ROOM TO GROW Local nonprofits build gardens for senior communities
I EMERALD TRIANGLE M A R C H 2020
POT’S FIRST POP-UP BOOK TINY HOUSES
The big deal about small living
It'ssAlwayss4200attTHCC
EMERALD TRIANGLE SENSI MAGAZINE MARCH 2020
sensimediagroup @sensimagazine @sensimag
F E AT U R E S
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Growing the Gardens Project
The community digs deep to ensure food security for vulnerable populations.
In a New Dimension
Paper engineers create the first pop-up book to explore the world of cannabis.
D E PA R T M E N T S
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9 EDITOR’S NOTE 10 THE BUZZ News, tips, and tidbits
to keep you in the loop GETTING HERE Tips for flying to the Emerald Triangle PI IN THE SKY Everyone’s favorite math- and dessert-related holiday THE NEXT VIAGRA?
One brand promises longer-lasting sex. GOOD READS Two new releases this month SELF-HELP Three apps to get you more productive
THE GOAT (CHEESE)
Delectible local spreads
16 THE LIFE Contributing to your
health and happiness SIZE MATTERS
The wins and woes of tiny house living HEMP HANG-UP What complicates local growing HOROSCOPE What the stars hold for you
38 THE SCENE Hot happenings and hip
hangouts around town JOIN THE CLUB Keeping it moving with new ways to work out in Humboldt RECIPE A recipe from the Gardens Project cookbook. ON THE CALENDAR A month of masterpieces and marine mammals
ON THE COVER Local nonprofits 100+ Women Strong and the Gardens Project team up for senior communities. PHOTO COURTESY OF THE GARDENS PROJECT PHOTO EDITING BY JOSH CLARK
50 THE END
Horseback tours through Mendocino beaches and redwood forests
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A DV I S O R Y B OA R D
Boldtbags Hash Making Supplies Coldwell Banker Sellers, Sandi DeLuca Real Estate Canna-Envy DIY Cannabis Genius Products T, Inc. Recreational Cannabis Products Heartwood Mountain Sanctuary Eco-Retreat Center Hendrx Farms Cannabis Nursery Humboldt Patient Resource Center Dispensary
Southern Humboldt Business & Visitors Bureau Tourism Sunnabis Regenerative Cannabis Farming ULEVA Hemp Products Wana Brands Edible Gummies
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I NSTAG RAM @sensimagazine is home to exclusive photos and content.
Magazine published monthly by Sensi Media Group LLC. © 2020 Sensi Media Group. All rights reserved.
EXECUTIVE Ron Kolb CEO ron@sensimag.com Mike Mansbridge President mike@sensimag.com
T
Alex Martinez Chief Operating Officer alex@sensimag.com EDITORIAL
Stephanie Wilson Co-Founder, Editor in Chief stephanie@sensimag.com Doug Schnitzspahn Executive Editor doug.schnitzspahn@sensimag.com Nora Mounce Managing Editor nora.mounce@sensimag.com Leland Rucker Senior Editor leland.rucker@sensimag.com
Robyn Griggs Lawrence Editor at Large robyn.lawrence@sensimag.com Helen Olsson Copy Chief Melissa Howsam Senior Copy Editor Bevin Wallace Copy Editor Elizabeth Archer, Thomas Oliver, Jessica Reinus, Mona Van Joseph Contributing Writers DESIGN Jamie Ezra Mark Creative Director jamie@emagency.com Rheya Tanner Art Director Wendy Mak Designer Kiara Lopez Designer Josh Clark Designer Jason Jones Designer em@sensimag.com PUBLISHING Daniel Bridge Associate Publisher daniel.bridge@sensimag.com Shannon Golightly Associate Publisher shannon.golightly@sensimag.com Tad Sarvinski Associate Publisher tad.sarvinski@sensimag.com B U S I N E S S /A D M I N Kristan Toth Head of People kristan.toth@sensimag.com Amber Orvik Administrative Director amber.orvik@sensimag.com Andre Velez Marketing Director andre.velez@sensimag.com
EDITOR’S NOTE
The character of the place we call home
dramatically impacts our personal worldview. From quotidian experiences like finding a good dentist to fighting traffic, where we live matters. In the far-flung environs of the Emerald Triangle, the mutual sense of pride and identity attached to home is even stronger juxtaposed to an increasingly polarized nation. As an instructor of cultural anthropology at College of the Redwoods, I teach my students to observe our community for microcultures or significant groups that share values and norms around a particular hobby, religion, or occupation. During their semester-long research project, students attend local Shamanic ceremonies and AA meetings. They go duck hunting and interview tattoo artists. At a glance, it seems as if anthropology cares more about documenting differences between various cultural groups than finding what’s universal. But looking back at my students’ projects, I see far more affinity than variation in core values about family, community, and quality of life on the North Coast. I want to share what my students continue to learn is important throughout our community: Clean water matters. Protecting native species matters. Helping the homeless and mentally ill matters. Drug rehab programs matter. Respecting local tribes and sacred lands matters. Having the freedom to pursue creative occupations matters. Feeding our family healthy food matters. And most central of all, engaging and contributing to our community matters. How we share these values can look very different. Yet, a county social worker, a politician, and a farmer might very well be working toward the same essential good. As you flip through our Spring to Action issue this March, we hope you find threads of common ground and shared perspective woven throughout our colorful pages. From community gardens that support low-income seniors to solutions for California’s housing crisis, our March issue was created to celebrate the myriad ways we come together and spring to action for our community every day.
How we share our core values can look very different. Yet, a county social worker, a politician, and a farmer might very well be working toward the same essential good.
With love + luck,
Neil Willis Production Manager neil.willis@sensimag.com Hector Irizarry Distribution distribution@sensimag.com M E D I A PA R T N E R S Marijuana Business Daily Minority Cannabis Business Association National Cannabis Industry Association Students for Sensible Drug Policy
Nora Mounce nora.mounce@sensimag.com M ARCH 2020
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Getting to Oz Locals share a life hack for traveling to the Emerald Triangle. The long haul up north from the Bay Area has been much maligned by locals and visitors alike for decades. While the Emerald Triangle is serviced by the Arcata-Eureka Airport and United Airlines in Humboldt County, the typical airfare ticket sets travelers back at least $300. (The lowest reported fares bottom out at $278 for nonpeak travel dates.) While Mendocino is closer to the sprawling Bay Area, the nearest airport servicing the Mendo coast is in Santa Rosa (Sonoma County), which is still an 85-mile haul from Fort Bragg and a $300 price tag. Head spinning? We hear you. One workaround for the savvy business traveler remains: Crescent City. Currently serviced by Con10 E M ERAL D TR IA NG LE
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tour Air out of Oakland, passengers can jump on an hour and ten minute flight to Del Norte County for fares as low as $138. Arriving in Crescent City (where parking is always free!), locals can hop in their cars and be back in Humboldt in time for dinner. While it’s still a 90-minute drive from Eureka to Crescent City, the ability to save another seven hours on the road (both ways) is well worth consideration. And for visitors arriving to see Northern California’s famous redwoods, Del Norte County, or the Gateway to the Redwood Coast, it’s the perfect point of departure for a weekend of adventure and beauty. flycrescentcity.com
CONTRIBUTORS
Aaron H. Bible, Dawn Garcia, Nora Mounce
BY THE NUMBERS
300 MILES THE NEXT VIAGRA? Promescent promises longerlasting sex. Although PE, or premature ejaculation, doesn’t have quite the same stigma as ED (erectile dysfunction), it can definitely become a barrier to intimate and meaningful lovemaking. It’s also a common problem for couples. In fact, Psychology Today recently reported on the “orgasm gap.” In case you hadn’t noticed, men tend to reach an orgasm during heterosexual lovemaking about three times faster than women—5.5 minutes vs. 18 minutes. According to the new brand and product Promescent, up to two billion women go without orgasms each year as a result of this issue. Makers of Promescent, a climax-delay spray, claim it prolongs lovemaking. So, will it become the next Viagra? Check it out for yourself and see if it improves your sex life.
