MARCH PROGRAM RECAP • COFFEE IN TARZANA • SHARING SECRETS NOTE: If you would like to at home or a local community garden obtain a downloadable PDF of instead. Sanchez presented a list of SHARING SECRETS the entire March presentation, go native edibles that can easily be grown, to the “Monthly Meetings / Past and various foods that can be derived RESPONSES Meetings” tab on our website at: from them. His top growing picks What critters are you www.socalhort.org. d included: welcoming (or discouraging) in your garden as we head In March we were treated to a • Claytonia perfoliata-Miner’s lettuce into spring? And how? program presented by native food (fresh greens, soup, pesto) d expert, educator and enthusiast, Antonio • Salvia clevelandii and hybrids Sanchez, who not only gave us a history (seasoning, pesto, beer, ice cream, My critter issue is squirrels. I can’t stop them from visiting, of California baked treats, infused in oils) • Allium unifolium - one-leaf onion but I force them to share the native edible nectarines and plums with me plants, but (use like garlic, shallots, or chives) by protecting the larger fruit also brought • Vitis ‘Roger’s Red’ and other grapes clusters with drawstring net bags. along recipes • Ribes aureum - golden currant I purchase two or three sizes and tasty (jams, eaten fresh, cordial, medicinal) online. Unfortunately, squirrels samples. He can gnaw holes through the fabric Other plants not typically used in food when motivated, and both the has worked by: Maher Laura Photo cultivation but that should be considered fruit and bags must be monitored with California native plants and foods occasionally, but it slows them for over a decade, and was one of the for the near future were mentioned, such as various native berries, pinyon nuts, down a lot and allows me to lead organizers for the 2015 California pick a decent harvest. I intend Native Food Symposium in Claremont. purslane, and the Slim Jim bean. to experiment with other barrier He also co-founded Nopalito Native In addition to “growing our materials this season or next. own”, Sanchez also recommended Plant Nursery in Ventura. Yoav Paskowitz Sanchez began with an introduction introducing these foods through to common food crops historically community and demonstration Spring brings the flush of found throughout Mesoamerica and gardens, local farmer’s markets, and fresh new growth in our gardens. the Californias, some of which have even selling food products derived And sometimes the heartbreak been lost to us, but many of which from these plants online. of finding that fresh new growth are viable options for growing today. To wrap up the evening, Sanchez took pulled out or chewed up! audience questions and invited attendees I’m always happy to host the Among the reasons he cited to consider White-Crowned Sparrows over growing native foods are to providing to sample some of the foods he brought the winter, and am sad to see a sustainable and available supply, with him, all of which were mentioned them go in the spring. But I am cultural revitalization, commercial in the lecture. He left us intellectually glad my pea shoots will have a development of a regional resource and gastronomically satisfied, with much chance to recover. (food security) and water conservation. “food for thought” to take home to our Anonymous He strongly advocated against foraging own kitchen gardens. Thanks for sharing! in the wild and suggested growing them d Sabine Steinmetz On Sunday, March 25, 2018, the SCHS Mountains Wildfowers. They spoke of After the presentation, Wood led a hosted a special Coffee in the Garden Bill Baker’s many plant introductions, garden walk and pointed out many unusual at “Baker’s Acres,” a specialty cactus and including: Pachyphytum ‘Bill Baker’, specimens (not all succulents) growing on succulent nursery in Tarzana. Donna numerous Dyckias, such as ‘Brittlestar’, the grounds, including: Xanthorrhoea preissii, Marie Baker, the wife of late founder and ‘California’ and ‘Tarzan’, plus other plants Strelitzia juncea, Erythrina flabelliformis, plantsman Bill Baker, graciously opened like Aloe ‘Hercules.’ Brachychiton rupestris, and the Buddha’s the gates of her one-of-a-kind nursery Hand citron. Following the tour, guests and garden to us for a few hours. We browsed for plants, botanical prints and were able to explore the grounds and books that were offered for sale. enjoy refreshments provided by SCHS Many thanks again to our hosts, and board members. to the SCHS board for arranging this We heard about the history of the memorable Coffee in the Garden event. nursery in a short presentation given by d two of the Bakers’ longtime friends: Royce Sabine Steinmetz Wood, botanical illustrator and landscape designer, as well as Tim Thomas, botanist Visit our Facebook page and co-author of Southern California Steinmetz by: Sabine Photo to see more photos of this garden! v