Going Green in Northern California
Deborah Hladecek, California's Green Parent
by Deborah Hladecek, California’s Green Parent
Northern California has an abundance of farms and a variety of local, organic produce just waiting to be selected and tucked into your reusable bag or basket on any day of the week in any given city. We are fortunate to live here. This is one of the primary reasons we moved to Marin County. The Bay Area has a strong green movement and I found a fast fit here in my new home. We strive to make the best green choices in our daily lives, sometimes learning, that what is good for us, isn’t always good for the environment. I am on a mission to reconcile the two. When I am not trying new recipes, gardening or chasing after my very active toddler, I am blogging about natural parenting, environmentalism and living with less plastic at www.puremothers.com
Forums:
Food/Co-ops:
Locations throughout Northern California
1745 Folsom Street
San Francisco, CA
(415) 863-0620
AK Meats (Organic butcher shop)
2346 Clement Street
San Francisco, CA
(415) 933-6328
Other Avenues Community Food Store
3930 Judah Street
San Francisco, CA 94122
(415) 661-7475
local, organic produce, organic milk & cheese, vegan deli, all organic wine selection
2020 Oregon Street
Berkeley, CA 94703
(510) 843-6929
great selection of bulk bin foods
1336 Gilman Street
Berkeley, CA 94706
(510) 526-2456
100% organic produce
Nature’s Best Foods
1431 Jackson Street
Oakland, CA 94612
(510) 451-4505
organic and fair trade grocery, bulk bin items
Good Earth Natural & Organic Foods
1966 Sir Francis Drake Blvd.
Fairfax, CA 94930
(415) 454-0123
95% organic produce, organic deli & organic juice bar
Sacramento Natural Foods Co-op
1900 Alhambra Blvd.
Sacramento, CA 95816
(916) 455-2667
all organic produce and commitment to buying locally
2351 Mission Street
Santa Cruz, CA 95060
(831) 426-1306
5 locations throughout Santa Cruz County
organic bulk bin items, organic deli
135 Argall Way
Nevada City, CA 95959
(530) 265-9392
100% organic meat and deli in their county
2040 Dunlap Drive
South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150
(530) 541-7788
University of California
Santa Cruz, CA
student run cooperative health food store
For more selections go to the Health Food Store directory
Farmer’s Markets:
CA Farmer’s Markets Association
Directory of CA farmer’s markets
Another link for farmer’s markets in SF & Greater Bay Area
CSA’s:
522 Haight Street
San Francisco, CA 94117
I love this decentralized urban farm! They grow gardens in backyards throughout the Bay Area. If you have a backyard they will install and maintain a vegetable garden. You get a basket on your own doorstep and the rest is available for CSA members who don’t have space for gardens.
3739 Balboa Street PMB 157
San Francisco, CA 94121
(831) 245-8125
5835 Sievers Road
Dixon, CA 95620
(866) 627-2465
A 65 acre organic farm in Sacramento Valley. They grow for CSA and SF Ferry Plaza farmer’s market.
6140 Alhambra Valley Road
Martinez, CA 94553
(925) 366-8463
755 Tomales Road
Petaluma, CA 94952
(707) 766-7171
serving Marin county and southern Sonoma county
For more CSA, farmer’s market, farm, co-op and restaurant listings check out Local Harvest.
Restaurants:
475 Sansome St. Ste. 100S
San Francisco, CA 94111
M-F 10:30am – 3:00pm
Majita taqueria
1 Ferry Building. Ste. 44
San Francisco, CA 94111
(415) 399-0814
environmentally friendly building materials and some organic ingredients when possible
1653 Market Street
San Francisco, CA 94102
(415) 552-2522
organic food. They have a wonderful bread salad.
Building 983, Presidio
San Francisco, CA 94129
(415) 561-3042
hours of operation: Daily 9am – 5pm
1715 Shattuck Avenue
Berkeley, CA 94709
(510) 548-5525
locally grown, organic ingredients
1922 Oak Park Blvd.
Pleasant Hill, CA 94523
(925) 944-0402
biodynamic, organic, sustainable and local food sources
15466 Los Gatos Blvd.
Los Gatos, CA 95032
(408) 358-0175
serving ingredients from local, organic farms and fish from Hawaiian islands
Heartland Market and Kitchen
152 Pierre Rd. Suite D
Walnut, CA 91789
(909) 468-5155
Buddhist-run, non-profit, vegetarian/vegan Chinese restaurant. organic, seasonal produce from locally grown farmers.