The distance between Eureka and San Francisco on the prospective mixed-use, recreational Great Redwood Trail
3.5K JACKETS
The number of coats distributed in Humboldt County by Coats for the Cold last January
Circular Delights Every March 14, math nerds and bakers rejoice in celebrating the most unlikely of shared holidays: Pi Day. Celebrated on 3/14, the day recognizes two of humankindʼs most miraculous discoveries: the sweet combination of baked fruit, custard, and crust and the infinite numeric constant of 3.14159. A respite from the emotion and expectation of traditional holidays, partaking in Pi Day is a lighthearted break in the action. Seriously, you just eat pie! If preheating the oven and digging out your rolling pin isnʼt in your culinary wheelhouse (youʼre not alone), try Kemmyʼs Pies and Slice of Humboldt Pie for the old-fashioned flavors of sweet, sweet pie. Kemmy’s Pies / 299 E. Commercial St., Willits / @kemmyspies Slice of Humboldt Pie / 821 I St., Arcata / @sliceofhumboldtpie
0
PERCENT The rate of population growth in rural Trinity County in 2019
promescent.com
88K
PASSENGERS
The number of people who boarded flights out of the Arcata-Eureka Airport in 2019, a 24% increase from the previous year
“It’s time for us to get off our high horses about parents who like to unwind with a little cannabis.” —Brandie Weikle, senior writer with CBC News, on thestar.com
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THE BUZZ
BILITIES
BY STEPHANIE WILSON, EDITOR IN CHIEF
1 READING ROOM The Glass Hotel by Emily St. John Mandel (Knopf, $27). Showcasing her signature literary prowess, Mandel explores the infinite ways we search for meaning in this much-hyped new release, expected March 24. Also out this month: It’s Not All Downhill from Here by How Stella Got Her Groove Back author Terry McMillan.
2 STREAM THIS Freeform’s The Bold Type. Now in its third season, this sleeper hit could be your new favorite series. It’s mine, in no small part because it centers on three young women working for a New York mag. But also because it’s witty AF, aspirational, and depicts successful women who are defined not by their relationships but by their careers. It’s empowering, and you should watch it for free on Freeform, or on your favorite streaming platform. 3 LISTEN UP NPR’s Life Kit podcast offers tools to keep it together. And by you, I mean me; I need all the help I can get. Picking out a lightbulb last fall had me staring mouth agape in a store aisle for a half hour trying to make sense of all the options. After listening to “Picking Out a Lightbulb, Made Easy,” I know which bulb’s for me. Life Kit’s episodes are short, to the point, and offer tips on how to do things like start therapy, start a book club, master your budget, remove stains, and juggle paperwork, appointments, and repairs. Basically how to adult. 4 GROWING TREND Pot in Pots. The Swiss-cheese-leafed Monstera is last year’s “It” plant. Cannabis is the hashtagable houseplant of 2020. Get in on the trend. Depending where you live, you can find clones or seeds at select dispensaries with an easy google—while you’re at it, look up local laws regarding home grows. Cannabis cuttings (a.k.a. clones) are pretty easy to root—check Leafly.com for tips—and you should definitely bring some to your next plant swap. Spread the word, spread the love.
“Clean drinking water is a human right. I won’t stop fighting until the law sees it that way too.” —Ilhan Omar, U.S. representative from Minnesota, on Twitter
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THE BUZZ
VOX POPULI
VALERIE ROSE-CAMPBELL Human Resources Arcata
___________________ I love running on the trails. The waterfront trail and the Arcata Community Forest are my favorites.
Question: What’s your favorite way to stay active on the North Coast?
LENYA QUINNDAVIDSON
Fire Advisor, UC Cooperative Extension Arcata
___________________ Prescribed burning, obviously!
WENDY PICKETT MONOLIAS Life Coach Eureka
___________________ Getting outside with my dog, Duke. We head out, rain or shine, to the local forest around our home. [There’s] nothing like being under the greatest canopy on Earth!
PORTIA BONI BRAMBLE
Executive Director, North Coast Growers’ Association Arcata
___________________
Hiking and backpacking with friends and family.
SAMANTHA EDWARDS Publicist Arcata
___________________ I love all the classes at Vibes. Buti, Pilates, Barre, and yoga. They’re also adding a trampoline cardio fitness class next month.
GOOD READS
Add these books to your reading list. Meryl Streep on the Couch by doctor Alma H. Bond is a look at the inner workings of actress and activist Meryl Streep. Bond, a clinical psychoanalyst, is known for her couch sessions with famous women in history like Barbra Streisand, Hillary Clinton, Marilyn Monroe, Jackie Kennedy Onassis, and Michelle Obama. Streep approached her when researching the role of psychoanalyst for her film The Psychotherapist and what follows are stories, insights, and a deeper appreciation for Streep as a woman, mother, activist, and actress. Bond was married to the late Streetcar Named Desire actor Rudy Bond.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF AMAZON.COM
Available at amazon.com, barnesandnoble.com, and bancroftpress.com.
Itʼs Not How Good You Are, Itʼs How Good You Want to Be by Paul Arden may possibly be the most encouraging book anyone in the marketing, publishing, or advertising worlds can read. Pages and pages of honest, inspiring anecdotes, quotes, personal stories, and failures and successes make this book a must-read. Answering everyday questions with logical responses, Arden has written a cohesive handbook for navigating through the terrain of life by altering your conditioned mindset. The
message: it doesnʼt matter what job you have or where you are in your journey. His positivity and intellect will make it near impossible not to accomplish something epic in your own life. Available on amazon.com.
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THE BUZZ
SELF-
IMPROVEMENT
STARTS NOW
Developing any new habit starts with routine, and there are so many apps out there designed to help you integrate new behaviors into your daily life. Here are three of the top-rated options.
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PRODUCTIVE
DONE
STICKK
This habit tracker helps you build a whole new routine. Set goals, watch your progress, get reminders based on location, build streaks, and celebrate victories with a swipe.
What sets this free app apart is the ability to track a goal multiple times a day. If your goal is to drink more water, drinking one glass and checking it off the list isn’t gonna cut it.
You are 300 percent more likely to achieve a goal if you put real money on the line. StickK allows you to do just that. Lose that bet, and the money goes to an organization of your choice.
MARC H 2020
The GOAT Spread Known for its heady Humboldt Fog and Truffle Tremor, Cypress Grove continues to find innovative ways of pumping humble goat cheese flavor into your life. The pastoral goat cheese creamery now offers “Fresh Cups,” a $5, four-ounce hit of sweet or savory creamy goat cheese begging to be packed in lunch boxes or spread over crackers for a delicious last-minute appetizer. Itʼs available in two savory flavors: the Danger Zone features spicy fresh jalapeño, garlic, and onion, while the Little Red Corvette is a riff on pimiento cheese with bell pepper and chermoula spices. For the less daring, the Straight Up is pure unadulterated chevre for multipurpose dipping. The Sweet Dreams flavor boasts brown sugar and vanilla for the perfect morning toast schmear.
