Rachel Jackson
Apdo 185-6000 Puriscal, San JosĂŠ, Costa Rica E-mail: rachel.jackson.design@gmail.com Costa Rica: 011.506.2200.0920 U.S. Cell: 773.677.7739
STREETSCAPE ENHANCEMENT & ECOLOGICAL PARKING LOT DESIGN CLIENT: TOWN OF GREENFIELD LOCATION: GREENFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS DESIGNERS: RACHEL JACKSON & CHRISTINA PUERTO
With its rich history, strong community, growing base of small businesses and expanding cultural events, Greenfield has the potential to be the thriving heart of Franklin County. In commissioning this report, a precursor to a future sustainable master plan, Greenfield demonstrated its desire to be not only a vibrant and welcoming community but a sustainable community as well. This 26-page streetscape enhancement and ecological parking lot planset outlines designs and strategies to improve both the aesthetics and ecological health of downtown Greenfield. For this project, we conducted a streetscape and parking analysis and examined existing environmental challenges, including high street tree mortality, untreated stormwater runoff, and urban heat island effect. Through public meetings and discussions with city officials, we identified areas that had a clear “downtown feel” and developed designs and strategies to expand this distinct identity to all parts of downtown. We addressed the challenge of creating sustainable parking lots by creating multi-functional spaces that can enhance the social and ecological fabric of the town.
STREETSCAPE DESIGN BIO-SWALES AND WATER FILTRATION PARKING ANALYSIS HEALTHY STREET TREES
STREETSCAPE ENHANCEMENT AND ECOLOGICAL PARKING LOT DESIGN
Downtown
Greenfield Green River
Olver Transit Center
Connecticut River
Poets Seat Ridge
Google Earth
The Town of Greenfield asked our design team to examine the downtown streetscape and two of its municipal parking lots, and develop designs that enhance both the aesthetics and ecological functioning of Main Street, Bank Row, and the parking lots. The resulting analysis and designs look at ecological issues of stormwater, urban heat island effect (UHI), and high street tree mortality. It outlines methods to address these challenges as well as ways to increase walkability and create a more cohesive visual character for the downtown area. Increased permeable surface, bio-swales and rain gardens reduce and purify stormwater run-off entering the Green River. Additional crosswalks, selectively narrowed street width, and a new planted median signal the entrance to Greenfield, help to slow traffic and create a distinct and welcoming downtown atmosphere. Expanded planting areas in new bump-outs, combined with careful species selection and the use of tree planting trenches, increase downtown vegetation, adding beauty and reducing UHI. A barren 2-acre parking lot is now shaded by solar arrays, creating a more pleasant parking experience and generating power for the town. A popular and highly visible parking lot is re-envisioned as a pocket park, adding vegetation and gathering space without reducing the number of parking spots.
Focus Area
Deerfield River
Natural features of the Greenfield region.
Greenfield Town Hall anchors the downtown district.
GOALS • Envision an inviting and beautiful streetscape that enhances pedestrian experience and promotes healthy ecological functions. • Design two “green” parking lots that improve the ecological health of downtown Greenfield and can serve as a template for other downtown parking lots. Newly renovated historic buildings along Bank Row attract patrons with outdoor seating, movable displays and hanging signs.
MAIN STREET ELEVATION LOOKING NORTH
Green River
Colrain Street
Fort Square West
Fort Square East
Conway Street
Wells Street
Chapman Davis Street Street
School Street
Federal Street
Hope Street
Franklin Street
High Street
Focus Area 0’
40’
80’ 120’ 200’ 280’
WESTERN SECTION DESIGN Key Plan N.T.S. N
WESTERN SECTION
4 1
0’
50’
100’
The western section of Main Street marks the entrance to downtown from I-91. With buildings dating from the 1950’s and 60’s, this car-centric section is less walkable and lacks a downtown “feel”.
150’
5
2
ºº The street is narrowed throughout the section, potentially slowing traffic and creating a safer pedestrian environment. ºº Added vegetation and biofiltration areas in the bump-outs catch, filter or infiltrate stormwater potentially improving water-quality in the Green River and reducing downstream flooding. ºº Large, healthy trees provide an inviting, shaded, pedestrian environment and reduce urban heat island effect. ºº On-street parking is reduced by 46%, removing 18 of 39 spots in an area of underused parking.
