I hope that everyone is having a productive start to the new year!
There’s a lot going on in Chattahoochee Hills this month, so my note this month will be a (somewhat disjointed) list of shout-outs, thank-yous, and news.
First of all, I want to give Councilwoman Ruby Foster a huge shout-out! Ruby received the Harold F. Holtz Municipal Training Institute Certificate of Recognition during the recent Georgia Municipal Association annual meeting. The certificate reflects the many hours of Councilmember training that Ruby has taken over the course of her tenure, learning governmental “best practices” and practical knowledge that help inform her work as an elected official. She’s the first Chatt Hills Councilmember to achieve this certification level, and it is indicative of her commitment to doing the hard work required to make tough decisions for her constituents to support the long term health and success of Chattahoochee Hills. Congratulations, Ruby! Ruby is also a standout when it comes to attending regional events, helping to keep us connected to and informed about our peer cities in the area; this is so important, because what happens around us certainly impacts us.
Another shout-out to Councilwoman Laurie Searle, whose incredible energy benefits the City in so many ways. You’ve probably seen the barn quilts that are one result of that energy. She and her husband Sam have driven that program, and the beautiful results are now visible on barns all over Chatt Hills. It’s been pretty cool to see folks coming to the community to follow the barn quilt trail, and enjoy Chattahoochee Hills through that lens. She’s also taken on the challenge of shaking some senior services spending out of Fulton County in our direction; a work in progress for sure, but if anyone can get it done, it’s Laurie!
Thanks, too, to Mayor Pro Tempore Camille Lowe, who has filled my shoes at several local events that I’ve recently had to miss due to travel, knee surgery, and double-bookings. It’s so important to have someone I can rely on to represent the City thoughtfully at important regional events!
Doug Cloud deserves a special mention as well. Doug is one of the top conservation attorneys in the country, and we’re lucky that he also happens to live in Chattahoochee Hills. He’s a member of the Planning Commission and has also personally taken on the Chatt Hills TDR ordinance (in concert with the leading national experts on the subject,
City of Chattahoochee Hills
who agree that our TDR ordinance is the best they’ve ever worked on!). So much work has gone into the fine-tuning of the ordinance, which undergirds our program of permanently protecting 70% of Chattahoochee Hills, while allowing the landowners who don’t develop to get paid for protecting their land. This is a win for everyone.
We recognize that the TDR ordinance isn’t the easiest thing to understand if you don’t have a thorough grounding in the subject matter. We’re now working on a brochure that includes details on all of the ways that landowners can benefit financially from preservation, and a full FAQ or “frequently-asked-questions” section that will clear up most of the confusion that some folks have around the ordinance and how it works.
People who came to the last work session also heard from Daron Joffe (a.k.a. Farmer D), another nationally recognized expert (in this case on small-scale farming ) who has returned to live in Chattahoochee Hills with his family. Daron presented to the Council on his thoughtful work to help support farming on the land in the City that will be protected from development, exciting work that will be the subject of detailed future articles in the Chatt Hills News!
Great thanks, too, to City Manager Robbie Rockovitz and Public Works Director Darold Wendlandt. Robbie is in the final stages of getting our new Council Chambers AV system fine-tuned. Your elected body wants it to be easier for folks to participate in our meetings, and the new AV system will make it a much better experience for online attendees. We’ll soon have a system better than those of most of our neighbors due to Robbie’s hard work.
And the new Ranger station just got delivered to Cochran Mill Park, and installed by Darold’s great little crew. It’s not fancy, but it will allow for our part-time rangers to provide help, directions, and guidance to park visitors, improving what is already the best park in the region!
I could go on and on (and will next month!), but these are just some data points in the conversation about why Chatt Hills is doing so much better than the municipalities around us: thoughtful planning, and a TON of work by a bunch of good people focused on creating better outcomes than anyone else has managed. It’s rewarding to be in this group, and to be participating in this good work with these good people! Give them a big “thank you!” next time you see them.
Be well, Mayor Tom Reed
A “First Day Hike” in Hutcheson Ferry Park
By Pat Lesko“First Day Hikes” are part of a nationwide program that encourages folks to get outdoors, stretch their legs, and enjoy the beauty of nature in their local parks on New Year’s Day. This year the City of Chattahoochee Hills Parks Commission member Roland Alston offered to lead a First Day Hike on the new nature trail in the City’s Hutcheson Ferry Park. Roland was the perfect person to be our guide as he designed and built the trail, with the approval of City Council and City Parks and Rec Director Darold Wendlandt.