Active interim permits with Humboldt County on two parcels totaling 28,550 square feet of cultivation. Over 400 acres,13,850 of outdoor and 14,700 of mixed light. Huge flat, close to paved road and permitted well. Call for price
Humboldt & State approved indoor. 5000 sq ft. Priced $1,260,000
Large flat, 2 homes, pond, on grid power approved Humboldt County cultivation permits under 1.0 for outdoor, mixed light and indoor. Zoning is agriculture and this property may be a suitable location for the RRR program or expansion under 2.0. Call for current pricing
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Tiny homes are an obvious solution to housing and climate issues. Why isn’t it easier to find places for them? TEXT ROBYN GRIGGS LAWRENCE
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of McMansion Mania. Shafer’s 130-square-foot home (yes, you read that right), built for $40,000, was a hard “no” to all that. It was also cozy and inviting, and Shafer described himself as a claustrophile (someone who loves closed-in spaces). Shafer won the Philosophy and Innovation Award
in our Natural Home of the Year contest because his adorable house embodied everything the magazine stood for, and he wasn’t afraid to say things. He said that we Americans like our homes like we like our food—big and cheap—and he was the first to figure out that putting a tiny house on
PHOTOS BY POVY KENDAL ATCHISON
Size Matters
I visited Jay Shafer’s meticulous American Gothic–style house in a sun-dappled Iowa City backyard shortly after we launched Natural Home magazine in 1999. The Dow had just surpassed 10,000, mortgage credit requirements were melting into oblivion, and America had a bad case
wheels makes it an RV and therefore not subject to city and county minimum-size standards and codes. He wasn’t shy about his intention to make tiny homes a revolutionary alternative in a housing market headed for disaster. “I am certainly not proposing that everyone should live in a house as small as mine,” Shafer wrote in the letter accompanying his contest entry. “Such minimalism would be excessive for most people. What I am saying is that the scale of our homes should be as varied as the spatial needs of their inhabitants, and that it is those needs rather than government regulations and conspicuous consumption that should determine house size.” Shafer’s message was radical, and largely ignored, in the frenzy
leading up to the 2008 crash. But his company, Tumbleweed Tiny Homes, built a following, and he built a name for himself as the godfather of a fledgling tiny house movement (one blogger called him “the George Washington of simple and sustainable living”). He wrote The Small House Book and was on The Oprah Winfrey Show. Then he lost the company in a business dispute and his house in a divorce, and he was homeless for a while, living in a pigpen inside a shed. Determined never to live that way again, Shafer designed a 50-square-foot home that cost $5,000 in Sebastopol, California. He gives master class workshops at tiny house festivals around the world (including the Tiny House Festival Australia in Bendigo, Victoria, March 21–22).
operating and maintaining them costs a lot less. When the International Code Commission made changes to its residential code to facilitate tiny house construction in 2018, it reported lifetime conditioning costs as low as 7 percent of conventional homes. That reality is driving the spike in interest in tiny homes, which are getting a lot of attention as a solution to the affordable housing and homeless crises, with the added bonus of being A Status Symbol for kinder to the planet than Humble Braggers a traditional three-bedThough 82 percent of room/two-bath. Whether renters say they would like to buy a home some- they live in tiny homes for financial reasons day, according to Fannie or not, climate-aware Mae, homeownership is homebuyers get a status at its lowest point since symbol that flaunts their 1965. Ordinary people can’t afford the American honorable choice to reduce their footprint and Dream (median listing live with less—no easy price: $310,000). In the thing to do, even in this Bay Area, homebuyers post-Kondo age. paid twice their annual It doesn’t hurt that tiny income for a house in the homes—generally defined 1960s; today, they shell out nine times their year- as homes with less than ly salary. Only 13 percent 400 square feet—are now readily available in every of millennial renters in style, from your basic the United States will shed to sleek Dwell-worhave enough cash to put thy models. You can buy 20 percent down on a plans and build a tiny house in the next five house yourself or pick out years, according to an one online and have it Apartment List survey. shipped to you. You can Tiny homes are much cheaper, with prices rang- even order one on Aming from $10,000 to more azon. Used tiny homes, along with inspirational than $200,000 (averagstories and information, ing about $65,000), and “The evolution of tiny houses has paralleled the digital revolution, since this whole tiny thing started at the turn of the century,” Shafer told foxnews.com in 2014. “Once it became possible to have a remote little phone instead of a landline and a wall-mounted flat screen instead of a 2-foot-by-1foot chunk on the dresser, folks started seeing the potential for living in what basically amounts to a laptop with a roof.”
LIVE TINY AND FREE More than twice as many tiny homeowners—68 percent compared with 29 percent of all US homeowners—have no mortgage, and 78 percent own their own home. SOURCE: thetinylife.com
LEFT: The dining table in Jay Shaferʼs 130-squarefoot home can be taken down and stored in a closet when not in use.
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SOMETIMES BIGGER ISN'T BETTER
SPARX MINI PRE ROLLS
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THE LIFE
TRY TINY
Think you might love a tiny house? airbnb.com, vrbo.com, glampinghub. com, and getaway.com all have tiny home listings to sample the lifestyle.
SECTION
PHOTOS COURTESY OF ROCKY MOUNTAIN TINY HOMES
can be found at sites like tinyhousefor.us, tinyhousetalk.com, and tinyhouselistings.com. Tiny Home Nation: 10K Strong More than half of Americans would consider a tiny home, according to a National Association of Home Builders survey. Potential buyers and just-dreamers flock to check out micro-houses, “schoolies” (converted school buses), and vans at tiny home festivals like the Florida Suncoast Tiny Home Festival in St. Petersburg (March 28–29) and the People’s Tiny House Festival in Golden, Colorado (June 6–7). But the reality is that only about 10,000 people in North America—the lucky ones who have managed to find parking spots—actually live in tiny homes. Like anything that disrupts the norm in a conformist capitalist culture, building a tiny home in a world of ticky-tacky boxes is not easy. The good news is that times are changing, as municipalities consider tiny home villages as a way to house the homeless and marginalized communities. Still, most states only allow tiny homes to be parked in rural areas (Massachusetts, California, Florida, and Oregon are somewhat more
lenient). Because most zoning laws in the United States don’t have a classification for tiny houses, most owners have to follow Shafer’s lead and register them as RVs, trailers, or mobile homes. In most places, zoning ordinances won’t allow you to buy land, park your tiny home/RV, and live happily ever after. You either have to rely on the kindness of family and friends with backyards or pay a monthly park fee to rent a space in one of the tiny home villages cropping up across the country. Park Delta Bay, an RV resort in Isleton, California, now has a row reserved for tiny homes. At Village Farm, an RV resort that’s turning into a tiny-home community in Austin, Texas, residents pay about $600 to $700 a month to park and use the services. Slowly, city and state governments are responding to homebuyers’ demands for tiny home
opportunities beyond RV resorts. Portland, Oregon, (but of course) has relaxed its ordinances to allow for everything from tiny house communities to tiny house hotels. In Rockledge, Florida, citizens demanded zoning changes allowing for a pocket neighborhood with homes ranging from 150 to 700 square feet. A tiny home community for low-income residents is under way on Detroit’s west side, and Vail, Arizona, built two dozen 300to 400-square-foot houses for schoolteachers. Advocacy groups have been paving the way for tiny homes since Shafer and a few friends founded the Small Home Society in 2002, and they’re seeing a resurgence. In 2017, a group of University of California-Berkeley students launched the Tiny House in My Backyard (THIMBY) project to promote research and development and raise awareness of tiny house communities.