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5
200’
250’
N
Existing Tree
Existing Paved Pedestrian Area
Existing Vegetation
New Tree
New Paved Pedestrian Area
New Vegetation
1• A 14-foot-wide median creates a distinct tree-lined entrance to the downtown area.
2• All diagonal parking is removed and replaced with parallel
parking to increase area for stormwater filtration along the street.
3• Additional trees (outlined in purple), planted to optimize
WESTERN SECTION: SHOWN WITHOUT TREES
health (see sheet 22), line the street and the median. Power lines, now buried, no longer interfere with tree canopies.
4• Curb cuts along the street direct runoff into biofiltration basins. Overflow is directed into the storm sewer.
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2
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Street and give people the option to stop and wait in the median during heavy traffic. A third additional crosswalk in front of Ryan and Casey’s liquor store divides what was a seven-hundred foot stretch of street without a marked crossing.
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Toyota of Greenfield
Private Residences Lawn
5• New crosswalks allow pedestrians to safely cross Main
Grass & Trees
Existing Street Section
Toyota of Greenfield
Lawn
Main Street
Sidewalk
Private Residences
Grass & Trees Sidewalk
Grass & Trees Sidewalk
Main Street Median Bioswale
Main Street Grass & Trees Sidewalk
Proposed Street Section
FISKE AVENUE PARKING LOT SITE ANALYSIS
• Located directly off of Main Street • Contains 11 spots, frequently full ºº The highly visible lot has potential to be a showcase for green initiatives.
Fiske Lot Existing View: Looking East
The Fiske Lot directly borders the privately owned Fiske Avenue. This small pedestrian-oriented street contains popular businesses and hosts outdoor dining in the warmer months.
DRAINAGE & SLOPES
VEGETATION & SHADE
• Lot slopes from the northeast to southwest at 4-5% • 80% impervious surface • Stormwater from paved areas enters one of three storm drains and flows to the Green River.
IMPLICATIONS ºº Most of the stormwater has no opportunity to be filtered or infiltrated and may have a negative effect on the water quality of the river.
IMPLICATIONS
ºº Lack of porosity and tough urban conditions make tree survival difficult. ºº Semi-shady lot will lose morning summer shade if stressed trees are removed, increasing UHI effect and making parking lot and Fiske Avenue less comfortable.
Main Street
ºº Potential conflict between vehicles and the most popular pedestrian path. ºº Loitering along fence and retaining wall can block sidewalk and make other pedestrians feel uncomfortable.
N
Fiske Ave
Retaining Wall
Vehicular Vehicular Fiske Vehicular Traffic Traffic Traffic Ave
Shade at Spring and Fall Equinox
Drainage Path Storm Drains
0’ 10’ 20’ 30’ 40’ 50’
IMPLICATIONS
Main Street
N
Fiske Ave
N
• Vehicular and pedestrian traffic share space with no clear walking path within the lot.
Main Street
N
Miles Street
ACCESS & CIRCULATION
• 11 trees surround the parking lot. Arborvitae shrubs and perennials are planted along the retaining wall and southern edge of the lot. • The trees and building cast partial shade across the lot during summer months. • 7 of the trees are struggling or dying.
Struggling Trees
Miles Street
Miles Street
Pedestrian Pedestrian Pedestrian Traffic Traffic Traffic Area of of Area Area of Potential Potential Potential Conflict Conflict Conflict
0’ 10’ 20’ 30’ 40’ 50’
Vehicular Traffic Pedestrian Area of Potential Conflict
FISKE LOT PREFERRED DESIGN: POCKET PARK
Main Street
This design creates a shaded, green parking lot with expanded gathering spaces, while reducing impervious surface and related negative environmental effects. The expanded gathering spaces require cooperation of adjacent property owners on Fiske Avenue. 1• Parking is directly adjacent to Miles Street, reducing the total amount of asphalt. 2• The sidewalk is routed around the parking lot, eliminating potential pedestrian/vehicle conflicts. 3• An expanded Fiske Avenue, now surfaced with attractive permeable pavers, provides more room for sitting and outdoor dining. The wider entry area draws the eyes of passersby and connects Main Street to the popular businesses along the avenue.
