for a street sign on your left that says “Green Oaks way” and a small brown sign that says “Green Oaks Creek Farm” (If you get to Año Nuevo State Reserve you’ve gone too far.).

This sign is placed between two parallel dirt driveways: take the southern of the two driveways. Soon after you turn onto the dirt road there is a turn off to the left – stay to the right. Proceed 4/10th of a mile (you will pass through a stand of eucalyptus trees) until you reach a distinct Y in the road. Take the left fork of the Y (there is another sign here that says “Green Oaks Creek Farm”), drive through the deer fence gate (please shut it behind you) and drive 3/10th of a mile until you see a parking sign on your right. Please park in the designated parking area.

From Paul and Steph at Green Oaks Crek Farm:

Dear Guests,

Greetings and welcome to our circle of visitors. Since we are welcoming you to the land where we dwell, we ask that you in turn remain mindful of our rules during your stay.

Rules and Cautions:

1) Cars - a) Carpool whenever possible.

b) Shut deer-fence gate behind you on our driveway.

c) Please drive SLOWLY on our dirt road to help minimize dust and road maintenance.

d) Remain parked in parking lot: DO NOT drive around on property.

2) No pets.

3) No mountain bikes.

4) Respect privacy of the 4 dwellings on the property.

5) Do not wander off of Green Oaks property onto neighbors' properties.

6) Camp in designated camping area only.

7) Fire - a) Always have water present

b) NEVER leave fires unattended - designate someone as fire keeper

c) Put out fire with water when done

d) Don't leave burning candles unattended

8) Be aware that mowed areas and trails have significantly less ticks.

9) If you come across a shut gate when walking around, shut it behind you. If you don't, deer and/or our farm animals can potentially devastate our crops.

10) Do not enter animal paddocks or feed the animals. Much of the fencing around the animals is electric.

11) Quiet time - 11:00 p.m.

Itinerary for Project Food and Farm 2008: (subject to change)

August 8th-11th

August 8th, Friday:


6-7:00 p.m. Introductions, set up tents if you haven't already

7:30-8:45 p.m. dinner and clean-up.
8:45 p.m. leisure/campfire

August 9th, Saturday

7:00- 8:00 a.m. Optional Yoga
8:00-9.00 a.m. Breakfast
9 a.m.- 11 a.m. farm tour/education with farmer Paul and Steph

10:40-11:00 a.m. Prep Snack
11-11:20 snack time
11:20 a.m.-1:20 p.m. Volunteer on the farm/group 1

11:20 a.m.-1:20 p.m. cooking demonstration with head chef, Jay Holceck/group 2

1:20 p.m.-2:30 p.m. lunch and group clean-up

2:30 p.m.-4:00 p.m. Free time/farming at leisure

4:00-6:00 p.m. Fermentation 101 workshop: Fundamentals of Kombucha and Kraut, make your own with Change.
6:00-7:30 p.m. Help make dinner/Work on farm/leisure opportunity

7:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m. Dinner


Sunday, August 11th:

7:30 a.m.- 8:30 a.m. Optional Yoga
8:30 a.m.-9:30 a.m. Breakfast
9:30 a.m.- 10:30 a.m. educational activity

10:30 a.m.-10:45 a.m. light snack
10:30-12:30 p.m. cooking demonstration/group 1

10:30-12:30 p.m. work on farm/group 2

12:30-1:45 p.m. lunch and clean-up
1:45 p.m.-4:00 p.m. leisure or work on farm, hiking at ano nuevo state park

4:00-5:30 p.m. How and why to sprout and soak: the healing properties in a nut and seed
5:30-7:00 p.m. Help prepare dinner/leisure opportunity

7:00 p.m.- 8:15 p.m. dinner and clean-up
8:15 p.m.- 8:45 p.m. Closing statements


Monday Morning:

8 a.m.-9 a.m. Breakfast
by 11 a.m. leave farm

Purpose of the retreat:

The mission of this retreat is to connect you, the participant, with the source of food, while offering some tools you can take home and use. This is an opportunity to experience being on a farm, to spend time in a kitchen, eating and sharing meals while getting to know others. There will also be workshops on how to prepare nutrient dense foods and discussions to help you understand where food comes from and its history. This will be a valuable experience for anyone.