Operation Tiny Home is a national nonprofit that helps people “maintain a life of dignity” through high-quality tiny housing and empowerment training programs. In Canada, activists calling themselves Tiny House Warriors are taking the revolution to the next level, placing “resistance-homes-on-wheels” along the pathway of the proposed Trans Mountain Pipeline. “We are asserting our inherent, God-given right to our lands,” says Kanahus Manuel, a leader of Tiny House Warrior. “We’re defending what’s ours, and tiny homes are how we’re doing it.” M ARCH 2020
Interior and exterior of the Letʼs Get Stoked tiny house model from Rocky Mountain Tiny Homes.
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h
is
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all wom g n i all o love cannab
CONNECT WITH YOURSELF AND OTHERS IN CITIES AROUND THE GLOBE
TOKEATIVITY.COM/CONNECT
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THE LIFE HEMP
What the Heck is with Hemp? The complications of growing hemp in the Emerald Triangle. TEXT THOMAS OLIVER
Ah, hemp. The redheaded stepchild of the Cannabis sativa plant. Rumors abound regarding its uses, origin, and dangers— and its relationship to mankind is perhaps more vexing and fraught with misinformation even than “true” cannabis. Some of the first signs of humans using hemp occurred more than 10,000 years ago in China and Taiwan, making it one of the earliest plants to be cultivated. Its oils were used in pottery and
its seeds as a source of nutrition. Evidence of hemp fiber being woven into rope popped up across Europe and Asia in 600 BCE and sporadically thereafter. Then it appeared in paper, clothing, and sails. Vikings brought it to Iceland, and hemp eventually found its way to North America. In the early days of colonial America, farmers were required by law to cultivate hemp. Thomas Jefferson and George Washington both es-
poused the great benefits of the plant. (My favorite hemp rumor is that Jefferson drafted the Declaration of Independence on hemp paper. This is, by all reliable accounts, false. The Declaration was drafted on parchment, which is made of animal skin.) By the 1930s, due to a growing fear of immigrants and pot smoking, backed by shoddy science linking the plant to criminal behavior, the United States began ratcheting
up taxation on the cultivation and distribution of hemp and its sister strain, cannabis. In 1970, Congress passed the Controlled Substances Act, labeling both cannabis and hemp as Schedule I controlled substances, effectively banning cultivation and consumption in all 50 states. Almost a half century since the fed’s criminal scheduling of the herb, hemp is still surrounded by misconceptions and conflicting information. M ARCH 2020
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Jessika Chapman (707) 616-1707 DRE # 019 53459
Servicing all your Real Estate needs!
Good River Farms, Redcreast, CA
JessikaChapman@MikkiMoves.com MikkiMoves.com 22 E M E RAL D T R IA NG LE
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118155
THE LIFE HEMP
Let’s try and clear some of that up. Hemp is the Cannabis sativa plant. It is differentiated not by its sex (a common misunderstanding is that hemp is from male plants only) but by the THC content of its flower. There are both male and female hemp plants. Cannabis is classified as hemp when its THC content (by dry weight) is below 0.3 percent, a dividing line codified in the Agricultural Improvement Act of 2018. This same act also made hemp legal, federally speaking. Today, hemp has become a major commodity crop in Colorado, the Midwest, and even Hawaii. Yet, here in the unincorporated areas of the Emerald Triangle, no one is legally permitted to grow hemp. (Hemp cultivation is, however, permitted in the city of Arcata.) The most common argument is that the ban is essential to protect existing cannabis crops from cross-pollination, which could ravage entire farms. Cannabis is one of the few plants that increases the number and size of its female sex organs (flowers) in response to prolonged virginity. Male cannabis plants typically use the wind to pollinate female plants and these grains of pollen can travel great distances given windy and favorable condi-
tions. Pollination of female plants can precipitously reduce yield and quality—a huge concern for the region’s large community of cannabis farmers. In addition, Humboldt County has a host, a veritable alphabet, of concerns. In its June 2019 adoption of a six-month moratorium on industrial hemp production (which was then extended again in December 2019), the Board of Supervisors outlined 27 (that’s A-Z and back to A) concerns regarding hemp cultivation. Many underscore the often vague and conflicting regulations between the federal and state level. Hemp has myriad uses, from textiles to food to beauty products to paper, making it especially difficult to regulate, as it must conform to multiple discrete industry standards all at once. Some of these, namely the food, beverage, and cosmetics regulations, have yet to be enacted by the California State Senate. Best to wait until they take effect, says Humboldt County. Potency testing, too, is a worry for regulators and cultivators alike. The USDA has not yet released a uniform testing standard for hemp, so states are left to their own devices to decide which kind of test to use. Two of the more popular tests are gas chroma-
The most common argument is that the ban is essential to protect existing crops from crosspollination, which could ravage entire farms.
tography, where a sample is simply vaporized and the resultant gases analyzed, and high-pressure liquid chromatography, where a sample is shot through long columns at high pressure to separate and analyze it. These different tests can produce wildly different results. Variations of up to 20 percent are not uncommon between testing types, according to a 2011 study. The potency spread of these results isn’t especially damning for cannabis cultivators but could be a huge problem for industrial hemp farmers, where keeping potency to a prescribed minimum is paramount. As it has for years, hemp continues to confound typical classification. With its great and widespread utility comes a host of unique and intertwined challenges. In the Emerald Triangle, for the time being, cannabis is still the top dog. While local regulators do their due diligence, as they should, other states have seized the opportunity with both hands—hemp production nationwide is up 368 percent according to the USDA, with more than 128,000 acres planted nationwide. Will Humboldt and Mendocino counties neglect hemp to protect their niche? Or will these two adverse siblings ever coexist? M ARCH 2020
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Elevate. Pamper. Rejuvenate.
Flamingo Resort SONOMA COUNTY
THE LIFE
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Mona Van Joseph has been an intuitive since 2002. She is an author, columnist, and host of Psychic View Radio. She created dicewisdom.com, which also has a smartphone app. mona.vegas
HOROSCOPE
MARCH HOROSCOPE What do the stars hold for you? TEXT MONA VAN JOSEPH
you are—and totally step JULY 23–AUG. 22 back from the people Listen to the compliwho are taking advanPeople are about to ment that presents ittage of your good nature. prove to you how much self to you as a critithey love you. March is cism; energies will make MAY 21–JUNE 20 when your gratitude toyou better through jealward people who are ousy and roadblocks. It It’s time to apologize for supporting you will make could be that you realize the things you have done all the difference. it’s time for a change. to hurt people. If your ego won’t let you actual- AUG. 23–SEPT. 22 MAR. 21–APR. 19 ly call them to apologize, write them a “spiritual” There are angels surThere is something to letter telling them you rounding you. Pennies celebrate that presents were unfair to them and and feathers in your path itself to you. To thank the that you are sorry. are likely. This is a month universe for this opporof being aware of how tunity or inspiration, do- JUNE 21–JULY 22 things are lining up for nate to an organization a you. Accept all invitations. few times this month. “Today is the first day of the rest of your life.” SEPT. 23–OCT. 22 APR. 20–MAY 20 The door to your future couldn’t open any wider. Coincidence will be your Do not try to impress If you want the job, you best friend this month. anyone who isn’t treating can have it. If you want It’s time to drop (old) you well. Please agree that relationship to go ideas that you can’t have with the vibration that to the next level, you what you want…you toyou are perfect the way can have it. tally can. Pay attention! FEB. 19–MAR. 20
PISCES
LEO
GEMINI
VIRGO
ARIES
CANCER
TAURUS
LIBRA
OCT. 23–NOV. 21
DEC. 22–JAN. 19
Practice saying nice things about people. Do not take on the bad karma right now of backstabbing those who truly do not deserve it. Ask yourself: “Am I basing my opinion on someone else’s agenda?”
