By the time the kids went back to school, it was very clear that this had been no ordinary growing season. Week after week, as the summer months rolled by, the customary “marine layer” of overnight fog that usually burns off by mid-morning had become a sluggish presence well into the afternoon. Robbed of the sun-saturated days grapegrowers count on to develop the sugars in their fruit, the vines—just like our backyard tomato plants—developed with excruciating slowness, with much of the fruit entering veraison (the ripening stage, when green grapes begin to color up) as late as August. Estimates then were that this year’s crush would be about three weeks later than last year. This could lead to a memorable year in the bottle, according to Amelia Ceja, president of Ceja Vineyards, who predicts “a spectacular vintage—crisp acidity, low-alcohol wines.”
The grey skies and cool temperatures have also slowed production at an unusual urban farm that devotes all of its produce to feeding Napa County’s neediest families. But the volunteers who run the two-acre community garden at St. John’s Lutheran Church on the city of Napa’s west side are still harvesting hundreds of pounds of fresh, sustainably grown vegetables every week—all of it for the Napa Valley Food Bank. There’s even a flock of hens in a moveable pen, doing their part by eating bugs and weeds and laying eggs.
“Our church just wants to make a difference,” says volunteer Holli Scheumann. Now in its second year, the garden has also attracted many Napans who, while they don’t worship at St. John’s, are happy to get down in the dirt to help raise fresh food for the hungry. “This started as a St. John’s thing, but then other people heard about it and we were approached by other groups. It’s a real partnership,” explains lead pastor Mike Schmid, who’s not above stretching his lanky frame along the ground to grub up weeds from the garden rows. “When it comes to the garden, I’m just a worker,” he says with a smile. Now service clubs, school groups and solo volunteers alike—including the occasional out-of-town visitor—can be found in the garden pretty much any day, tending tomatoes, squash, cucumbers, potatoes, lettuce and other crops. In July alone, the haul for the food bank was more than 450 pounds.
The food bank has other sources for fruit and vegetables: Vallerga’s Market has been a patron for 20 years or more, while some other markets also contribute food that’s past its sale date (but that’s still good). Students at Vintage High School also raise vegetables for the food bank, and a gleaning program makes use of unwanted fruit from local property owners. But there’s never enough to meet the need for truly fresh, locally grown crops, and food bank workers distribute nearly all of it within a day or so. Anything left over is sold for 18 cents a pound to local agencies, like The Table and the Salvation Army, which provide meals to the hungry.
While most of the garden’s funding has come from church members and volunteers, the Gasser Foundation provided a $2,500 grant for an irrigation system in the first season and has matched it with the same amount this year, so the church can grow food on even more of its property next year. So here’s a harvest shout-out to the hundreds of church members and volunteers who tend that garden, as well as to the Gasser Foundation for its support. They’re building our community in more than one important way by working together and helping hungry Napans get the nutritious, fresh food that’s not always available to families on assistance.
A more formal shout-out to Napans who’ve made a difference comes from the Napa Chamber of Commerce, which has partnered with Mechanics Bank to sponsor the fourth annual Napa Valley Community Awards. This year’s “everyday heroes” included:
• Outstanding Healthcare Professional: Dr. Michael Shifflett, an orthopedic surgeon who’s cared for local high school and college athletes for more than 20 years.
• Outstanding Hospitality/Tourism: Jenne Hohn, an event planner who co-founded in Napa what became the fastest-growing chapter of the International Special Events Society.
• Outstanding Community Booster: Dell Coats, an accounting partner at G&J Seiberlich, who’s served as chair of Cope Family Center while volunteering for Kiwanis of Napa, Aldea, ChildStart, Napa Valley Landmarks and other local groups.
• Outstanding Nonprofit Employee: Bob Pallas, director of Conolly Ranch, which offers field trips and summer camps to teach children about life on the farm, organic gardening and healthy food.
• Outstanding Community Icon: Clemente Cittoni, who abandoned retirement to work six days a week providing Napa Valley with carry-out meals based on recipes from his native Italy.
• Outstanding Napa Valley Community College Student: Rob Holst, a Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society member whose student service on the college board so impressed his fellow trustees that they unanimously supported his nomination for the chamber honor.
• Outstanding Public Safety Person: Brandon Gardner, homeless outreach specialist for the Napa Police Department.
• Outstanding Teacher of the Year: Evan Blasingame of St. Helena High School.
Finally, the chamber’s Outstanding Nonprofit winner was Napa Valley Community Housing, whose director is none other than the always-outstanding Kathleen Dreessen, my distinguished predecessor in the Napa Insider chair. It was thanks to her decision to take the full-time job running the housing agency that I was offered this bully pulpit by NorthBay biz publisher Norm Rosinski and editor Julie Fadda, one of the most easygoing and pleasant supervisors I’ve ever had the good luck to work with in this crazy profession. Norm, Julie—it’s been a great couple of years and I can’t thank you enough.