Although there will be work to gain insight and experience in the kitchen and on the farm, there will be leisurely things to do in your spare time. For details, please stroll down to education and leisure activities

Where: Green Oaks Creek Farm and Retreat in Pescadero, California, a little over an hour South of San Francisco (driving directions below)
Who: Individuals, couples families, all are welcome. Those under 15 must be accompanied by an adult.
When: August 8th, arrive after 3 p.m. to August 11th, morning

Leisure activities:
There will be some free time while on the retreat. There is a short hiking trail on the premise and Ano Nuevo State Natural Reserve is a short distance away. We invite you to bring musical instruments, stories, songs, and your good humor in case you want to share with others around the camp fire at night.

Meal planning:

Meals for this retreat will include breakfast, "tea time", lunch, and dinner and will be nutrient-dense, organic whole meals. To learn more about the principles we use, please visit Weston Price Foundation. Meals will be vegetarian/vegan friendly but may include bone-broth from pasture-raised animals, with some meat options from local farms- depending. If you have a particular dietary restriction, please let us know.

Food and Farm Retreat:
Sample Menu for Saturday and Sunday
By Traditional Chef Jay Holecek

Saturday

Breakfast:
Traditional Swiss Breakfast:
-Cultured Swiss Muesli (cultured with yogurt whey)
-Roasted Chicory root Coffee
-Fresh Fruit (from the farm)

Lunch:
Traditional Asian Food
-Bi Bim Bap: carrots, zucchini, bok choi, cucumber. Served with brown
rice, and a cultured chili/bean sauce (cultured with plain sauerkraut). (options: fried egg)
-Traditional kimchi
-Cultured Ginseng/Honey drink (Rejuvelac culture)

Dinner:
Traditional African Food (Vegan Meal)
-Injera bread (cultured Teff flour flat bread)
-Mesir Wat (Ethiopian Red Lentil Stew)
-Berberi spiced braised roots and greens
-Cultured mustard/sesame spiced carrot slaw (dressing is whey cultured)
Optional additions
Vegetarian options:
-Lab (cultured milk curd and herb topping)
Carnivore options:
-Doro Wat (spicy braised Chicken)
Dessert options:
-Baked plantain and rice pudding

Sunday

Breakfast:
Traditional Himalayan food
-Tsampa Momo (Sprouted and roasted barley, black tea, salt and butter dumplings
filled with veggies)
-Sesame Achar (Roasted tomato and sesame spiced chutney)
-Thousand year eggs (hard boiled eggs soaked in tea)

Lunch
Traditional South American Food
-Cultured tomato gazpacho with fresh vegetables (cultured with plain sauerkraut)
-Fresh garden salad (toasted cumin/lemon dressing)
-Homemade tortillas
-Mole Black bean dip
-Cultured chili sauce (Cultured with plain sauerkraut)
_hampurrado: a traditional purple corn, chili, cinnamon, and chocolate drink
Alternatives:
-Cultured Mate/hibiscus cooler (Yerba mate, hibiscus, lemon, cinnamon, honey)

Dinner:
Traditional Indian Food
-Saag (Cauliflower in a rich green sauce)
-Garden Kichadi (a thick rice/bean/vegetable and spice stew)
-Fresh Garden salad (cultured curry sesame dressing)
-Chapati (sprouted and dried wheat)
-Coconut/mint chutney
-Curry Sauerkraut
Carnivore options:
-tandoori spiced grilled chicken
Dessert options:
-Chai Coconut rice pudding

Transportation:
We highly recommend car-pooling with other participants and sharing in the price of gas. If you have room in your car or need a ride, please contact Danny Drachsler at drachsler@gmail.com or call 703-732-0265.

What to wear:
Dress in layers. The weather will most likely be cool in the morning to hot in the mid-day. The evenings may be cool and breezy.

Sleeping accomodations:
Tent space will be provided on the farm but participants will be responsible for bringing their own tent and camping gear. There may be shared space to sleep in the teepee (limited 8 adults).

If you have trouble obtaining equipment and/or a tent, please let us know and we can try to accommodate you.

Showers:
There will be hot showers available on premises

*This is an equal opportunity for individuals of all races, colors, genders, and sexual orientations. We appreciate and accept all interested persons and expect the same for you, the participant.