The Annual Chestnut Gathering!

Chestnut Gathering

at Zeni Ranch

Mendocino Permaculture’s 36th Annual Chestnut Gathering and George Zeni Memorial Potluck will be held at the Zeni Ranch from 10 am to 4 pm, rain or shine, on Saaturday November 4, 2017. The event has now grown into the Zeni family’s Annual Chestnut Festival. Their 100- year-old, dry-farmed seedling trees are a testament to the sustainability of tree crops. There will be live bands, so bring your dancing shoes as well as your orchard boots and gloves. No admission cost; bring a local potluck dish, plate, cup, and utensils. Pick your own fresh chestnuts for $3.50/lb. De-burring the chestnuts on the ground is easier with good boots and gloves or buy the de-burred chestnuts for $4.50/lb.

10:30 am to 4 pm: Chestnut gathering and roasting over the open fire 


11 am: Tour of the ranch by the Zeni family 


12:30 pm: Potluck and music, show and tell of local self-sufficiency 


1 pm: Discussion on what this year has taught us; the drought; the best fruit and nuts


2 to 4 pm: Chestnuts, music, taste the harvest
 


Please bring:

Potluck dish (oven available), made from local ingredients (if possible), and bring your cup, plate, napkins and utensils.

Wine, fruit, nut, or vegetable harvests to show us what works for you. Demonstration tables will be available.

Cuttings of fruit plants to share: this is the beginning of the season to start cuttings of the easy-to-root hardwood plants. Starting cuttings so early gives them plenty of time to root with no inputs needed except the rain.

Labeled, de-leafed cuttings (you can leave the leaf stem on) of these plants: olive, grape, fig, mulberry, pomegranate, quince, kiwi, goji, currant, gooseberry, berries, cherry plum, roses. 
 


Directions: The Zeni Ranch is at 30995 Fish Rock Road at mile marker 15.6 (County Highway 122). From the Coast Highway 1 junction of Fish Rock (5 miles north of Gualala) go 15.5 miles east. From Highway 128 the Fish Rock Road junction is at Hwy 128 marker 36.56, about 7.7 miles east of the Highway 256/128 junction, or 4.7 miles west of Yorkville. Take Fish Rock Road about 13 miles to marker 15.6. Using odometer and mile markers, it's an easy and enjoyable slow drive through a most beautiful and very remote part of the county. 
 


For information call Zeni Ranch 684-6892, Barbara/Rob Goodell 895-3897, or Mark Albert 463-8672. For more information about the Zeni Ranch, see their Facebook website: https://m.facebook.com/zeniranch/
 




Looking ahead, Mendocino Permaculture 2018 Winter Abundance Workshop - Scion and Seed Exchange will be held Saturday, February 10, 2017 at the Mendocino County Fairgrounds in Boonville, 9am-4pm. It’s our 35th annual event. Free admission, free scions & cuttings, free seeds, and free classes all day. Low cost fruit tree rootstocks will be available for purchase.