Sunday morning, January 1, 2023, dawned misty and mild. Twelve eager hikers and one enthusiastic dog (on a leash) joined Roland at 9 o’clock near the entrance to the park and followed the roughly 2-mile long trail clockwise around the 103 acres of the park. Explanations of the geologic features, natural history, and history of the park were provided by Roland and fellow Parks Commission member Clifford Blizard.
The trail explores a number of ecosystems in the park. The first section is forested and passes by the remnants of an old rock quarry which may be where the gravel was obtained to build Gravel Road, located across Hutcheson Ferry Road from the park. Beyond the rock quarry one can see through the trees a granite outcropping covering about an acre. We did not walk onto the rock outcropping, nor should anyone; the lichens and mosses on the outcropping are fragile and slow growing, thus they are easily damaged by foot traffic. Beyond the outcropping, the trail follows Cedar Creek; there is a side trail that goes to the left off the main trail that takes you to an active beaver dam across the creek. Opting to take the side trail, we walked out a little way on the remains of an old farm road to view the pond the beavers have created.
Returning to the main trail, we went up the hill and came out of the woods into the large meadow that was at one
time a hayfield. Up to this point the trail is well marked with Carsonite posts and/or surveyors tape. Once in the meadow the trail is not marked, but there are several easy options for returning to the starting point near the entrance to the park. You can follow the tree line on either side of the meadow, or go up hill right through the middle, as we did on Sunday. The entire meadow is mowed twice a year, while the edges and a path through the middle are mowed every few weeks when the grass is growing. A great time was had by all participants, many of whom were first time visitors to Hutcheson Ferry Park. Thank you, Roland, for this wonderful start to 2023! If you go:
• Park Location – 9774 Hutcheson Ferry Road
• Park Hours – 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 min after sunset
• Trail Location - The trail starts in the woods on the left near the entrance to the park. Look for the Carsonite post marked “Cedar Creek” with an arrow. (See photo)
• Parking – Park anywhere on high ground.
• Amenities – There are several picnic tables in the front section of the park. An unpaved road goes approximately one third of the distance into the park to a gated fence. (See photo) Vehicles are not allowed beyond the fence, but on foot you can go around the ends.
An Invitation to Visit Our Fulton County Neighborhood Senior Center in Palmetto
By: Laurie SearleA recent trip to Palmetto and a short cut by Carlton Road brought a welcome surprise: the Palmetto Senior Center has re-opened!
I hadn’t visited the Center since 2020 when Fulton County closed its senior facilities and stopped all in-person programs due to the pandemic. Anxious to see what was new, I stopped in for a visit.
The Center’s manager, Gloria Gooden-Davis, welcomed me and offered a tour of the facility.
The main activity room was a buzz with seniors enjoying coffee and companionship during the social hour. Gloria said this room is used to serve meals, offer programs, and socialize. Several seniors made me feel right at home, enthusiastically inviting me to join them.
Next, we walked around the main corridor, which is also used as an indoor-walking track. Gloria pointed out the many activity rooms, which were spacious and wellstocked. They included a sewing room for quilting, arts & crafts room, computer lab, exercise room (also used for the line dancing class), billiard room with a full-sized pool table, and more.
Back at her office, Gloria offered more information about the Center. The Palmetto Senior Center is one of 14 Fulton County Neighborhood Centers that support the County’s Congregate Meal Program by providing seniors with nutritious meals in a group setting. In addition, the centers offer life enrichment classes, health education, fitness and activities that promote a safe, active, healthy, meaningful, and productive life for senior participants.
Membership is open for Fulton County residents who are sixty years or older at no charge. Members must meet
the guidelines for senior center participation, which include being willing to attend and participate in the center, communicate your needs and perform route activities of Daily Living independently, and move around the center without human assistance.
While the senior centers are funded through Fulton County Senior Services, the Palmetto Senior Center augments its funding by selling arts & crafts made at the Center. The City of Palmetto also provides support – it purchased a van to help with transportation.
