Kate, I am trying to drum up support from the Big Sur community and avid visitors to validate that the improvements to Pacific Valley School’s existing organic garden described in the attached site plan will provide a legitimate new public access opportunity for visitors. I have a funding source that wants to contribute $75K towards this project but one of the parties that oversees this funding source needs to be convinced the public access opportunity is legitimate (and not a private benefit to the school). The fund overseer doesn’t know the South Coast very well and so they don’t understand that the School is uniquely located walking distance to the South Coast’s primary visitor access areas (Sand Dollar Beach and Plaskett Campground). Moreover, the Pacific Valley School already hosts a number of public events including the Jade Festival, the Spring Tide Festival, and the Earth Day Hike where folks could easily saunter over to the garden. All in all, it would be easy for folks to explore the garden while enjoying a sunset picnic. There will be benches and picnic tables along with interpretive signs to share local history and the unique qualities of Pacific Valley School (which is completely off the grid).
The garden would be open weekends, holidays, and after school hours (the times of greatest visitor use). No trees will be removed for the garden upgrades and no slopes will be graded. Notices will be posted at the Sand Dollar and Plaskett bulletin boards to invite the public to explore the garden. The proposed fencing is just open mesh deer fencing to avoid any visual distractions from Highway One.
I’m feel strongly about this project because I camp with my kids at Plaskett and know that other visitors would enjoy exploring the gardens and its views. If I can get a handful of 2 or 3 sentence emails of support, I feel good we can get this funding in place. Folks can just send a quick email to pacificvalleygarden@yahoo.com . (Ed. Note – Angus told me he would like to gather these emails by July 10th.)
Pacific Valley School is a vital community hub for south coast Bug Sur and our organic garden is its centerpiece. Many visitors and tourists enjoy activities and festivals on our campus; PV’s garden radiates beauty, vitality, and is a terrific educational resource.
This project is a dream come true for our school and can facilitate important learning opportunities for our students and visitors alike. An interactive garden can teach us many things about our environment, each other and ourselves.
I’d be happy to donate some (slightly) out of date garden seed (Botanical Interests) when the time comes for gardening. Flowers Herbs and veggies are usually available; not all varieties, but it could help out. contact me at susansales535 (at) sbcglobal.net –Sue GIrard; BI sales rep.
Pacific Valley School is located on Coast Highway One some 35 miles south of Big Sur proper. It’s a neighbor to the USFS Plaskett Creek Camp ground and is across the highway from the Sand Dollar Beach Day Use area. The school attracts several thousand tourists through the year with a number of events that are open to the public. The presence of a well developed organic garden would certainly enhance the visitor experience and help expose the transient population to the beauty, sensibility and technology of organic gardening, a rapidly increasing phenomenon.
There is so much interest and activity already in the PUSD organic gardens, a little help would positively boost and energize the entire project in so many ways . Education, fellowship, and support are so very important in this extremely rural community. Thank you for your consideration in contributing funds.