The Sun Shines in the Hoopa Valley (Part 1 of 2)

The Trinity River valley. It is said that the Hoopa (Hupa) people came into being here. This past weekend marked yet another step back toward Hoopa community self-sufficiency with the launching of small organic farm.

Working together made for quick work -- and the passage of 24 hours saw soil preparation, raised bed creation, stick planting, vegetable starts and watering all take place on a two acre plot. This builds on our rainwater catchment workshop last year, and the solid work done by the Klamath-Trinity Resource Conservation District to highlight techniques and tools for everything from canning to irrigation to Holistic Management and more.

The power of people-connected-to-land cannot be overstated. It makes for a firm commitment to place and improvement of the community, which we too often lack in more transient (usually urban) settings. And commitment creates real possibilities for long-term self-sufficiency -- "clothing security" with sheep ranches producing local wool, "building security" through sustainable forestry, strawbale building and earth plaster skills, and "energy security" in passive energies, investing in solar hot water and careful design.

Watch the movie of highlights!