When you focus on one thing at a time, you are a genius. Avoid multitasking this month. Better to spend the time to make sure it’s done right the first time.
SCORPIO
PISCES, ENERGIES WILL USE JEALOUSY AND ROADBLOCKS TO MAKE YOU BETTER THIS MONTH. IT COULD BE THAT IT’S TIME FOR A CHANGE.
CAPRICORN
JAN. 20–FEB. 18
AQUARIUS
Embrace the high energy of spinning lots of You are the owner of this plates right now. You are lifetime and acting as the chef who has many though you do have the pots simmering, and it’s power to change things time to admit that you will make all the differlike it this way. Thrive by ence this month. You will making the magic hapget a sign that you are on pen with all the resourcthe right track. es available to you. NOV. 22–DEC. 21
SAGITTARIUS
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Growing the Gardens Project Community digs deep to ensure food security for low-income populations.
TEXT ELIZABETH ARCHER
PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE GARDENS PROJECT
A
s the members of 100+ Women Strong arrived at Barra of Mendocino winery last November, each one wrote a check for $100— and left the “to” field blank. 100+ Women Strong Inland Mendocino is a new chapter of the nationwide 100 Who Care Alliance organization. By design, it is not a formal organization and doesn’t even have a bank account. Instead, 100+ Women Strong is an organized “giving circle,” which maximizes its impact by having no overhead or administrative costs. “Being an informal group allows us to donate 100 percent of the money we raise,” explains 100+ Women Strong founder Katie Fairbairn. She and the six Core Group leaders volunteer their time and cover the organization’s minimal costs—PO box rental, website domain, and printing— themselves. At each quarterly meeting, the women listen to a five-minute presentation from three different local nonprofits. The members then vote on their
preferred organization, and the winner of that vote receives every $100 check. In 2019, 100+ Women Strong’s first year, the group raised over $92,000. “It’s one of the most empowering things I’ve ever been involved in. I never dreamed it would be this successful or work this well,” says Fairbairn. In November, the checks totaled $20,600, which members voted to donate to the Gardens Project, a program run by North Coast Opportunities (NCO). Since its inception in 2007, the Gardens Project has built 55 community gardens across Lake and Mendocino Counties, all of which are run by garden volunteers and supported by NCO staff. Garden sites include previously vacant lots, unused or underutilized space at low-income apartment buildings, and dedicated areas of public parks. In addition, nearly every public school in Mendocino County boasts a garden, many of which are supported by the Gardens Project. M ARCH 2020
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Gardens Project manager Sarah Marshall shares her 100+ Women Strong membership with friend and Gardens Project coordinator Lucy Kramer. This creative model allows more women to participate at a lower financial entry point. “It’s been really valuable to become a peer of so many incredible women,” says Kramer. She and Marshall are some of the group’s youngest members. “We are so inspired by this group of women coming together,” says Marshall. “The power of combining many donations into one large gift can mean a lot to a small nonprofit.” During her November presentation, Marshall explained that the funds from 100+ Women Strong would be earmarked to build community gardens in low-income senior apartment complexes. In the summer of 2019, many local people, especially the elderly, suffered during the prolonged PG&E power outages. “With community gardens, even without power, at-risk people can get fresh fruits and vegetables right from their own backyards. That kind of food security can be lifesaving,” says Marshall.
“It was incredibly impactful to learn how many senior citizens end up food insecure and what a difference the gross tonnage of vegetables produced by the community gardens will make.” —Katie Fairbairn, founder of 100+ Women Strong
Based on end-of-year surveys, the Gardens Project estimates that its network of gardens yields nearly 30,000 pounds of produce annually. This food is eaten by the gardeners, shared with friends and family, and donated to food banks. Many Latino community gardeners grow JOIN THE 100 favorites from their home countries including nopales, jalapeños, Members of 100+ Women Strong make a and other spicy pepper varietals commitment to donate as well as the three sisters: corn, $100 to the organization beans, and squash, planted closely of choice and attend these quarterly together. Other common summer selection meetings as crops include tomatoes, cucumoften as possible. Visit bers, melons, and strawberries. The 100strongmendo.com to fill out the membership gardens are planted and harvested form and read about their year-round, with herbs, broccoli, next meeting. cauliflower, and leafy greens like lettuce, spinach, and kale taking center stage in the cooler months. Many gardeners also dedicate a little space to flowers, which provide color and beauty as well as food for pollinators and pests alike. Public gardens create a natural gathering place where community is built and strengthened, where children can play safely, and people young and old learn from one another. Many gardeners organize informal gatherings like potlucks and barbecues as well as regular work parties. The annual Garden Tour happens each September with various offerings at each participating garden site, including arts and crafts, live music, and free refreshments. The Gardens Project also offers free workshops year-round with a wide variety of topics including seed-saving techniques, seasonal garden planning, irrigation methods, and even olive brining. The goal of all these workshops is to help people, especially low-income and at-risk populations, have consistent access to fresh food. M ARCH 2020
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MORE INFO
100+ Women Strong Inland Mendo @100womenstronginlandmendo 100strongmendo.com
“It was incredibly impactful to learn how many senior citizens end up food insecure and what a difference the gross tonnage of vegetables produced by the community gardens will make,” says Fairbairn. The Gardens Project will start construction this spring on seven new community gardens at low-income senior apartment sites in Fort Bragg, Willits, and Ukiah. The gardens will be designed with input from the seniors who will use the gardens. A combination of NCO staff, community gardeners, California Conservation Corps crews, and interns from the Men-
docino County Office of Education’s New Beginnings program will build the gardens, which will be primarily raised beds. “Raised beds work really well because they make gardening accessible to individuals of all mobility levels,” explains Marshall. The Gardens Project counts on multiple community partners to keep costs to a minimum. Mendo Mill & Lumber provides materials at cost, while Cold Creek Compost donates compost to all the gardens across both counties. Several tree services donate wood chips, and almost everyone involved donates their time to build and maintain
the gardens. Through volunteerism and collaboration, the seven senior gardens will be built for about $3,000 each, putting the 100+ Women Strong donation to use for years to come. “I can’t speak enough to the power of sharing the work you do with over 200 women who are riveted by your story,” says Marshall. “Even the nonprofits who don’t ‘win’ come away with a new, supportive network, and they can be nominated to present again. This organization is only a year old and is already having a huge impact on our community. I’m so proud to be part of it.”
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Elizabeth Archer is an enthusiastic eater and promoter of the local food scene in Mendocino County. She and her husband run Carson and Bees, a beekeeping operation in Ukiah.
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Paper-engineering obsessives create the first pop-up book to explore the world of cannabis.