I asked Gloria if her Center offers seniors any outings with the transportation provided by the Center’s van. She wasn’t sure, since she just joined the center last November, but she recalls they took a trip to Warm Springs. I offered to lead some trips in Chattahoochee Hills, with a tour of the Chatt Hills Barn Quilt Trail and a visit to Serenbe. I also suggested a trip to the Old Campbell County Historical Society in the Palmetto Train Depot Museum.
Gloria was excited to hear about our active senior population in Chattahoochee Hills. I mentioned that our city is in the process of starting some senior services at our city hall with support from Fulton County, but our seniors would love to know there was a neighborhood senior center available to them only 15 miles away in Palmetto.
Gloria extended a warm invitation to our Chatt Hills seniors to visit the Palmetto Senior Center and enjoy its many offerings. Palmetto Senior Center is located at 510 Turner Ave, Palmetto, GA 30268. Ph: 404-612-8000.
The community is invited to attend a special ribbon cutting for a newly renovated room at Chattahoochee Hills City Hall (6505 Rico Rd) on February 7, at 5:30 p.m.
The Art Room at City Hall is the creative vision and gift to the city by the Chatt Hills Artist Co-op, a local nonprofit whose mission is to stimulate active learning and exploration about art and the creative process through exhibits, teaching, and opportunities for dialogue between the member artists and the public.
The idea for the Art Room renovation began in late 2021 when City Manager, Robbie Rokovitz, offered the room to the Chatt Hills Artist Co-op to use if they handled the renovation. It seemed a daunting task, until Ken McNeese, who works in industrial heating and air conditioning, got his supplier to donate the HVAC unit. Ken McNeese also came over to look at the site and make recommendations for three rooms; Scott Grey, of Chatt Hills Heating and Air, coordinated the install in 2022; and Ken Hose did the electrical work. Due to supply chain issues, it took most of last year to get the equipment, but the Co-op used that time for fundraising. Project Manager Peter Clemens went into high gear coordinating volunteers to help with the project.
With the room renovation complete, there are many possibilities for its use. The Chatt Hills Artist Co-op will use the room for teaching art once they equip the room with tables, chairs, easels, and art supplies. Community Brickworks will use it for their adult art classes; the Bridge
Group will use it for meetings; and the city will it for its Chatt Hills Senior Services program.
“This was truly a community effort, and a great addition to City Hall, and our arts community,” said Judy Walker, Director of the Chatt Hills Artist Co-op.
The City is so appreciative of this effort. Mayor Reed said, “Our volunteers have been the heart and soul of Chattahoochee Hills since before we became a City. This new Art Room space is the latest example of the value our many volunteers add to our community!” City Manager Rokovitz agrees. He said, “In a small city like ours, so much is accomplished through the passion and dedication of our citizen volunteers. The amount of time and labor that went into transforming the room at City Hall to provide an art venue and space for everyone is nothing less than remarkable.”’
Volunteers: Gary Albright, Peter Clemens, George Danusis, Jonathan Greenfield, Scott Grey, Yolanda Grey, Lynn Hayes, Ishmael Holoman, Mary H. Johnson, Chris Jones, Malinda Lively-Arnold, Ken McNeese, Joey Mitchell, Lynn Noda, Jeff Rasmussen, Ken Shepard, Greg Sudmeier, Judy Walker, and Ted & Maribeth Wansley.
Additional help from Mitchell Wilson and his TLC Crew Sponsors: The Chatt Hills Artist Co-op, The City of Chattahoochee Hills, The Bridge Group, Benjamin Moore, Community Brickworks, GreyStone Power Corporation, and the South Fulton Institute.
Edible education in Chattahoochee Hills Patrick Muhammad With Alice Waters
By Sucheta Rawal
Neat rows of Swiss chard and broccoli heads, towering bright yellow sunflowers, and friendly chickens running around — that is not your typical school scene. But Chattahoochee Hills Charter School (CHCS), located in the city of Chattahoochee Hills in southern Fulton County, is an exception.
The K-8 charter school is on a mission to grow 70% of the food consumed on campus by 2025. CHCS has a unique focus on art appreciation, agriculture sustainability, and environmental awareness. Students learn to grow, harvest, prepare, serve, and eat healthy food as part of the daily routine. Every day, during school hours, they have hands-on experiences that connect their young minds to food, nature, and each other. This is not only designed to nurture the body, but to systematically address the crises of climate change, public health, and social inequality.
