What Is a Cottage Garden? A cottage garden is a timeless, informal, and romantic garden style that uses a layered approach to growing food, herbs, and flowers in a small space. Some people may wonder if a cottage garden - evoking images of the Victorian English countryside - could be suitable for the Bay Area. But did you know that California has its own unique take on the cottage garden? In this blog post, you will learn what makes a cottage garden special and how California

Article and photos by Duncan Keller NOTE: This post is not a foraging identification guide. Mushroom identification is complex and mistakes can be fatal. Picking mushrooms is also illegal on most Bay Area public land. Plants and fungi have coexisted on land for at least 400 million years, forming diverse relationships. Today, many fungi are decomposers, while others are parasites. But for many, survival depends on maintaining a mutually beneficial relationship with host plant

Walking new paths and building bonds along the way! Left to right: Andy, Baby Emmett, Kaitlyn, Bo, Marissa, Duncan. Other attendees not in shot: Nara Baker, Nancy Solorio It was a brisk and bright winter morning on Friday, January 9 for our new years team hike, a new tradition for our team! Attendees consisted of former and current staff members and friends. Duncan- the newest addition to the team and avid forest explorer, led the group through favorite trails in Almaden Qu

Creating a holiday wreath is a fast, joyful craft to share with family and friends– simple enough for a few cozy hours, yet meaningful enough to welcome guests and set the festive mood. Instead of heading to the supermarket, you can forage from your own garden or neighborhood and turn everyday greenery into something special. And wreaths aren’t just for Christmas– take a less traditional route and create designs for New Year’s too, using different flowers, textures, and color