In a New TEXT LELAND RUCKER
DIMENSION 32 EM ERAL D TR IA NG LE
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GET YOUR OWN
Dimensional Cannabis: The Pop-Up Book of Marijuana Poposition Press, $50 marijuanapopup.com
PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF POPOSITION PRESS
C
ollaboration is a wonderful thing. When my friend Rosston Meyer told me a few years ago that he was planning a pop-up cannabis book, I thought it sounded like a great idea. I knew Meyer ran an independent publishing house designing popup books in collaboration with artists. Meyer is a designer with a passion for art and pop culture, so I imagined his books were a modern upgrade of the old-school pop-up books I played with as a child—3-D elements and foldouts, tabs to pull and wheels to spin— but with a modern aesthetic that appeals to adults. “A pop-up on pot would be cool to flip through and play with,” I remember thinking. “I hope he does it.” A few years later, Meyer came around to show me a physical mock-up of his pot-themed popup, which he’d titled Dimensional Cannabis. What he showed me was a modern art form I wasn’t aware existed. Yes, the book featured 3-D elements and foldouts, with tabs to pull and wheels to spin, but what I had pictured was similar only in concept. These were intricate and elaborate kinetic paper sculptures that painted a picture and brought it to life. I was blown away. So, when he asked if I’d be interested in writing the words to go on the pages before me, I signed on immediately. Altogether, Dimensional Cannabis took more than three years to complete, with a total of nine people contributing to the final product published by Poposition Press, Meyer’s independent publishing house. A small press, Poposition designs, publishes,
and distributes limited-edition pop-up books that feature artists or subjects that Meyer finds of deep personal interest. He got started in the genre in 2013, when he started working on a collaboration with Jim Mahfood, a comic book creator known as Food One. The resulting Pop-Up Funk features Mahfood’s diverse designs transformed into interactive three-dimensional pop-ups. The limited-edition run of 100 copies were all constructed by hand. Since then, Poposition has worked with a number of contemporary artists to publish titles like Triad by cute-culture artist Junko Mizuno and Necronomicon by macabre master Skinner. Meyer has been fascinated by pop-up books since he was a kid, and in 2013, he began concentrating on paper engineering and book production. “After making a couple books focused on just artists, I thought that creating a popup book about cannabis would be a good idea,” he says. “There’s nothing else like it in the market, and there’s an audience for adultthemed pop-up books.” For Dimensional Cannabis, Meyer collaborated with Mike Giant, a renowned American illustrator, graffiti writer, tattooer, and artist. Giant’s medium of choice is a Sharpie, and Giant’s detailed line work is instantly recognizable. An avid proponent of cannabis, Giant illustrated the entire Dimensional Cannabis book. Giant and Meyer met at a weekly open studio Giant hosted in Boulder. “When the idea of doing a pop-up book about cannabis came up, he asked if I would illustrate it,” Giant says. “I’ve been an
advocate for cannabis use for decades, so it didn’t take long for me to agree to work on the project.” Meyer began by sending Giant reference materials to visualize. “I’d get it drawn out, hand it off, and get some more stuff to illustrate,” Giant says. “He’d send me previews of the finished pages as we went. It was really cool to see my line drawings colored and cut to shape. That process went on for months and months until everything for the book was accounted for.” The process of making pop-up books is called “paper engineering.” I love obsessives, and the engineers who put this book together, make no mistake, are the ones who spend endless hours figuring out the tiniest details of the folds and materials necessary so that water pipe emerges every time you open the paraphernalia page. “David Carter and I started talking about the idea a couple years prior to actually starting on the book,” Meyer says. “The initial concepts for each spread were figured out, and a different paper-engineer peer was asked to design each spread so that the book had variation throughout.” Dimensional Cannabis is divided into six pages, or spreads, covering the cannabis plant’s biology, medical properties, cultivation, history, and influence on popular culture. The paraphernalia page features many items we associate with cannabis consumption over the years in America, from rolling papers and pipes to vaporizers, dabs, and concentrates—and that foot-long bong that miraculously appears as you turn the page. One spread opens to the full plant, with information on its M ARCH 2020
LEFT: Dimensional Cannabis includes six pop-up pages, including this colorful, meditating figure that dominates the medical spread. It was designed by Isabel Uria.
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Left: The paraphernalia spread shows the many ways people consume cannabis, and includes many items, including a clear, acetate bong, rolling papers, and a vaporizer. It was produced by Ray Marshall, who, Meyer says, “basically knocked it out of the park on his first version.” Below: Well-known illustrator Mike Giant provided the cover, with Kevin Steele providing the coloring for the bookʼs six pop-up spreads
unique and fascinating properties. Another opens to a colorful, meditating figure with text about the healing properties of cannabis. One page is dedicated to its cultivation possibilities, basic genetics, and the differences between indoor and outdoor growing. The history spread takes us back to the beginnings of the curious and long-standing connection between humans and cannabis. Engineer Simon Arizpe had worked with Meyer before and jumped at the chance to work on that one. “I wanted it to be Eurasian-centric as the viewer opens the page, showing the early uses
of cannabis in ancient Vietnam and China,” Arizpe says. “As the viewer engages with the pop-up, cannabis’s use in the new world spreads across the page,” he adds. “We decided [to focus] on moments in time that were either politically relevant, like weed legalization, or culturally significant, like Reefer Madness.” Arizpe feels like the entire project is an example of what can be done working with talented people outside the traditional publishing engine. “Rosston came up with an idea that has a big following and made it happen,” he says. “It is pretty exciting when people can do that out of nothing.” M ARCH 2020
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For Meyer, who says he likes a good sativa when he’s working, the project was a labor of love that spans all his areas of interest. “Not only was this a great experience putting together such a unique book, but having different paper
engineers work on each spread made this a real collaboration,” he says. “There have only been a couple pop-up books produced with a roster of engineers. Dimensional Cannabis is for cannabis lovers and pop-up book collectors alike.”
POP-UPGRADE If the book alone isnʼt enough to decorate your coffee table, Poposition Press offers two more ordering tiers, complete with extra merch to maximize your enjoyment. The Collectorʼs Edition ($240) includes an enhanced pop-up book with gold-foil case wrap, a foil-stamped slipcase, The Good Stuff enamel pin, and a Hemp art print on hemp paper. The Connoisseur Edition ($420) comes with a wooden laser-etched slipcover, two sets of enamel pins, a Dope art print, and a Gramps art print, both on hemp paper.
Meyer originally conceived a scene showing people looking at the book, which morphed into a celebration of the universality of the plant in many cultures and people throughout history.