The farm-to-table school lunch idea was started by Alice Waters, one of America’s most celebrated chefs whose name is synonymous with the slow food movement, which uses fresh, organic, and locally grown foods. A culinary activist and the owner of famous Chez Panisse restaurant in Berkley, California, Waters founded the Edible Schoolyard Project (ESP) in 1995 to use organic school gardens, kitchens, and cafeterias to teach academic subjects and the values of nourishment, stewardship and
community. ESP now supports a network of over 5,800 programs at schools worldwide, including the one at CHCS.
The community of Serenbe recently hosted a fundraising reception with Waters, featuring a six-course collaborative dinner created by some of Georgia’s stellar chefs (including Matthew and Tia Raiford of Strong Roots 9, Anne Quatrano of Bacchanalia and Star Provisions, Claudia Martinez of Miller Union, and Nicolas Bour of The Farmhouse at Serenbe). Parents and community partners have been heavily involved in supporting CHCS’s programs since the school opened in 2014.
Patrick Muhammad, the principal at CHCS who is also fondly known as the “principal farmer,” had been studying ESP for about five years and developed the school’s first gardens and farm. When he was introduced to Waters via Raiford, a mutual friend, his dream came true.
At the school, you can see a greenhouse that holds thousands of seedlings, tower gardens used for lettuce bases, a two-acre farm for row crops, 50 laying hens, an apiary with three bee hives, muscadine vines, and smaller gardens located throughout the campus. There are also plans for workshops on sustainable agriculture for parents, shared kitchens, and partnership with chefs to supply and feed the community.
Interested in taking a tour of the school, volunteering at the farm, partnering or donating? Visit chatthillscharter.org
Chatt Hills Barn Quilt Trail
Star Sampler barn quilt added to Lewis Family Farm at 7240 Capps Ferry Rd.
By Laurie SearleLiving the Country Dream in Chatt Hills
Phil Lewis was ready to sample country living when it came time to build his family home 40 years ago. His search brought him to Chattahoochee Hills and 228 acres of prime farmland, where he envisioned raising his family and a few farm animals, and enjoying his hobbies of hunting, fishing, and painting.
While it was above his pay grade to purchase the large parcel at the time, his wife's uncle shared his dream – and the land. The uncle purchased the property and sold Phil’s family 16 acres.
When Phil selected a barn quilt, he chose a Star Sampler pattern with colors that resembled the setting sun over his country pastures.
Phil's Picture-Perfect Family Farm
Phil grew up in and around Atlanta and settled in the small town of Lithia Springs after finishing college and starting his family. While shades of the city had colored his life, he was a country boy at heart – he raised Nubian goats, enjoyed hunting and fishing on the weekends, and embraced his love of art by painting rural landscapes.
When Phil first laid eyes on the property that would become his forever home, it was love at first sight. The undeveloped parcel featured old-growth trees and rich top soil, evidence that the property hadn't previously been farmed. Without existing buildings or clear-cut pastures,
the property was like a blank canvas, primed for Phil to create the family farm he had always envisioned.
Over time, Phil's dream began to take shape. He built a family home with the country charm he had always admired, added a number of outbuildings and a large barn, and did some gentle contouring of the land to make a lake.
As for farm animals, Phil started small then went big, really BIG! He bought an English Springer Spaniel puppy as a family pet, and before he knew it, he was raising its first litter. He later switched to breeding blood hounds and currently breeds basset hounds. Neighbors and visitors get a kick out of watching the floppy-eared dogs run across the tall grass, baying their welcome to all who pass.
After living on his farm for a few years, Phil was motivated to add more farm animals to the mix. When he saw his property tax bill more than triple, he put his land in Conservation, which significantly dropped his taxes by thousands of dollars in exchange for raising animals or timber on the land. Phil had planned to add more animals to his farm anyway, so he raised chickens, hogs, and cows, including his gentle giant, Burt the Bull.
Today, visitors who wander off the beaten path and onto Capps Ferry Rd understand why Phil and his family love it here in Chatt Hills. As the gravel road slows their frantic city pace down to a relaxed 30 mph, they round a gentle curve in the road and often stop in their tracks to enjoy the breathtaking view that is the Lewis Family Farm.
