February Happenings

Hello Long Beach Locals-

I wanted to let you all know about our first work day at the farm. On Saturday, February 19th starting at 9am we will be cleaning up the site. Its not just cleaning up the farm but the entire gulch property. If you have not had the chance to come and check out the land this would be a great opportunity to do so. The clean up is being hosted by Cal Heights Clean Streets, 7th District Council Office and Litter Free Long Beach. Community hours will be signed for, tools and refreshments will be provided and two lucky volunteers will win tickets to the Aquarium of the Pacific. Litter Free Long Beach will also be collecting tires and e-waste - if it has a cord attached, it’s e-waste, excluding large appliances. Please wear sturdy shoes and a hat. There is parking available along California Avenue as well as 28th Street.

Farm Box has been a huge success, especially after our write up in the LA Times. Our next pick up is tonight, Feb 2nd at Bella Cosa store in Bixby Knolls. I have changed the pick up hours to 5-6:30 as most people are coming after work and needed a later pick up.

Each box is $30, there are 2 pick ups in February so if possible its best to pay for both pick ups at the same time. Its a little easier for me to keep track of payment this way but if you would like to try it out first I completely understand. If its something you would like to continue with I ask everyone to bring payment with them when they pick up their last box for the month. For instance the last pick up in January was the 19th so most people paid for February on that pick up.

Each box is packed full or seasonal veggies, fruit and herbs. I am one of the farmers contributing to the boxes. Everything is grown organically or beyond organically and with ethical practices. Recipes are posted here on our site under the recipe section. If you are interested in signing up or have more questions please let me know.

This past week a few of us attended the Ecological Farming Conference in Pacific Grove, California. It was inspiring to be among my farming peers and other land stewards. I met with Michael O'Gorman from the  Farmer Veteran Coalition and was able to hear more about the wonderful work they are doing. I hope to be working with them soon. People were amazed that we were farming in Long Beach and excited about the food shed we are creating. It was a great conference to attend and I feel inspired once again.

Thank you everyone for your efforts and hope to see you on the 19th.

Happy Growing!
Sasha Kanno
Executive Director, Long Beach Local

Write up in the California Heights Newsletter

Thank you John and California Heights for the article in your newsletter and for organizing the clean up effort on February 19th. See you all there!

For the newsletter in its entirety please click here.


A Future for Willow Gulch?
Most of you have driven past Willow Gulch without giving it a glance. Why would you? From the street, there’s not much to see. Bounded by California, Orange, Spring and the cemetery along Willow, the 55 acre site is used primarily by Signal Hill Petroleum for access to oil wells and as a catch basin for 405 Freeway runoff. In 1933 it accommodated the rubble from hundreds of buildings that failed in the Long Beach earthquake, and more recently it was considered for the now defunct sports park, doomed by a lack of funding. The rusting Amerigas plant at Orange and Spring finally came
down last fall, and Sasha Kanno, of Wrigley Garden fame, is in the midst of cultivating a small urban farm on the site near 28th and California.
On December 11th, Councilmember Johnson invited active community members to tour the site, led by Larry Rich, City of Long Beach Sustainability Coordinator, who has been introducing locals to the history and future possibilities of Willow Gulch for the past several years. Once enveloped by the rolling nature of the property, we quickly lost sight of the city surrounding us and began to understand how the land could become a gem of an urban oasis where residents and visitors might escape the hustle and bustle of urban life. We learned that Willow Gulch got its name from a natural spring that ran to the LA River, lined the entire way with native willow trees. In fact, the area near the Willow Blue Line stop was home to a small farming community called Willowville, dubbed “Hicksville” by higher society Long Beach folks. To remove the stigma, the residents cut down the trees and eventually covered over the creek altogether. Today it lives on only in the names of Willow Avenue and Spring Street, where drivers speed by, oblivious to the history in their midst. The rolling topography and a steep hillside along the eastern edge that contains the second highest point in Long Beach were an expensive obstacle for the sports park. Uplifted by the Newport Inglewood fault, Willow Gulch rests along a chain of hills that stretch from Cal State Long Beach through Alamitos Heights and the inclines near PCH and Redondo, to Signal Hill, through Cal Heights and Bixby Knolls and off to Dominguez Hills. “Why flatten one of the most topographically interesting sites in our city?” asked Mr. Johnson. Limiting grading significantly reduces expenses while preserving the hills that lend shelter and unique character to our mostly flat cityscape.
We’ll keep you posted on progress for possible plans at Willow Gulch, where reduced activity has given rise to a young crop of willow trees already reestablishing themselves!
If you are interested in learning more, contact the 7th District Council Office at 570-7777.

Plan to join Cal Heights Clean Streets on February 19th as we dedicate our next quarterly
Saturday Clean Sweep to removing litter and debris here.Join Cal Heights Clean Streets for our quarterly Saturday Clean Sweep at Willow Gulch, with our 7th District Council Office and Litter Free Long Beach.
Volunteers will pick up litter and debris in and around the site. Community hours will be signed for, tools and refreshments will be provided and two lucky volunteers will win tickets to the Aquarium of the Pacific!
Litter Free Long Beach will also be collecting tires and e-waste - if it has a cord attached, it’s e-waste, excluding large appliances.
To join the Clean Streets email list visit calheights.org, click on Clean Streets. Please wear sturdy shoes.
Parking will be limited so carpooling is recommended.

Wrigley Heights Community Meeting

Dear Residents,
One of my highest priorities as your Council member is to continue to maintain a high level of transparency. I have sought to develop green space throughout the 7th District.
Please join us on March 27th as we discuss the creation of more green space in the Wrigley Heights. As your representative, I will keep you informed with updates on all concerns. Contact my office with any concern at 562-570-6139.
Best Regards,
Tonia Reyes Uranga
7th District Council Member


Wrigley Heights Community Meeting
Saturday, March 27th, - 9:30 am
3332 Magnolia Ave, Long Beach 90806

Please join your neighbors for a discussion on the development of a Dog Park and Community Garden.

For more details, please contact Ricardo Linarez at (562) 570-6139 or ricardo.linarez@longbeach.gov

The City of Long Beach, City Council
(562) 570-6139—Fax (562) 570-6954
www.longbeach.gov/district7