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Join the Club
The busiest month of the year for gyms and fitness classes is a great time to spring into action with healthy movement. TEXT JESSICA REINUS
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GET MOVING
PHOTOS COURTESY OF MOVEWELL ARCATA
Movewell Arcata @movewellarcata movewellarcata.com
We’re quite lucky to have many cutting-edge gyms, yoga studios, and alternative exercise facilities that offer trendy and diverse exercise options in the area to keep minds and bodies sharp. One popular class that has been hitting the gym circuit is Reformer Pilates, where the exercises are done on a specialized apparatus. A carriage rolls back and forth on wheels within an adjustable frame fitted with springs, allowing the user differing levels of resistance and a safe yet challenging workout. German-born Joseph Pilates developed his eponymous exercise approach in the 1920s. A former circus performer and boxer, Pilates created toning muscle exercises for patients while living in an internment camp in England during WWI. Pilates began assisting those who were plagued with injuries and diseases with rehabilitation exercises. According to VeryWell Fit, Pilates used things like bed springs and beer keg rings, born from the necessity of invention, which were the predecessors to equipment like the Reformer and Magic Circle used in Pilates classes today. Just across from the North Coast Coop in downtown Arcata, Move-
well is a new Pilates studio committed to bringing classic classes to the community. This January, the studio, formerly known as Core Pilates, reopened its doors under the ownership of Tamra James. She emphasizes functional fitness, and Movewell offers a variety of movement classes, including Barre, yoga, TRX, and aerial yoga. Walking into the studio on a cold winter morning, James greets her students, some by name, and others with a warm smile. On this day, she’s teaching Gentle Reformer Pilates, great for beginners and those with injuries. A graduate of Humboldt State’s Kinesiology program, James first discovered Pilates while playing soccer in college. After sustaining various injuries
on the field, she used specific Pilates exercises for a faster recovery along with increased flexibility. Another fitness trend on Movewell’s schedule is Barre. A challenging hybrid of dance, strength training, yoga, and Pilates, most Barre classes utilize a ballet barre, while incorporating classic ballet moves such as pliés, sautés, and tendus. Combined with high reps of small movements, these moves can be very effective in weight loss, muscle strengthening, and toning without gaining bulk. Another new place to get moving is the Humboldt Patient Resource Center (HPRC) in Eureka. The long-standing dispensary opened a second location in 2019, featuring a wellness center known
as The Connection (theconnectionhprc.com) that offers free and donation-based wellness classes to the community. The Connection’s schedule includes tai chi, Zumba, vinyasa yoga, and qigong classes led by established healers and body workers. Other group class options focus on mental health and spirituality, including Healing with Words, The Power of Mirroring, and Playing into Transformation. Such resources can be a vital step in allowing the synergistic body and mind connection to take place, which is essential for optimal healing. Whatever fitness trends find their way into your life this spring, remember these words of wisdom from Joseph Pilates: “Physical fitness is the first requisite of happiness.” M ARCH 2020
LEFT: Tamra James, owner of Movewell Arcata, stretches in preparation for a workout. ABOVE: Pilates Reformers at Movewell
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Fighting for freedom is Join the revolution at norml.org
THE SCENE
BUY THE BOOK
Sharing the Bounty: A Bilingual Cookbook Gardens Project, $30 gardensproject.org/store
Sharing the Bounty Taste what local produce has to offer. TEXT ELIZABETH ARCHER
The Gardens Project recently compiled Lake and Mendocino county gardeners’ favorite recipes into a bilingual cookbook, Sharing the Bounty, available at the Gardens Project office and the online store. One hundred percent of profits from book sales are used to provide equipment and tools to low-income gardeners. Here is one of Sarah Marshall’s favorite recipes for winter and spring produce.
RECIPE
Cabbage Kale Citrus Salad Vegan / Recipe by the Gardens Project / Makes 2-4 servings
INGREDIENTS For the dressing
¼ cup orange juice ¼ cup rice vinegar 1 teaspoon brown sugar ¼ cup toasted sesame oil ¼ cup soy sauce 2 tablespoons dry mustard For the salad
1 head green cabbage 1 bunch kale 2½ oranges or mandarins ½ cup sliced almonds Ginger, to taste Freshly grated pepper, to taste Edible flowers, if desired
INST RUCT IONS
• Whisk together ingredients for dressing and set aside. • Finely shred cabbage and put in large bowl. • Remove ribs from kale, stack several leaves together, roll up and slice into thin strips. Add to cabbage. • Peel citrus and cut into ½ inch pieces. Toss together with greens and dressing. • Top with almonds and edible flowers and enjoy.
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LEARN MORE While youʼre enjoying the flavors of Mendocino, read more about the nonprofit behind this recipe on p. 26.
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THE SCENE CA L E N DA R
Bard’s plays. It was London’s longest running comedy, having logged nine years in London’s West End.
Erik Escobar Mar. 6, 9 p.m. Savage Henry Comedy Club, Eureka $10 savagehenrymagazine.com
Arts Alive Eureka
On the Calendar
Spring out of the house for a month of music, art, and whale watching. TEXT NORA MOUNCE
Dodge the rain showers this March to enjoy a packed calendar of cultural events and music. From world-class performances at Humboldt State University to belly laughs at the Savage Henry Comedy Club to whale watching in Mendocino, there’s a good reason for everyone to emerge from hibernation this month. Pack the umbrella and get out there!
Thundercat March 3, 8 p.m. Van Duzer Theatre at HSU, Arcata $49 centerarts.humboldt.edu
The alter ego of Stephen Bruner, Thundercat is drawing accolades for his recent outstanding contributions to jazz sax42 EM ERAL D T R IA NG LE
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ophonist Kamasi Washington’s The Epic and hip-hop superstar Kendrick Lamar’s To Pimp a Butterfly.
Jerry Douglas w/ M. Walker Trio Mar. 6, 7:30 p.m. The Old Steeple, Ferndale $40 ferndalemusiccompany.com
Jerry Douglas is to
Reduced Shakespeare Company Mar. 6, 7 p.m. Van Duzer Theatre at HSU, Arcata $49 centerarts.humboldt.edu
was to the electric guitar, reinventing the instrument in countless ways.
Weaverville Art Cruise Mar. 7, 5 p.m. Monthly Arts Walk, Weaverville weavervilleca.org
Allison Mick and Aviva Siegel Mar. 7, 9 p.m. Savage Henry Comedy Club, Eureka $10 savagehenrymagazine.com
Mendocino Whale Festival Mar. 7–8 Various locations, Mendocino mendocinocoast.com
There are plenty of whales to view from the surrounding of William ShakeMendocino Headspeare (Abridged) is lands State Park. an irreverent romp Chowder, beer, and through all 37 of the wine options can be
Andy Frasco and the resonator guitar the UN what Jimi Hendrix The Complete Works Mar. 3, 9 p.m. Humbrews, Arcata $15 humbrews.com
Mar. 7, 6 p.m. Monthly Arts Walk, Old Town eurekamainstreet.org
THE SCENE CA L E N DA R
LEFT: WHALE WATCHING BELOW: THE WOOD BROTHERS RIGHT: THE UNDERWATER BUBBLE SHOW
found on pedestriThunder from Down Under an-friendly lanes, Mar. 11, 8 p.m. while you explore Blue Lake Casino, Blue Lake art exhibits, local $30 shops, and inns. bluelakecasino.com Join MendoParks on Big River Beach for Australia’s hottest sandcastle building export is back with and whale lore. chiseled bodies, cheeky humor, and The Escher boy-next-door charm.
String Quartet Mar. 8, 4 p.m. Gualala Arts Center, Gualala gualalaarts.org
The Wood Brothers with special guests, Birds of Chicago
PHOTO (ABOVE): COURTESY OF UNDERWATERBUBBLESHOW.COM
Mar. 8, 8 p.m. Arkley Center for the Performing Arts, Eureka $40 centerarts.humboldt.edu
Arts! Arcata Mar. 13, 6 p.m. Monthly Art Walk, Arcata arcatamainstreet.com
Shane Torres Mar. 13–14, 9 p.m. Savage Henry Comedy Club, Eureka $15 savagehenrymagazine.com
Mummenschanz
Siberian State Symphony Orchestra
Mar. 11, 7 p.m. Arkley Center for the Performing Arts, Eureka $25–$39 centerarts.humboldt.edu
Mar. 16, 7 p.m. Van Duzer Theatre at HSU, Arcata $66 centerarts.humboldt.edu
The Underwater Bubble Show Mar. 17, 7 p.m. Arkley Center for the Performing Arts, Eureka $25–$39 centerarts.humboldt.edu
Trained docents present whale walks with the use of binoculars and a spotting scope to help visitors study whales and other marine wildlife.