For more photos and the hosts’ heritage story, visit: https://www.chatthillsbarnquilttrail.com/lewis-family-farm.html
For a map of the 39 barn quilts on the Chatt Hills Barn Quilt Trail, visit: https://www.chatthillsbarnquilttrail.com/tour-the-trail.html
Serenbe is paving the Overlook Development with Rubber Roads
The following is from The Ray from 2018
Rubber roads first piqued our interest when we learned that simply adding recycled tires to an asphalt mixture increases road durability, extending the life of the pavement by 30 percent more and reducing maintenance needs over the life of the road, such as filling cracks. Reducing maintenance needs is an important target because it limits time Georgia DOT employees have to spend working on dangerous, high-speed interstates. Other benefits include reduced road noise and improved water management. The rubber in the asphalt binder is strong and resilient enough to use semi-porous or more porous pavements, where the rock in the pavement is fitted more loosely together, allowing water to drain through the pavement and off the sides of the highway. This keeps water from pooling on the surface of the highway during rains storms where it can cause splashback onto cars'; windshields, obscuring drivers’ view and causing vehicles to hydroplane. Reusing scrap tires can also help control public health dangers related to tire dumps, tire fires, and breeding groups for disease-carrying mosquitoes.
Along the Ray
In 2019, the first mile of interstate lanes on The Ray, starting at the Georgia-Alabama state line and including the parking lot of the rest area, was paved with asphalt that contains rubber from 3,520 recycled scrap tires. That’s 42,240 pounds of rubber out of the landfill and into the road.
In March, 2018, The Ray, Troup County, and C.W. Matthews partnered to pave the new Tom Hall Parkway that runs adjacent to The Ray with a rubberized asphalt mix. The project used over 32,000 pounds of recycled tire rubber (RTR) in the top layer or “wearing course” of the road, which represents the rubber taken from over 2,500 end of life passenger tires.
Future Innovation
Higher concentrations of recycled tire rubber in asphalt projects around the country have returned even better results, and we look forward to testing a 20 percent “asphalt rubber” mix near The Ray in the future.
DECEMBER 12, 2022
The Ray Receives $250,000 Grant from The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation
The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation recently awarded a $250,000 energy grant to The Ray for its work in advancing clean energy deployment and access.
This funding will advance The Ray’s momentum as the organization continues to accelerate project delivery that builds on its proven success.
The transportation right-of-way (ROW) is under-utilized, and that public land that is perfect for renewable energy and transmission development that leapfrogs many barriers to clean energy infrastructure.
With this grant, The Ray will continue to cultivate partnerships and private sector opportunities, conduct analyses, and to launch coalitions that will support the siting of new transmission in highway and railroad ROW.
For more information visit: https://www.raycandersonfoundation.org
Our New Ranger Station in Cochran Mill Park
The new ranger station at Cochran Mill Park was delivered and set up with help from our Public Works crews. We need to run the electrical and install the mini split HVAC system, and it will be ready for use. This is going to be
great for housing our park ranger as well as Parks staff and the Parks Commission when needed. The goal is to have a place where visitors can come by and get a map, learn about the best places to hike or ride, and more.
Trending Topic EVENTS
Every Wednesday, 7-9:00pm
Get in Your Creative Flow with Figure Drawing Sessions!
StudioSwan llc | 6401 Campbellton Redwine Rd, Chattahoochee Hills, GA 30268
Email you are coming to: info@studioswan.com
Sat & Sun, 2:00pm - 5:00pm
Weekend Wine Flights at The Wine Shop at Serenbe
9135 Selborne Lane, Chattahoochee Hills, GA
Excited to announce Weekend Wine Flights at the wine shop! Each week 3 new wines will be featured and paired with light bites. Served Saturday and Sunday, 2-5pm, $30 per person, no ticket or reservation needed. Stop by and see us!
Fridays, 5:30-8:30pm
Farmhouse Fridays: Live Music & Drinks On The Porch
10950 Hutcheson Ferry Rd, Chatt Hills, GA 30268 Free
The Farmhouse invites you to start the weekend with them. Grab a drink from The Farmhouse Bar and enjoy the ambiance of warm weather and live music on the wraparound porch.
Saturdays, 4:00pm
Wine Tastings at the General Store
10642 Serenbe Lane, Chattahoochee Hills, GA 30268
Cochran Mill Brews are now at the General Store.
Join Nadine to taste wines from around the globe every Saturday; $35/person with tasting notes and small bites. Please email nadine@generalstoreatserenbe.com with any questions.
Register Now!