3
5• A vegetated rain garden treats and infiltrates stormwater from the parking lot and part of the street. A small sign explains the process of biofiltration and Greenfield’s commitment to sustainability.
Benches
Ramp
A1
6• Smaller shade-tolerant redbud trees thrive in the planting bed along Fiske Avenue.
2
A
7
7• A gently sloped ramp provides easy access for wheelchairs between the parking lot and Fiske Avenue.
Miles Street
4• Fine crushed rock creates a durable and permeable walking surface while supporting tree health and stormwater infiltration. London plane trees tower over the area, creating a classic shaded allée reminiscent of New York City’s Bryant Park and Paris’s Jardin du Luxembourg.
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Philipp Fuchs
4
Moveable chairs are found beneath the shaded walkways of Paris’s Jardin du Luxembourg
Culvert
Rain Garden A
6
Fiske Avenue
5 A
1
6
3
Permeable Pavers
Stormwater Overflow
Fiske Avenue
Permeable Crushed Rock Planting Wheelchair Bed Ramp Retaining Wall
Sidewalk
Parking Area
Miles Street
Section A-A’
Sidewalk 0’
5’
10’
15’
20’
0’ 10’ 20’ 30’ 40’ 50’
N
LANDUSE CONCEPT PLAN CLIENT: NORTHEAST BIODIESEL LOCATION: GREENFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS DESIGNER: RACHEL JACKSON Northeast Biodiesel is a cooperatively owned biodiesel production facility located on twenty-seven acres of woods and wetlands on the outskirts of Greenfield, Massachusetts. As a project of Co-op Power, Northeast Biodiesel is committed to promoting environmental sustainability and social justice through the use of appropriate technology. The plant’s footprint takes up two of the property’s twenty-seven acres, and the organization wants to utilize the remaining land in a way that would benefit members and reflect the organization’s ideals. They also hope to create a welcoming and attractive entrance and to ensure the environmental safety of their workers. In the fall of 2011, I began an analysis and site design for the property. Major challenges included the proximity of high-voltage power lines, and past degradation of the land. I created three large-scale concepts for the property to be presented to the cooperative’s membership, outlining possibilities in recreation, environmental protection, oil-seed crop production and alternative energy education. I also created a detailed design and planting plan for the building area. The foundation and oil tanks of the future biodiesel plant at sunset
SITE ANALYSIS PLANTING PLANS ALTERNATIVE ENERGY MAPPING & SURVEYING
ALTERNATIVE CONCEPT PLANS ALTERNATIVE #1 ENVIRONMENTAL RECREATION
ALTERNATIVE #3 REGIONAL RENEWABLE ENERGY EDUCATION CENTER
LEGEND
LEGEND Hazelnut and Camelina Demonstration Plots Managed Woodlot
Picnic Area Green Roof Solar Panels Wetland Buffer
NORTHEAST BIODIESEL
Early to Mid-Succession Wildlife Habitat Wetlands Native Forbs and Grasses
Native Switchgrass Learning Center Native Forbs and Grasses
Green Roofs
Rain Catchment Small Scale Algae Production Micro-Hydro Demonstration
Access & Parking for Trails Existing Roads and Trails New Trails (Approximate)
0’ 30’ 60’
120’
Outdoor Classroom
Point of Interest
The Environmental Recreation alternative honors the natural state of the land by minimizing human impact and managing for ecological benefit. Low impact recreations such as hiking and crosscountry skiing, use the existing trails and a few new paths to allow visitors to experience the property’s natural beauty.
Implementing this plan would require minimal input of resources and reflect the environmental ethics of Northeast Biodiesel. This alternative would allow co-op members to immediately make use of the site.
The Regional Renewable Energy Education Center will educate the public on renewable energy options, promoting Co-op Power’s goal of creating a more sustainable energy future. By combining multiple energy technologies in a way that is functional and educational, Northeast Biodiesel could become a center of learning, drawing people to the site from throughout the region. All energy will be produced on site using no fossil fuels. Adding a new building and repairing the causeway would be expensive. While the Fall Brook
has sufficient head for a micro-hydro turbine, the stream is located relatively far from the buildings, requiring the power to travel 500 ft. to reach the learning center. Micro-hydro is thought to have minimal environmental impact but it would still effect the stream’s ecosystem and would need approval from the Conservation Commission. While this design envisions a large-scale center, the same focus on education could be applied on a smaller scale.
