If you like this blog you’d like the annual Heirloom Expo, which takes place in Santa Rosa in Northern California in September. I just got back from attending this year’s event and had a great time, as usual. I’ve attended every year since its inception in 2010.
The Expo features mind boggling displays of what can only be called vegetable porn. Hint: if you hang around after the conclusion on Thursday evening you can score the display items. For two years in a row we’ve gone home with a rental car stuffed with heirloom watermelon and squash.
But the real draw for me are the seminars and panel discussions. Above, some of the leading figures in the Northern California permaculture scene: Toby Hemenway, Penny Livingston, Erik Ohlsen, Grover Stock and John Valenzuela.
There’s also a huge vendor hall. I have to keep a tight grip on my wallet.
Santa Rosa was the home of horticulturalist Luther Burbank and the local chapter of the California Rare Fruit Growers is particularly fervent and knowledgeable. I used the opportunity to chat up a CRFG operative and get all my quince and pineapple guava questions answered.
You’ll be hearing a number of Expo speakers on our podcast and I’ll do some blog posts inspired by what I learned. If you didn’t make it this year, I hope to meet some of you at next year’s event. I always stay at the nearby Spring Lake campground. Perhaps we can all camp together next year.
You lucky dog, what a sight. Looks like a mountain of yummy goodness and beautiful colors. I wish we had a similar event in minneapolis. We can grow all kind of squash and pumpkins in our short season. Thanks for the pics, absolutely stunning.
Dangit!! I was *this* close to going this year, but didn’t because I didn’t have childcare for a weekday. And I wanted to see the speakers. Sigh. As always, it looks amazing. As always, I’m aiming for next year. I really have no excuses. I used to live right near the fairgrounds, and currently live a couple of towns south of Santa Rosa. Where the Seed Bank is. Next year, next year, next year….. 😉
It was a good time, the seminars were great! We came home with lots of seeds and 4 varieties of tasty dried seaweed. There was a seminar on the benefits vermicompost and earthworms on soil fertility, plant production and plant health. I’ve been vermicomposting for years and using the castings for all stages of plant growth, it’s great to hear the science and research that confirm what I already see in the garden!
And hey Christy we drove 12 hours to get there and 12 hours to get back, if I lived in Petaluma I would so go to that event every year, you are very lucky to live in that part of the country, you really should go next year.
I got so close to going this year (now that I’m back in CA and not super far from SR, to boot) – but the weekday scheduling and lack of kid-care, made it impossible. Bummer, because there were presentations I wanted to hear but look, you very kindly are going to gift us with some of what you experienced! Yay! Thank you!
So fun to see the pic of the Mountain Feed & Farm Supply booth! They are practically around the corner from us in the little town of Ben Lomond, CA. Have lost my own grip on my wallet more than once there. But it’s OK. They’re great local people with a great store and offer lots of valuable homesteading info and classes in addition to all the wallet-sucking goodies. Thanks for the post. Checking in with your blog always helps me feel inspired and connected.