Jack London State Historic Park hosts farm festival on Sunday

On Sunday, Oct. 5, at Jack London State Historic Park, the Jack London Sustainability Farm Festival will highlight the famed writer’s legacy as a farming pioneer. Attendees can connect with innovators of today and hear about their vision to preserve the land for tomorrow.

Sustainable agriculture is an integral part of life in Sonoma County today. But yesterday – 100 years ago – when the prolific writer created his “Beauty Ranch,” (the land that is now Jack London State Historic Park), he was actually experimenting with many of these same sustainable farming ideas, which were unheard of at the time.

The day-long festival at the park brings together the pioneers of today’s Sonoma County sustainable farming culture to share ideas and celebrate good farming and good eats. The free, family friendly event includes music, food, DIY educational activities for kids and adults, as well as information stations coupled with park docents explaining London’s early farming techniques. This experience will be a step into a time capsule, as if to jettison to 1915 to observe London’s consultations on farming innovations with Luther Burbank and discover how they relate to today.

In 1915, when London was experimenting with groundbreaking methods of farming and exploring progressive, humane methods of dealing with farm livestock, he was far ahead of his time. A recent article in Modern Farming, “Jack London’s Futuristic Farm,” sums it up: “Jack London has been called many things throughout history, among them, an author, explorer, visionary and a socialist. He has even been called the greatest romantic of his time. However, above all these fancy titles, he was a farmer – and an inventive one at that.”

London was a leader in sustainable farming, experimenting with ideas that are now standard practices: terracing, green water, mulching, composting, vegetable growing and providing progressive livestock conditions. The Oct. 5 Sustainability Farm Festival celebrates London’s legacy and vision as it connects to today’s sustainability movement.

The day starts at 11 a.m. with “Autumn Farm Forum,” part of the popular quarterly series talking about food and farming in Sonoma County, presented by Marcy Smothers and Clark Wolf.

At noon, information stations will open. The complete program of participants is available online at jacklondonpark.com/sustain.html, but will include representatives from Benziger Family Winery, Fiber Arts, Luther Burbank Experimental Gardens, Nana Mae’s Organics, Oak Hill Farms, Quarryhill Botanical Gardens, Quarter Acre Farms, Sonoma County Beekeepers Association, Sonoma County Waste Management, Sonoma Water Agency, the Green Team – Sonoma Valley High School Wolf Pack Recycling Team, Two Moon Farm as well as Senior Archeologist California State Parks Breck Parkman, Jack London State Historic Park Master Gardner and other local voices in the sustainability movement.

The event is free to attend, but there is a $10 parking fee.

The park is located at 2400 London Ranch Road in Glen Ellen.

For details, visit jacklondonpark.com or call 938-5216.

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