Aqueous Mar. 18, 9 p.m. Humbrews, Arcata $15 humbrews.com
Jake Silberman Mar. 20, 9 p.m. Savage Henry Comedy Club, Eureka $10 savagehenrymagazine.com
Fort Bragg Whale Festival Mar. 20–22 MacKerricher State Park Fort Bragg mendocinocoast.com
The whale-watching fun continues at the headlands of Laguna Point.
Perilous Plunge Mar. 21, 11 a.m. Boardwalk, Old Town Eureka discovery-museum.org
In this annual fundraiser for the Redwood Discovery Museum, wacky costumed plungers jump into Humboldt Bay to the sound of the Marching Lumberjacks and cheers of the crowd.
Mikey McKernan Mar. 27, 9 p.m. Savage Henry Comedy Club, Eureka $10 savagehenrymagazine.com
Ascend Wilderness Experience Mountain Prom Mar. 28, 7 p.m. Veterans Memorial Hall, Weaverville $8–$35 ascendwildnerness.org
This all-ages community shindig will raise funds for summer local youth backpack trips and day hikes in the Trinity Alps.
Drive-By Truckers
Pimps of Joytime “Bang It On” Tour
Mar. 22, 8 p.m. Van Duzer Theatre at HSU, Arcata $39 centerarts.humboldt.edu
Mar. 29, 8 p.m. Arcata Theatre Lounge, Arcata $15–$20 arcatatheatre.com
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Empowering traditional cannabis farmers through education, research and advocacy.
“Cultivating Well Being Since 1999”
Voted Best Dispensary in Humboldt County!
Monday -Thursday 10:30am - 5:00pm 782 Locust St., Garberville, CA 95542 info@icfa.farm
Now with 2 Locations!
HPRC Arcata 980 6th St. Arcata, CA
HPRC Eureka 445 4th St. Eureka, CA @HPRCHumboldt @HPRCArcata @HPRCEureka
www.HPRCHumboldt.com
C-10-0000409-LIC | C-12-0000231-LIC
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http://ICFA.farm
P R O M O T I O N A L F E AT U R E JESSIKA CHAPMAN
Humboldt County Real Estate A local agent gives back to the community with every sale.
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orn and raised in Eureka, Jessika Chapman is intimately familiar with the hills, forests, rivers, and redwoods of Humboldt County. While attending the College of the Redwoods seven years ago, she saw a sign advertising a career in real estate and felt called by the promise of adventure. Today, Chapman works for the locally owned agency MikkiMoves, helping all kinds of people across Northern California find the perfect property to call home. Chapman has a diverse focus. She loves helping first-time buyers find the
right home, as well as working with commercial entities to expand their footprints. But Chapman’s specialty has always been in land. She gets the most enjoyment from helping clients in the cannabis industry find the ideal piece of property for their growing needs. Exploring Humboldt County is always an adventure and Chapman’s favorite part of the job. Sometimes her love for the land can make her job almost bittersweet. While she’s happy to find a good owner, it’s hard to say goodbye to some of the county’s most beautiful farms.
Chapman believes that the Humboldt community grows stronger as more clients become property, business, and homeowners. And more people in the area means more support for the cannabis industry, which Chapman is eager to facilitate. Chapman and MikkiMoves believe in investing in a healthy community through the company’s unique giving program. After closing, MikkiMoves donates 1 percent of each commission to a nonprofit organization of the client’s choosing, in the client’s name. Chapman often chooses to match this donation, helping to elevate the impact of this special contribution. A trustworthy real estate agent who cares about her local community, Chapman makes sure that her clients are well taken care of every time.
Jessika Chapman MikkiMoves Real Estate humboldt.mikkimoves.com/ jessika-chapman M ARCH 2020
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Introducing Uleva TM
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P R O M O T I O N A L F E AT U R E H E A R T W O O D M O U N TA I N S A N C T U A R Y
Escape to Southern Humboldt An Emerald Triangle institution evolves into an eco-retreat.
H
eartwood Mountain Sanctuary has been an essential part of Emerald Triangle culture since 1981, when its founders moved their massage institute north from Santa Cruz. Seeking land that was private, beautiful, and affordable, they found the perfect location on more than 200 acres nestled in the hills of Palo Verde in Southern Humboldt County. Heartwood operated as an accredited massage school and healing arts destination for decades before the current owners transformed the property into an eco-retreat in 2006. Over the years, the campus has expanded to include a collection of unique buildings and features that make it a perfect place to retreat from the world. With bungalows, cabins, dorms, and ample camping spaces,
be adapted to accommodate vegan and other dietary preferences. Heartwood is a popular destination for all types of organizations to bring their employees for team-building and educational activities. In addition to providing a peaceful venue that encourages recreation and reflection, Heartwood offers a full schedule of wellness classes that visitors can enroll in. Educational programming includes healing arts, crafts such as wheel-thrown ceramics, and spiritual practices like yoga and meditation. Heartwood Mountain Sanctuary is open daily for visitors seeking a relaxing escape in the tranquil hills of the Emerald Triangle.
Heartwood can accommodate up to 200 people for events and retreats. Overnight guests are encouraged to unwind in the pool and hot tub overlooking the scenery of the Yolla Bolly mountains that straddle the Humboldt– Mendocino county line. In addition to the therapeutic tub, pool, and cedar sauna, Heartwood is known for the sanctuary’s one-of-a-kind attractions such as its Strawbale Temple. Created by a former student, the hexagonal temple is constructed from all-natural materials, the walls are built from straw bales, and the floor is coated with beeswax. Kitchen facilities are available for guests, and groups who book special events have access to Heartwood’s Heartwood Mountain Sanctuary talented chefs. In line with the sancEco-Retreat, Learning Village, and tuary’s holistic and healing philosophy, Community Hub the menu is vegetarian and can easily heartwoodhub.com M ARCH 2020
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Ricochet Ridge Ranch 24201 N. Highway 1, Fort Bragg horse-vacation.com @ricochetridgeranch @ricochetridgeranch_
Mendocino County has a storied history as horse country, a tradition kept alive by cattle ranchers and summer rodeos. Knowing that the verdant forests and inspiring seascapes of Mendocino can be hard to contain in a single panorama, try getting a higher view from the gentle giants at Ricochet Ridge Ranch. Just north of Fort Bragg, the ranch was founded by legendary horsewoman Lari Shea more than 30 years ago. Today, Ricochet 50 E M ERAL D T R IA NG LE
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Ridge is operated by the Langevin family and continues to offer everyone from complete beginners to longtime riders a rare opportunity to experience the beauty of Mendocino County by horseback. With options ranging from one to four hours, Ricochet Ridge has a staff—horses included—that is skilled at making visitors feel comfortable in the saddle. After arriving at the ranch, riders are matched to an appropriate horse
before receiving a safety briefing and overview. For the beach ride, the horses pick their way down a scenic trail, and in no time, riders are cresting the last sand dune to take in the stunning vista at Ten Mile Beach. While breaking into a trot or a canter is only permitted for experienced riders on extended private rides, walking along the crashing waves on a faithful steed is the perfect blend of thrilling and serene.
PHOTO COURTESY OF RICOCHET RIDGE RANCH
Ride On
Richochet Ridege Ranch has led horseback tours of Mendocino’s redwoods and beaches for decades.
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