The Chatt Hills T-ball and Coach Pitch
Registration for the Chatt Hills T-ball and Coach Pitch 2023 Spring Season is on. Check communitybrickworks.org for registration details and updates. Ages 3-14. Season begins Saturday, March 25 at Rico Park. For more information or if you would like to volunteer, contact Lila Rhyne at jlrhyne@bellsouth.net
Feb. 10, 8:00 pm - 9:30 pm
Valentines with Joe Gransden
Lakeside Pavilion 10950 Hutcheson Ferry Rd., Chatt Hills, GA 30268 Tickets $50: https://www.eventbrite. com/e/valentines-with-joe-gransden-tickets-488674999077
BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND! Joe Gransden returns to Serenbe with his quintet and all the sultry and romantic songs we love to hear. Avoid the crowds and book an early dinner reservation, and then join us in an intimate fireside setting at the Lakeside Pavilion. Bring your special Valentine and enjoy the classic sounds of Sinatra, Bennett, Connick, and Cole as you warm up for this special holiday. This night of amazing music and drinks will get you in the Valentine's spirit.
Complete with pre-purchase champagne option, this is an event that you and the special people in your life should not miss. This event will feature cabaret seating. Grab your spot before it is too late.**Please note the Lakeside Pavilion will be enclosed and heated.
you’ve seen and loved all of the barn quilts around Chatt Hills but don’t have the space for a one, this class is for you. Participants will paint a small 14x20 inch barn quilt welcome sign may be display inside or outside. Choose one of six patterns and 20 paint colors. Laurie will the pattern and apply the “Welcome” so you may finish your project in two hours.
Trending Topic EVENTS
must be paid for by February 4. This class is limited to 15 people, with a wait list for those are interested. Patterns & Paint Color selections will be emailed to you after you register.
Sat. Feb. 11, 2:00pm - 4:00pm
Paint A Barn Quilt Welcome Sign
Location: City Hall Large Meeting Room
Cost: $25 (includes all materials and paint)
Instructor: Laurie Searle
Registration: Coming Soon on Community Brickworks https://www.communitybrickworks.org
If you’ve seen and loved all of the barn quilts around Chatt Hills but don’t have the space for a large one, this class is for you. Participants will paint a small 14 x 20 inch barn quilt welcome sign that may be displayed inside or outside. Choose one of six patterns and 20 paint colors. Laurie will draw the pattern and apply the "Welcome," so you may finish your project in two hours.
Classes must be paid for by February 4. This class is limited to 15 people, with a wait list for those who are interested. Patterns & Paint Color selections will be emailed to you after you register.
Tuesdays, Feb 14-May 2: Ages 3-5
Wednesdays, Feb 15-May 3: Ages 6-8
Thursdays, Feb 16-May 4: Ages 9-12
12-Week Kids Gardening Program at Serenbe Farms
8715 Atlanta Newnan Rd, Chatt Hills, GA 30268
Farmer Tristan will teach students gardening skills including garden planning and prep, seeding, transplanting, compost making, wildlife identification and observation. These will be accompanied by lessons in science and math while also inviting the students to engage in some creative activities such as building, crafting, storytelling etc. The main objective of these meetings will be discussing growing food from seed to harvest.
Each week we will cover a different topic relating to soil health and vegetable production. The younger kids can expect an exploratory farm experience while the older kids will be doing more hands-on gardening activities. Everyone will have an opportunity to plant a seed and nurture it to harvest. The garden can be a community space so parents and caretakers can expect a harvest from the garden coming home with their kids and an event to celebrate growth of the garden during this season!
Parents are welcome to join their kids in these activities. Expect your students to get dirty from time to time. All efforts are made to keep clean, but seeding, bed prep, and putting plants in the ground can sometimes get messy. Wear clothes that can get dirty.
*Each garden club member will be provided with their very own garden gloves and tools. This teaching process requires the use of materials that will be covered by the cost of attending these programs i.e tools, seeds, soils, basic soil science items, books, compost, fertilizers.) All of these items will be utilized to teach the students to grow food.
Contact education@serenbefarms.com for more info.
Sat. Feb. 18, 4:00pm
Mushroom Log Class at Serenbe Farms
8715 Atlanta Newnan Rd, Chatt Hills, GA 30268
Learn about mycology and the process of inoculating Shiitake mushroom logs, which participants will have be able to take home with them. Your log will become an abundant food source in less than one year and can be expected to fruit for up to five years.