PLANTING PLAN NORTHEAST BIODIESEL 3
H Iv
Iv Iv Ht
Mf Pd
Ba
C
C 6
Am Am AmAm Am
Cs - Cornus sericea Redosier Dogwood Vc - Vaccinium corymbosum Highbush Blueberry Am - Aronia melanocarpa Black Chokeberry Iv - Ilex verticillata Winterberry Rf - Rudbeckia fulgida Black-eyed Susan
Pd - Penstemon digitalis White Beardtongue Iv - Ilex verticillata Winterberry Mf - Monarda fistulosa Bee Balm Ba - Baptisia australis Wild Blue Indigo Ht - Helianthus tuberosus Jeruselum Artichoke H - Hemerocallis sp. Day Lily C - Corylus sp. Hybrid Hazelnut
Iv
Iv Iv 7
Iv Iv
Cs Vc
Cs
Vc Cs Vc Vc
8
7 4 Rf
C
6
C
C C
C
C
C
C
C 2C
C
C C
C
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C 9
Oilseed Crops 2
3
Hazelnut hybrids combine the Eastern Filbert Blight resistance and cold tolerance of American Filberts, Corylus americana and C. cornuta with the larger nut size and thinner skin of European Hazelnuts, C. avellana. Annual or perennial nitrogen-fixing groundcovers such as dutch white clover, Trifolium repen, planted beneath the grove improve the soil while keeping down competitive weeds.
No-till methods of cultivating Camelina, Camelina Sativa, are trialed in a small area beneath the power lines.
Retention Basin, Vegetative Swales and Infiltration Basin 6
7
Gently sloped, vegetated ditches slow the flow of rainwater runoff, capturing sediment and pollutants. A graduated depression holds similar species as well as larger water tolerant shrubs such as Chokeberry and High-Bush Blueberry. Plants selected should tolerate periods of dryness and flooding and have remediation capabilities.
8
3
Plantings Alongside the Building
Cs
6
Shade loving vines, groundcovers or swaths of spreading perennials fill this highly visible, partially-shaded bed
No tall shrubs or woody plants should be planted within 5’ of the northwestern side of the building due to snow drop from the roof line.
Two small trees with a canopy of less then 15’ anchor this dry sunny planting bed. Native bushes, snacking or wildlife fruit and perennials fill out the rest of the area. All plants should be hardy, sunloving species. Ar Vm
6 4
Vm
9
Ep
8 GcB Ar Vm GcB
Am Cl
Ar Ep
5 6
Ar
Vm
GcB
Cm - Cornus Mas Cornelian Cherry Dogwood Am - Aristolochia macrophylla Dutchmans Pipe Vine Vm - Vaccinium angustifolium Lowbush Blueberry Vc - Vaccinium corymbosum Highbush Blueberry Ep - Echinacea purpurea Purple Cone Flower
Ep
Vl - Viburnum lentago Nannyberry Ra Rn - Rubus nidigrolaria Jostaberry Em - Elaeagnus multiflora Goumi Ra - Ribes americanum Black Currant Ac Ar - Actaea racemosa Bugbane Ar Ac - Allium cernuum Nodding Onion GcB - Geranium cantabrigiense ‘Biokovo’ Biokovo Hardy Cranesbill Cl - Clematis spp. Clematis Vines
Vl Rn
Ep
Ra
Em
GcB
Cm
Em GcB
9
Vc
Vc
Rn Rn
Ep Ac Ar
Vc Rn
Ep GcB
A VISION FOR A VIBRANT NORTHEAST HARTFORD CLIENT: COMMUNITY SOLUTIONS LOCATION: HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT DESIGNERS: RACHEL JACKSON & SEANA CULLINAN This 54-page report is a collection of site designs and programmatic explorations of ways to help make Hartford’s Northeast Neighborhood a vibrant, safe, and healthy place in which to live and visit. It begins with an exploration of the physical landscape of the neighborhood, its assets and its challenges. This ideabook also includes several case studies from communities that have successfully overcome similar challenges. Concepts presented in the report include designing for safety and improving walkability in the neighborhood. Design options are explored for envisioning the eastern edge of historic Keney Park as a greenway, activating the front of the redeveloped Swift factory site as a community space, and transforming vacant lots into places for food cultivation or pocket parks. Design ideas for the arts, transportation, education, and job training are explored, with examples presented from other communities. The project was presented to the neighborhood at a community meeting and several of the recommendations have since been implemented by Community Solutions and the City of Hartford.
