March 2010 Marin Agricultural Land Trust Newsletter

Coming soon...
The Ranches & Rolling Hills Art Show Invitation
MALT's 2010 landscape art show on May 15 & 16 promises to maintain its 12-year tradition as one of Northern California's premier
art events and a significant fundraiser for our farmland preservation program.

Since 1998, a select group of artists has participated in the show to help preserve their inspiration...Marin's agricultural landscape.
The art depicts farms protected by MALT agricultural conservation easements, ranches located in Point Reyes National Seashore,
and other private farmlands...all of them reflecting the human and natural history that make West Marin such a special and
beloved place. Visit the 2010 Gallery for a preview. New work being added daily.

The Saturday preview luncheon always sells out quickly. This year you'll be able to register for it online, too. Invitations will be
mailed to MALT members mid-March. Not a MALT member? Join now.

Send us your comments

Forward to a friend
Image: View Across the Gause Ranch by Richard Schloss

Got the blues? So do we...cheese that is!

March 20
We're excited to celebrate our 30th anniversary with a members-only inaugural tour of the Point
Reyes Farmstead Cheese Company Culinary Center at the Giacomini Dairy. View the milking
parlor, cheesemaking room, and methane digester, then taste local wine and cheese, including
this dairy's signature blue cheese, in the new culinary center. Meet other like-minded folks
committed to preserving Marin farmland as well as MALT staff and board members. Easement
Director, Jeff Stump, will join Bob Giacomini and his daughter (and MALT Board Chair) Lynn
Stray, to describe what it takes to preserve a farm. Space is limited, and pre-registration is
required.

Not a MALT member yet? You can now join whenever you register online for any of our events or at www.malt.org/donate.

See you on the farm!

Send us your comments

Forward to a friend

Temple Grandin draws a crowd

Venue moved to accommodate fans
With so many admirers eager to attend the Temple Grandin event on April 18, we couldn't bear to turn any of you away. Instead
we've found a new location, West Marin School, located at 11550 State Route One in Point Reyes Station.

MALT, along with co-sponsors Point Reyes Bookstore and Matrix Parent Network, is delighted by the tremendous response Dr.
Grandin has received and thrilled that a larger venue for her lecture could be found.

If you haven't yet bought your tickets, register now. We look forward to seeing all of you then. Pre-registration is required.

Send us your comments

Forward to a friend

Meet our new volunteers

We couldn't do it without them...
Ever wonder what makes an organization like MALT tick? Our generous donors, our hard-working staff, our dedicated Board of
Directors, and last but not least...our wonderful corps of volunteers!

Just this past Saturday, after an intensive two-day training, we harvested a fresh crop of 20 women and men committed to
educating the next generation about farms and food. These new volunteers, many motivated by their own childhood memories of
time spent on a farm, have signed on to help staff our Farm Field Studies program, which enables local students to experience the
tastes, sights, scents, and sounds of a working farm or ranch.

Volunteering is a great way to show your support for MALT and the farm community. We offer a training every year for those who
are interested. Until then we can always use new members like you to help us continue preserving farmland in Marin.

Send us your comments

Forward to a friend Photo by Susan Dollberg, MALT volunteer

We asked & you delivered...

Preliminary survey results are in
Thank you! Last week we e-mailed a survey to our members, and we've had an overwhelming response. We look forward to
communicating our conclusions in the summer newsletter.

In the meantime, we thought we'd give you a sneak preview by sharing the results to one of the most integral questions, "Overall,
how satisfied are you with MALT?"

We are happy to report that 95% of you are either extremely or very satisfied! And though we hate to brag, here's what some of
you had to say:

"Keep up the good work and preserve more farmland!"

"I love MALT. Please keep it up!"
"You are doing an outstanding job."

Fear not, we have no intention of letting the compliments go to our heads. We value all of the constructive comments we received
and deeply appreciate those of you who took the time to provide your feedback. We'll be combing through all the responses over
the next few weeks and hope to learn a lot more about what we're doing well and what we could do better!

Send us your comments

Forward to a friend

Earth Day turns 40!

April 24
Mark your calendars now for this landmark birthday celebration at College of Marin. The festivities will
include speakers, children's activities, organic food, and music, including BCH & The Jawdroppers with
members of local bands Hot Buttered Rum, New Monsoon, and Zero.

The celebration runs from 11 A.M. to 6 P.M., so bring the whole family and make a day of it at this fun,
free event brought to you by MALT, Next Generation, Marin Bicyle Coalition, and Hannah Doress
Events.

Look for more details in the April e-newsletter or on the MALT website later this month.

Send us your comments

Forward to a friend

From cattle to carbon

As we tabulate the results from our member survey, we've realized that many of you remain unaware
of the Marin Carbon Project (MCP) and MALT's support of this groundbreaking work.

On March 14, at Commonweal in Bolinas, you can meet John Wick, the Project Manager for MCP,
and learn more about the ecological, economical, and agricultural value of local carbon sequestration:
the beneficial harboring of carbon in ranchland soil using various land management practices.

The work being done in Marin will inform similar projects in California and beyond, allowing ranchers
here the opportunity to play an important role in one possible solution to the world's climate crisis. This
may also provide financial compensation to participating ranchers: they win, the environment wins, we
all win!

This event is free. RSVP to The New School at Commonweal.

Send us your comments

Forward to a friend

Explore your inner farmer

One year ago, Marin's first teaching farm opened in the residential foothills of Novato at the IVC campus of College of Marin. The
new agricultural program, a collaborative effort of UC Cooperative Extension, the Northbay Conservation Corps, and the college,
has been a runaway success. MALT has been cheering this project on from the beginning, and two of our staffers were in the
inaugural class.

Since the day that first class planted its first seedling, the public has been clamoring to know when it could pick up a trowel, get its
hands dirty, and help out.
Well, the time is now! Americorps, another partner, will be hosting "open" farm days on March 13, April 17, and May 22, allowing
the community to experience the farm from the other side of the fence. In March the focus will be on propagation, so come on out
and volunteer. You'll leave with knowledge and a strawberry starter to propagate at home! Contact Bethallyn Black (IVC farm
manager) or Megan FitzSimmons (Americorps intern) for more details.

Send us your comments

Forward to a friend Photo by Steve Quirt