Coffee and other refreshments included. Class is limited to 20 participants.
Wearing gloves is highly recommended. Weather permitting, participants should expect to be outside for the entirety of the class. This could mean cool temperatures so they should dress accordingly. If it is to rain on the day of the event, we will host the class inside of the greenhouse. Students should also expect to use power tools and handle logs around twenty pounds or so.
This course will be hosted in part by Farmer Tristan Hendrix who serves as the Educational Programs Coordinator at Serenbe Farms. Tristan has three years of experience teaching on farm classes and hosting tours both at Serenbe Farms and McDowell Farm School. Tristan will be joined by Serenbe's own Giff Beaton who has extensive knowledge of ecosystems of Georgia as well as ecosystems of the greater Southeast region. His photography and lectures can be found in many books and magazines, including two he is the author of, Birding Georgia and Dragonflies and Damselflies of Georgia and the Southeast Contact education@serenbefarms.com for more info.
April 23-26
Biophilic Leadership Summit
Multi-day conference with leading biophilic experts on impactful biophilic projects, principles, and research. Inn at Serenbe 10950 Hutchesons Ferry Rd Chattahoochee Hills, GA 30268
Tickets: $400-$875
The Biophilic Leadership Summit provides an annual platform for biophilic leaders to gather with their peers to learn about and discuss the most impactful biophilic projects, principles, and research.
Presentations focus on biophilic projects or research that have measurable outcomes and can be replicated at scale. From these talks, leaders discuss the best applications of biophilia to dissect the biophilia effect on health and wellness, sustainability, and climate change and how it affects their work, policy, and future developments.
Join the Summit hosts, The Biophilic Institute, Biophilic Cities, and Serenbe, and engage with others passionate about biophilia at the 5th Annual Summit.
The Full Summit Pass includes access to all presentations including the Sunday keynote address and Wednesday charette at the Chattahoochee Hills Charter School. Includes three dinners and two lunches.
Day Passes include access to all presentations on your selected day, Monday or Tuesday. Includes lunch.
Early Bird Rates are available for Full Summit Passes through January 15th. Please email contact@biophilicinstitute.com to inquire about nonprofit and student rates for all ticket types.
Accommodations not included. Conference rates are available at The Inn at Serenbe. Please call The Inn at (770) 463-2610 and reference The Biophilic Leadership Summit.
COMING EVENTS
Chatt Hills Community Outreach Special Events Sponsorship
The City of Chattahoochee Hills hosts a variety of special events throughout the year, coordinated by the Chatt Hills Community Outreach (CHCO) initiative. The city shares a common goal with CHCO to offer events that foster camaraderie and help build a strong community by connecting residents with each other, city services, and local businesses.
Our FREE special events would not be possible without the support and partnership of volunteers, local community businesses, and organizations.
We invite you to join us in supporting our 2023 line-up of special events. As a sponsor of our special events, we will acknowledge you in our promotional material and offer a half-page ad in our municipal monthly newsletter. You will receive a letter to share with your accountant as a qualified deduction for 2023 tax return to the Internal Revenue Service.
Sponsorship Opportunities
Movie In the Park April 29 at Hutcheson Ferry Park Harvest Festival October 14 at Town Green Christmas In Chatt Hills December TBA City Hall
For more information contact: Robert Rokovitz, City Manager, robbie.rokovitz@chatthillsga.us 770.463.8881 or Ruby Foster, ruby.foster@chatthillsga.us - Chatt Hills Community Outreach
April 4-November 7, 2023
Join
The Serenbe Farms CSA
8715 Atlanta Newnan Rd, Chatt Hills, GA 30268
Community Supported Agriculture is a relationship of mutual support between farmers and members. Your support is especially helpful this year after needing to replace what was lost in the December 2022 freeze. Members will reap the benefits during the harvest season, receiving produce picked within 24 hours of their weekly CSA pickup when it’s at its peak freshness and nutritional value.
Contact https://serenbefarms.com/what-is-a-csa for more info.
The Old Campbell County Historical Society is open every Tuesday, 10:00-2:00—and now on the second Saturday of each month 10:00-2:00. Visit the OCCHS research library and the historic train depot museum. 549 Main Street, Palmetto. For more information, email askocchs@ gmail.com
Robert T. Rokovitz, MPA, ICMA-CM