WALKABILITY SAFE STREETS URBAN AGRICULTURE REGIONAL PLANNING
REGIONAL PLANNING
A VISION FOR A VIBRANT NORTHEAST HARTFORD
Opportunities and Assets in the Northeast Neighborhood
Northeast Neighborhood
Downtown Hartford
Google Earth
Community Solutions is a nationally renowned not-forprofit organization that helps communities end homelessness by transforming their response to vulnerable people so that all are housed, safe, and healthy. It is currently working in Northeast Hartford, Connecticut, a community facing multiple economic and social challenges. A key component of its work in the neighborhood will be the redevelopment of the historic M. Swift & Sons Gold Leaf Factory complex. They intend to transform the property into a village center with space for business enterprises, food production, training programs, and community activities. Community Solutions asked Seana Cullinan and myself to examine the urban landscape of Hartford’s Northeast neighborhood and look for ways to better utilize it’s assets to improve the health and vibrancy of the community.
The Northeast Neighborhood is located a little less than one mile north of downtown Hartford.
FOCUS AREA
The redevelopment of the old M. Swift & Sons Gold Leaf Factory will be the centerpiece of Community Solutions work in Northeast Hartford.
NORTHEAST HARTFORD Hartford’s Northeast Neighborhood faces many challenges, including a poverty rate of 38 percent, a 17.4 percent unemployment rate, and the highest crime rates in the city, but also has many positive factors such as churches, schools, and active organizations that enhance residents’ quality of life. Making up 40 percent of the neighborhood’s landmass is the Olmsted Firm designed, 116-year-old Keney Park, a tremendous asset to the neighborhood and the city. THE REPORT The report examines potential connections between the Swift Factory, neighboring Keney Park, and the Northeast Neighborhood of Hartford and presents a variety of design interventions that could enhance connectivity, walkability, and safety in the neighborhood.
Within the neighborhood, we defined a central focus area that is both representative of many of the challenges and opportunities found throughout the neighborhood, and unique for containing three of the area’s major assets, Keney Park, the Swift Factory site, and the brand-new Parker Memorial Community Center. The focus area capitalizes on these assets by concentrating design solutions and resources in a defined area which can serve as a demonstration and catalyst for positive change and enhanced connectivity throughout the neighborhood.
Focus Area
• Increasing home ownership through public and private groups, such as Habitat for Humanity and Hartford Housing Authority • Safe, secure elderly housing • Brand-new Parker Memorial Community Center and Recreation Facility • Historic Keney Park • 23 churches • Multiple elementary schools • Planned Swift Factory redevelopment • Ebony Horsewomen • West Indian Social Club • The North End Senior Center • Old North Cemetery • And many more
Challenges in the Northeast Neighborhood According to Hartford Info & the 2000 U.S. Census: • Highest crime rate in the city • Highest rates of obesity, heart disease and infant and neonatal mortality in Hartford • Lowest high school graduation rate in the state • Estimated median household income: $20,440 • Poverty rate: 37% • Unemployment rate among people aged 16-65: 17.4% • College graduates: 5.3% In Addition: • Households without a vehicle: 43% (Nielsen Claritas) • Lack of a Community Development Corporation (CDC) actively engaged in rehabilitation of existing housing stock (Fowler 2012) • Virtually no job opportunities within the neighborhood • Significant number of boarded buildings and empty lots • Low owner-occupancy • No full-size supermarket • Only 2 laundromats
URBAN ANALYSIS: BUILDING CONNECTIONS
IMPROVING WALKABILITY
Walkable neighborhoods promote healthy lifestyles, build safer, people-friendly communities, and have a positive environmental impact. In a more walkable Northeast Hartford, residents would enjoy all of these benefits, but more importantly, residents’ ability to conduct daily activities and reach needed services would be improved.
