Grover Stock explains the characteristics of permaculture gardening to an enthusiastic group of onlookers at the August 2010 Lake Co Community Co-op Presents event. Courtesy photo.

KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – Join the Lake County Community Co-op for a tour of Ancient Lake Gardens on Saturday, April 9.

The tour will take place from 10 a.m. to noon.

Meet at 10 a.m. at Ancient Lake Gardens, 8993 Soda Bay Road, Kelseyville. From Four Corners on Highway 29, take Soda Bay Road for about three miles. Park across the road from the farm’s property entrance and meet at the gate of the entrance.

The tour is free and open to co-op members and the public.

Discover all that’s alive and fertile underneath the straw mulch and the sheet-mulch garden beds that were made during a previously held “Healthy Soils” Workshop in December.

Permaculture instructors, Mari and Grover, encourage you to bring your own soil samples as they uncover finished compost mounds and explain the benefits of cover crops, compost tea and “foliar feeding” (a technique of feeding plants by applying liquid food directly to their leaves) for healthy roots and plants.

No-till, early spring seeding of salad greens, onions and braising greens under a low-tunnel hoop house will be demonstrated; and some early spring gifts from the land – carrots, beets, leeks, cauliflower, cabbage, shallots, green onions, sorrel, celery, parsnips and kale – will be harvested.

Following the tour, for all who would like to participate, a film introducing permaculture practices will be shown that will include methods of design, zone planning, trees, soil, climate, aquaculture and more. Bring some of your favorite seeds to exchange with others.

One of the Lake County Community Co-op’s goals is to educate Lake County residents on how to live more healthfully and sustainably by keeping it local and, in this case, learning to become more self-sufficient with your very own ecologically friendly garden.

Don’t miss this chance for an unequaled opportunity to attend this most exciting garden tour set at the foot of beautiful Mount Konocti.

For more information on this event, contact Lori Patotzka at 707-994-1618.

Celebrating over three years in community, the Lake County Community Co-op (LCCC) envisions cultivating an evolving community by nurturing values of social, economic and environmental responsibility. Member input and participation is encouraged for the continued success of its co-creation.

The LCCC supports and enhances the local food system while providing a forum for community activities.

For more information or to become a member of the LCCC, follow the links at http://lakeco-op.org or call 707-993-4270.

NORTH COAST – Caltrans reports that the following road projects will be taking place around Lake County during the coming week.

Included are Mendocino County projects that may impact Lake County commuters.

LAKE COUNTY

Highway 175

– Caltrans will perform routine maintenance from the junction of Route29/175 near Kelseyville to the junction of Route 29/175 in Middletown. Work hours are 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., weekdays. One-way traffic control will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate 10-minute delays.

MENDOCINO COUNTY

Highway 101

– Slide repairs north of the Korean War Veterans War Memorial Bridge will continue. Traffic will be restricted to one lane in each direction of travel 24 hours per day, seven days per week, and speed are reduced to 25 miles per hour. Motorists may experience minor traffic slowdowns.

– Repair of a slipout from 3.4 to 1.2 miles south of Ridgewood Ranch Road will continue. Traffic will be restricted to one lane in each direction of travel 24 hours per day, seven days per week. Motorists may experience minor traffic slowdowns. Contractor – Granite Construction Inc. of Ukiah.

Highway 222

– Replacement of the Russian River Bridge will continue. Work hours are 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., weekdays. One-way traffic control with a temporary signal will be in effect 24 hours per day, seven days per week. Motorists should anticipate 15-minute delays during work hours and five-minute delays at other times. Contractor – CC Myers of Rancho Cordova.

All projects are weather permitting and subject to change. Caltrans advises motorists to drive with caution when approaching work areas and to be prepared to stop at traffic control stations.

The Caltrans Traffic Operations Office has reviewed each project and determined that individual project delays are expected to be less than the statewide policy maximum of 30 minutes, unless noted otherwise above.

For information pertaining to emergency roadwork or for updates to scheduled roadwork, please contact the California Highway Information Network (CHIN) at 1-800-GAS-ROAD (1-800-427-7623).

LAKEPORT, Calif. – The 20^th annual Friends of Mike Thompson Ravioli Dinner will be held on Saturday, March 26.

The event will take place from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Lake County Fairgrounds, 401 Martin St., Lakeport.

This year's dinner will feature a fantastic tasting of wines from the Lake County Winegrape Growers. This is a wonderful opportunity for the Lake County wineries to showcase the great wines coming from of Lake County.

The event would not be complete without the music from the “Public Nuisance” band.

Free electronic recycling will be available at the event from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. It is time to clean out closets and get rid of the old cell phones, computers, fax machines and all outdated electronics.

This year the Computer Recycling Center will be giving four newly refurbished Unitel Duocore computers, with keyboards, mice and flat screen monitors, to local nonprofits. Nonprofits must bring a letter on the organization’s letterhead, addressed to Steven Wyatt. Your letter must include your 501C3 number, and a short explanation as to how the computer will be used by your organization.

They will continue efforts to create an event with zero waste by using corn starch and sugar cane plates and utensils.

“Our goal is to have the waste generated by the event to be as close to 100 percent recyclable or reusable,” said Mary Jane Bowker, campaign events coordinator.

Thompson was elected to Congress in 1998. Prior to that time, he represented Lake County for eight years in the State Senate.

Tickets for the pasta dinner are $20 for adults, and $5 for children under 12 years.

Tickets can be purchased in advance or at the door the day of the event.

For more information, please call Mary Jane Bowker at 707-226-8989.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The Upper Cache Creek Watershed Year in Review, scheduled for Thursday, March 24, has been postponed.

Organizers said they were concerned about the winter weather conditions and so decided to postpone the event.

It will be rescheduled and a new date announced soon.

MENDOCINO COUNTY, Calif. – Caltrans said Wednesday that a portion of Highway 101 will be under traffic control and speed reduction through the summer due to a landslide.

The area of Highway 101 impacted is five miles north of the Mendocino-Sonoma County line, just north of the Korean War Veterans Memorial Bridge (post mile 5.0) and near the large rock outcropping that's also known as “Lover's Leap.”

Caltrans said traffic has been reduced to one lane in each direction of travel 24 hours per day, seven days per week, with a reduced speed of 25 miles per hour in response to rough road conditions caused by a slide.

Those special conditions will remain in effect until summer when the hillside dries out and crews can grind and repave the highway, Caltrans reported.

For the most current road information on all state highways, please call 800-427-7623 (800-GAS-ROAD) or visit www.dot.ca.gov.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – The regular meeting of the Lake County Flying Saucer Club will take place on Saturday, March 26.

The meeting, which begins at 1 p.m., will take place at McDonald's on Todd Road in Lakeport.

Everyone is welcome.

This will be the last Saturday meeting.

The meeting date will be changed to the last Sunday of the month for April and thereafter so Chip Saucer will be able to attend.

Join for free at http://meetup.com/lcflyingsaucerclub .

If you know any businesses that might want to sponsor the Web site tell them about it and invite them to the meeting.

To contact the group e-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 707-263-3391.