Co-presented by Sebastopol Grange #306 and The Sebastopol Times
With ballots arriving in mailboxes and key decisions ahead for Sebastopol, join your neighbors at the Grange Hall for an in-person, interactive City Council Candidates Forum. This evening offers community members an unfiltered opportunity to hear directly from the candidates on local priorities—from downtown planning and the Sebastopol Commons to infrastructure, water and sewer funds, traffic calming, and fiscal oversight.
Our Garden Produce Exchange/Donation was featured recently on Radio KRCB. Click to hear Dena Allen, Carol Henderson, and Lawrence Jaffe talk about this wonderful program on Northern California Media. Visit our website’s home page for more information and dates of upcoming Exchanges.
To celebrate the bounty of Sonoma County, our annual Harvest Meal of a Hearty Vegetarian Soup was prepared from garden produce contributed by members. Laura Shafer coordinated the effort, assisted by Nancy Cadigan, Dena Allen, and others. Grangers and friends enjoyed the delicious soup, along with the appetizers, salads, breads, and desserts they shared at the Harvest potluck. We were entertained by the music of Jon Strider and Robin Factor. Announcements were shared about upcoming community events, including Trashlantis, which is returning to Sebastopol this fall. Our speaker was Rachel Jeffries from Habitat for Humanity, who shared a presentation about the organization’s programs.
Everyone is invited to our monthly General Meeting and Potluck on the last Tuesday of the month.
In his influential book, Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community, published in 2000,Harvard Public Policy professorRobert Putnam argued that American society has suffered a dramatic collapse in civic engagement and community participation, leaving individuals increasingly isolated and disconnected from their communities.
“Join or Die,” a 2024 documentary based on Putnam’s book, is the centerpiece of an event at the Rialto this evening, Thursday, Sept. 3, at 6 pm, hosted by the members of Sebastopol Service and Action Coalition (SSAC).
SSAC is a coalition of service clubs and other organizations, including the Rotary Clubs of Sebastopol and Sunrise, the Gravenstein Lions, the Kiwanis Club, Order of the Eastern Star, Sebastopol West 100 and the Sebastopol Grange.
Although the film is called “Join or Die,” some SSAC members found that a bit harsh so the event was re-named “Join and Thrive.”
“As our sweet city of Sebastopol often does, we’ve softened the tagline to be less threatening—perhaps more accurately describing the movement as “Join and Thrive,” a more feel-good approach,” said Grange member Eva Granahan. “The hope is that more people will, in fact, join a club and therefore personally thrive while simultaneously helping the greater whole.”
The genesis of this event came two years ago, when Sebastopol Times co-owner Dale Dougherty emailed Kiwanis member Craig Litwin and suggested that the Service and Action Coalition show this film as a recruitment strategy.
This spring, Litwin learned about a showing of “Join or Die” in Petaluma.
“I read that they were showing the film and reached out to John Crowley of Aqus Cafe to find out how he got the rights to it,” Litwin said. “He introduced me to the producers, who are on a nationwide campaign to show the film in as many places as possible.”
The hope is that local folks new to civic engagement will turn up and accept this invitation to learn, connect and get involved in their community.
“The goal is to share inspiration and incite action. With luck, the movement will spread deep and wide — one motivated choice at a time,” said Granahan. “We’re not short of options here in Sonoma County for groups to join or support. We’re rich in resources and charitable actions. There’s plenty of us needing help and plenty more of us finding creative ways to meet needs. What can we do? It’s just a matter of personal preference and passion.”
There will be a short 15-minute presentation and meet-and-greet after the movie and then a chance to talk further.
“Afterward, those interested in talking about local civic engagement are invited to join us over at Hopmonk,” Litwin said.
Granahan wrote this sweet piece about the philosophy behind the event:
What is community and why is it important?
Specific answers vary person to person, yet a few underlying messages interconnect us all. Social connection builds a sense of belonging and trust in oneself and others. Better mental wellness, physical health, productivity, belief in something bigger.
A stronger social network of individuals working together creates a stronger community, period. We’re not referring to the isolated networks of social media. Or other technological tools of our age that keep us entertained and satisfied with less.
Without a tightly woven social tapestry holding us together, we fray and fall apart. It doesn’t happen immediately, but over time we wear thin. Social starvation is as risky as any carcinogen or other dangerous life choice. It is in fact a scary thought.
Which is exactly why the title of the movie is “Join or Die.” The threat to survival is imminent, and the film is intentionally evoking a sense of urgency and importance. Civic participation actually extends our lifespan. Our longevity and the fate of democracy depends on reciprocal service.