People at the lowest end of the economic stratum are particularly vulnerable to economic or social disruption. Access to health and social support services can be the difference between a family or individual becoming homeless or staying in their home. Fortythree percent of households in Northeast Hartford do not have vehicles (Nielsen Claritas 2011), meaning that SimpsonWaverly School
Love La ne
Post Office & Library at Unity Plaza
Green & Residential Walking Route
Future Site of New Duplexes
Risley S treet
Westlan d
Westland Street & Beyond: Neighborhood Walking Routes
Potential Urban Farm
these residents must rely on public transportation and walking for all of their transportation needs. The most vulnerable people frequently have the most difficulty reaching essential services. Even small improvements in walkability, could have a large impact on Northeast Hartford residents’ quality of life.
Street
Keney Park
One of the few east-west streets that crosses the entire neighborhood, Westland Street is an important transportation corridor. Improving walkability on Westland Street has the potential to improve residents’ access to positive assets such as Keney Park, the Swift Factory, and Parker Memorial Community Center. The benefits of improved connectivity could extend beyond Westland Street to a range of assets found in the several blocks to the north. A proposed urban farm on the vacant lots on Earle Street and the new housing being developed in the western half of Brackett Park offer a positive shift in activities along Earle and Naugatuck Streets. Unity Plaza, at the corner
Swift Factory & Urban Farm
Westland Street Walking Route
Parker Memorial
Community Center of Barbour and Risley Streets, contains the local library branch and the post office. The Simpson-Waverly School Park through the new homes on Naugatuck Street and into is less then a quarter mile north of Westland Street. the urban farm on Earle Street. While less direct, the route would have less vehicular traffic than on Westland Street. By expanding the original Westland Street corridor north, an additional, greener and more residential route Crossing directly through the Swift property and continuing on to Love Lane, it would bring pedestrians into the connecting Keney Park and Parker Memorial Community Center emerges, giving residents even more heart of the Swift Factory’s urban farm and all the activities happening on site. walking options. This route could extend from Brackett
STREETSCAPE DESIGN
SAFE & INVITING STREETS
Bus Shelters & Street Amenities
Pedestrian Crossings
The neighborhood lacks bus shelters and benches. The only shelters are found at the far northern end of Main Street. Bus shelters, or even benches, at major bus stops would greatly increase the comfort of riders. New shelters should be sited at locations with the highest density of riders, with priority given to locations that have services for the elderly and preschool-age children. Lighting is essential for safety at bus stops and trash cans can reduce litter.
Clearly marked pedestrian crossings at intersections, bus stops and park entrances are vital to creating safe interactions between cars and pedestrians.
Curb Extensions
Complete Streets
• Make pedestrians more visible and shorten walking distance between curbs. • Narrow streets, causing cars to naturally slow. • Expand right of way and provide more space for trees, stormwater infiltration or street furniture.
Curb extensions and boldly painted crosswalks help make pedestrian crossings visible to motorists.
Rancho Mastatal
Site Design, Implementation & Management
To The Main House
To Puriscal
To San Miguel Wood Barn
Garage
Tree Nursery Jeanne’s House
Orchard Trees Tree Nursery
Fern Gully & the Classroom Slope
Rancho Mastatal 9.20.12
Rancho Mastatal is a 325-acre sustainable living education center nestled at the base of La Cangreja National Park in Mastatal, Costa Rica. The organization hosts workshops in natural building, permaculture and wilderness medicine, runs an internship and volunteer program, and serves as a regional demonstration site for sustainable agriculture and appropriate technologies. As a long-term community member and core member of the agricultural team I have combined a strong agricultural focus with work in all aspects of the ranch. I designed and oversaw the installation of 3 acres of orchards with understory crops and managed the nursery and greens production. I worked to develop and implement fertility and erosion strategies utilizing nitrogen-fixing trees, vetiver, contour swales and composting. I have also been intimately involved in earth-building, food processing and fermentation, wood-oven design and construction, and management of the intern program. Interns dig swales on contour to infiltrate water and prevent erosion in the orchards.
Classroom
Estococa, a wild native plant with an edible flower
A masonry and cob wood-burning oven built in 2011.
PHOTOGRAPHY
At the Lake
North Avenue Beach
Candy
PEOPLE
PLACES