*closed on Mondays
Bay Area Green Business Directory
Green Business Program Network
Green Restaurant Association (creating environmentally sustainable restaurant industry) -
Festivals, Expos & Events:
5th Annual Organic Planet Festival
Halvorsen Park
Eureka, CA
Sunday, August 30th, 2009 10:30am – 7:30pm
Sustainable Brands Conference 2009
Monterey Conference Center
Monterey, CA
May 31st – June 4th, 2009
Green Festivals SF November 13, 14 & 15th, 2009
Earthdance Northern California
Laytonville, CA
September 25th, 26th, 27th, 2009
3 day camp out celebration for world peace and unity, set amidst a beautiful old growth of oak trees. Features 5 stages of entertainment in addition to focus of spiritual consciousness and environmentalism and awareness.
39th Annual Live Oak Park Fair
1301 Shattuck Ave.
Berkeley, CA 94709
June 13th & 14th, 2009 10:00am – 6:00pm
free event supports local artisans
Big Sur, CA
July 3rd – 5th, 2009
Celebration of Art, Culture & Spirit
San Francisco
4th Tuesday of each month for green business leader networking
Maker Faire
World’s Largest DIY Festival
May 30th & 31st 2009
San Mateo, CA
San Mateo County Expo Center
Parks & Recreation:
Associations of Zoos & Aquariums CA
Marin County Parks and Recreation
Lake Lagunitas at Mt. Tamalpais watershed
Nicasio Valley Farms Pumpkin Patch (Lafranchi Pumpkin Patch)
5300 Nicasio Valley Rd.
Nicasio, CA
(415) 662-9100
Open September 27 Daily, 10 a.m.–6 p.m.
A real pick-it-off-the-vine pumpkin patch in Marin County, Nicasio Valley Farms Pumpkin Patch at Nicasio Valley Farms offers organic pumpkins, hay rides, farm animals, jumpy houses, a farm stand, and BBQ on the weekends.
Ryan O’Shannan Farms Certified Organic Pumpkin Patch and Farm Days & Clover Organic Dairy
5360 Bodega Ave
Petaluma, CA
(707) 762-4895
Open September 26 through October 31 Thursday–Sunday, 10 am–6 pm
Pick your own certified organic pumpkin in their 15-acre pumpkin field. See how Clover organic milk is produced, make your own butter, and enjoy a hayride. Located 5 miles west of Petaluma. This is one of our favorite pumpkin patches!
Peterson’s Farm www.petersonsfarm.com
636 Gossage Ave (off Petaluma Blvd N)
Petaluma, CA
(707) 765-4582
Daily in October, 10 am–6 pm
Voted Best Local Farm in 2006 by Petaluma Magazine. Pumpkins, tomatoes, honey, farm animals, picnic area, school and group tours by appointment. All farm products are pesticide and herbicide free.
Andersen’s Organic Fruit Stand and Pumpkin Patch
4588 Bodega Ave
Petaluma, CA
(707) 529-1279 Daily, noon–6 pm
Pumpkins, gourds, corn maze, hayrides, and other activities for children. They have a large variety of organic vegetables.
Grossi Farms
6652 Petaluma Hill Rd
Santa Rosa, CA 95404 (across the street from Sonoma State University)
(707) 664-1602 Daily, 9 am–4:30 pm
Pumpkins, apples, apple juice and sauce. Certified organic fruits and vegetables.
Accommodations:
Guide to Green Hotels in CA
Big Sur, CA
Retreat, workshops, massage & bodywork
“Esalen is a place with a global reach. It is a place, as Thomas Wolfe said about America, where miracles not only happen, but where they happen all the time.”
Big Sur Lodge
47225 Highway One
Big Sur, CA 93920
(800) 424-4787
Riverside Campgrounds & Cabins
47020 Highway One
Big Sur, CA 93920
(831) 667-2932
I love, love, love your amazing “Going Green in” series and I get so excited every time I see a new location pop up! I tweeted this one and sent it to many of my friends in Northern California. Keep up the great work!
I’m trying to get the word out to as many people as possible that our normal household products are very dangerous, yes these chemicals kill dangerous bacteria in our homes, but what else are they doing to our health. Alot of people don’t realize that our hands have the most pores on our body and when you clean with these chemicals it goes directly into your bloodstream. That’s one of many reasons to switch to some of these EPA and Dfe products. My goal is just to spread the word, because I was one of those people that didn’t realize until someone else told me about it. I found a great Company that launched in Dec. They have 19 products that are EPA and Dfe stamped and they are really great and reasonably priced. Hope this will help someone Thankyou and god bless. Go to zoelifestyle.com/sfield