You can get tickets for the film for $7.50 at the Rialto Cinemas box office or grab one online for $9 here. Here’s a link to donate directly to help pay for the film licensing and event expenses. Remaining proceeds will go to the Academy of Innovative Arts, a maker school on the El Molino campus in Forestville. (Sebastopol Times co-owner Dale Dougherty is a volunteer and donor to this school.)f
Grangers and guests feasted on a fantastic potluck meal and we welcomed new members Terri Tachovsky and Richard Diehl. We enjoyed musical entertainment by The Fixations performing Neil Young’s ‘Love is a Rose’. Peter Schurch shared a fascinating presentation on The Amazing Qualities of Nitrogen: The history and mystery of nitrogen, our most precious and rare nutrient. He described its power of life, the wars that have been fought over it, and why it’s everywhere but so difficult to see.
What is the common glue that can help our larger community thrive? What easy steps can we each take to make a difference?
Luckily, they made a film about it; Join or Die, based off the book Bowling Alone, by Robert Putnam. Join us for a night at the movies at the Sebastopol Rialto, Thursday, September 3 from 6-8!
Why attend?
Learn why belonging matters.
Explore surprising research on happiness, health and community.
Understand how civic participation strengthens the places we call home.
Meet representatives of local organizations and people who share your interests.
This is a historic collaboration like no other. Seven local service clubs and organizations, have come together to promote this event encouraging civic engagement, including Kiwanis Club of Sebastopol, Order of the Eastern Star, Rotary Club of Sebastopol, Rotary Club of Sebastopol Sunrise, Sebastopol Grange, Sebastopol Gravenstein Lions, and Sebastopol West 100. Please help spread the word about this event.
In this Emmy-nominated feature documentary, follow the half-century story of America’s civic unraveling through the journey of legendary social scientist Robert Putnam, whose groundbreaking “Bowling Alone” research into America’s decades-long decline in community connections could hold the answers to our democracy’s present crisis.
Flanked by influential fans and scholars — from Priya Parker, Pete Buttigieg, and Surgeon General Vivek Murthy to Jane McAlevey, Hillary Clinton, and Eddie Glaude Jr. — as well as inspiring groups building community in neighborhoods across the country, join Bob as he explores three urgent civic questions: What makes democracy work? Why is American democracy in crisis? And, most importantly… What can we do about it?
On Sunday, June 28th, at the Sebastopol Grange, The Sonoma County Blacksmith Guild presented a day of demos showcasing hot-metal shaping techniques and information about Blacksmithing. Attendees could try doing some hands-on forging, they shopped at an artisan market and enjoyed food, music, entertainment, raffles, and more!
The event was organized by twin brothers Kai and Parker Litwin, whose Sonoma County-based artisan business, Litwin Productions, specializes in custom blacksmithing, woodworking, and bladesmithing. They create blades, home decor and furnishings, and accessories.
Reprinted with permission from The Sebastopol Times
The Grange’s Dena Allen is building food resiliency from the ground up
By Kavya Krishnamurthy
Dena Allen and her sunflowers. (Photo by Kavya Krishnamurthy)
Dena Allen has always known the value of growing one’s own food. “I remember having a garden as a kid with my parents, and as a grown-up, every house we lived in that had a yard, the garden just kept getting bigger and bigger.”
Her current home in Sebastopol, where she lives with her husband, has 14 garden beds, pollinators in front of the house, and a bundle of fruit trees they inherited when they bought the property.
“So my husband, Tor, he’s the potato farmer…The joke is kind of that he grows the potatoes, and I grow everything else. He likes the thrill of digging them up out of the soil. It’s like a treasure hunt.”
She grows rhubarb, tomatoes, winter squash and most toweringly, sunflowers. “I had them last year, and they just kind of seeded themselves!”
Allen’s home garden is large and prolific, producing far more than she and her husband can eat. So she came up with a way to make use of the surplus.
The Produce Exchange Eight summers ago, Allen and her friend Carol Henderson approached the Grange to ask about trading extra food from home gardens.
“We said, ‘Hey, can we have a produce exchange? You know, there’s a lot of people like us that grow extra things, and sure, we give them away to family and friends and donate them and stuff, but I don’t grow peppers, and maybe somebody else does.’”
The idea was just a seed until the pandemic came. “People were really hungry for socializing, and more people gardened in the summers of 2020 and 2021.” From there, the produce exchange established itself as an institution.
There is a set pattern every year. In February, there is a citrus exchange, where people can bring citrus, greens, winter squash and seeds. The April spring exchange is for plant starts, produce, seeds and herbs. May through October is the regular season for produce exchange.
Allen explained, “We just set up tables in the shade at the Grange, and people trade. Usually there’s something left over, so we can bring it to the Senior Center or the Sebastopol food pantry.”
Upcoming dates for the produce exchange are July 28, August 11 and August 25 from 5 pm to 5:45 pm.
The Virtual Farm Another project Allen has been working on is called a “virtual farm.” The farm is “virtual” because it’s decentralized—made up of the large gardens of several Grangers that, in theory, could add up to a small farm.
“So far it’s just been mostly social,” Allen said. “We did a couple things where we had a potluck and talked about gardening. Whoever’s house it was, we showed the garden off and talked about what we can do as gardeners to promote more gardening and things like that. We also have taken our own harvest and made a community meal for the Grange a couple times.”
Allen said that the virtual farm could use some more participation, but largely speaking, “It’s just kind of a social concept place to share ideas and whatever else we have.”
Gleaning survey In the spirit of sharing, some of the virtual farmers came up with an idea for a home garden survey during a conversation at one of the potlucks. Allen explained, “If you look at the county Ag report, the information you get of what’s grown in the county is all commercial stuff. What shows up at the top is everything that makes the most money, which goes like wine, dairy, something like that.”
She was curious about how much produce home gardeners were growing, and because she couldn’t find any data, she and others at the Grange made a Google form to begin collecting information.
“The first couple years, my friend and I took it so seriously. We were weighing everything all summer that we were bringing in from the garden. In just my garden alone, it was over 4,000 pounds of fruits and vegetables.”
The second year of the survey, Laurel Chambers from the County took notice of the project. She offered her support and brought in statisticians who helped optimize the survey questions for analysis of responses.
The 2025 report is available here. It mostly collects data from West County, but for 2026, they are trying to get even more zip codes to participate in the 2026 survey.
In addition to tracking the amount of produce grown in home gardens, the survey also asks for qualitative information on what resources people need to support their home gardening. Based on these answers, the Grange was able to start a list of community resources that includes where to find free seeds, compost and learning opportunities.
The intention isn’t simply to support home gardeners, but to strengthen food resilience for Sebastopol and surrounding communities: “Part of local food security has to do with the food you can grow and eat and share and sell right in your own community that is not disrupted by supply chains or climate change,” Allen said.
“The central thing is food security, community, feeling good.”
Grangers and friends enjoyed a fabulous feast, great musical entertainment, and an informative talk about the Sebastopol Time Bank at our July general meeting and potluck.
Our meal included dishes from Khaosoi Thai Zen Restaurant provided by the Grange, plus a delicous array of appetizers, sides, and desserts brought by members and guests.
Joseph McIntyre took the Grange oath to become a member of our Grange. Welcome, Joseph!
The “Take Yer Medicine” band, featuring Patrick McCarty, Shauna McCarty, David McClary, and Grange Musician Peter Schurch,, entertained us with several well-loved folk and rock music selections. (See below)
David Gill, of the Sebastopol Area Time Bank (SATB), shared a presentation about this valuable community resource, explaining how you can get the help you need — and provide the help you can — with no money changing hands. “At SATB, the currency is HOURS, not dollars,” he said, “and with your free membership you’ll find how easy and fulfilling it is for neighbors to help neighbors, as this group has been doing for nearly 10 years.” David shared this information about The Sebastopol Time Bank:
The time bank is a free, member organization of neighbors helping neighbors where no money changes hands. Our currency is HOURS, not dollars, and everyone’s hour is valued equally. Our public website – www.sebastopoltimebank.org – has information about Sebastopol Area Time Bank (SATB) and a button to click to Apply for Membership. You’ll be taken to our private, Time and Talents website, to click Join and complete a brief form. The application and approval process can be completed so quickly that you can begin time banking on the same day … and you can be rewarded with 10 hours to get you started! Membership means participating. Your neighbors need your help, and you need theirs. Giving and receiving and building community. Just like the Grange. What could be more Sebastopol?! If you have questions or need help applying for membership, reach out to me directly at david@sebastopoltimebank.org. My admin team and I are ready to help our members be successful time bankers.
At our June general meeting, Grangers and guests enjoyed a fabulous potluck feast that included entrees provided by the Grange from Inca’s Peruvian Cuisine in Sebastopol.
Following our meal, we heard from our Worthy President, Peter, who expressed our deep gratitude to two people; Rick Theis for his generous donation for improvements in the kitchen, including an induction oven, and Michelle Price for contributing her time and knowledge on our Scholarship Workshops. Rick and Michelle are pictured above.
Grange musician Peter Schurch and “The Sugar Bomb Blueberries” entertained us with George Gershwin’s “Summertime”.
Our speaker was Barbara McChesney, from the Rotary Club of Windsor, who represents a global environmental initiative called End Plastic Soup. Barbara shared a presentation about plastic pollution, including stories of hope and resilience. She encouraged us all to take transformative action steps and rethink daily decisions.
Announccements included a call for someone with design skills to help us improve our Sebastopol Grange logo. Contact Peter at president@sebastopolgrange.org if you can help with this. Also, we would benefit from a Grange member who wants to volunteer to head up the Tend & Befriend gardening program, where a group of volunteers visits another member’s home garden to help with the yard work. We need someone to coordinate, please, which entails taking the names of people who do need the help. Scoping out the work that needs to be done and soliciting volunteers.
Two new members were inducted tonight: Pamela Augustine and Suzel Deer – Welcome!
Everyone is invited to join us for our monthly Potluck and General Meeting, which is on the last Tuesday of every month.
