San Damiano Center for Sustainability: Foundation Complete, Part XI by Eric Fitts, Director The crew from Solak Builders was back to make some relief cuts in the slab, begin some block work around the rain water hydrant for the chicken coop, and lay the last 2 courses of block on top of the slab to … Continue reading San Damiano Center for Sustainability: Foundation Complete, Part XI
San Damiano Center for Sustainability: Foundation in Progress, Part X by Eric Fitts, Director The day finally arrived to pour the slab for San Damiano. Vapor barrier was placed down (to protect the contents of the building from rust due to condensation from the ground), forms put up, and we were ready for 4 cement … Continue reading San Damiano Center for Sustainability: foundation in progress, Part X
Garage Site Prep Begins by Eric Fitts, Director Solak Builders cleared any organic matter and topsoil off the site, setting aside clean soil that would be better-used in the gardens, so it would not get buried and wasted beneath tons of gravel and concrete. Once we have a final foundation plan from Bison Steel, we'll … Continue reading Site Prep Begins for Garage
Old Garden Tool Shed Demolition/Salvage: Demo completed as we prepare site for Maintenance Garage by Eric Fitts, Director Solak Builders took over where our Farm crews left off, as they demolished the remainder of the old garden tool shed. All of the locust posts were salvaged, which will be useful around the farm, and all … Continue reading Old Garden Tool Shed Demolition complete as we make way for Maintenance Garage
San Damiano Center for Sustainability: Foundation in Progress, Part IX by Eric Fitts, Director The final course of block before the slab gets poured is in place, corrugated metal has been installed over the composting toilet bins and root cellar for the slab to pour over top of them, and forms have been placed and … Continue reading San Damiano Center for Sustainability: foundation in progress, Part IX
Old Garden Tool Shed Demolition/Salvage: Progress made as we prepare site for Maintenance Garage by Eric Fitts, Director I worked with morning chore groups and three Farm Crew days over Holy Week and Easter Week to salvage as much material as possible from the Old Garden Tool Shed as we demolish it to prepare the … Continue reading Old Garden Tool Shed Demolition/Salvage Progresses as we make way for Maintenance Garage
San Damiano Center for Sustainability: Foundation in Progress, Part VIII The San Damiano Center foundation project is hitting the home stretch. Solak Builders has added more labor onto the project, which has sped progress. Thanks to Eric, Travis, Josh and Nathan, who have been on site essentially since the beginning and to Zach, Joe, Mark, … Continue reading San Damiano Center for Sustainability: foundation in progress, Part VIII
San Damiano Center for Sustainability: Foundation in Progress, Part VII The final footer has been poured (supervised by 5-year-old Isaiah), courses of block continue on up, footer drains complete, root cellar deepens, openings into composting toilet bins and root cellar get their lintels, volunteers pour concrete into retaining walls. Soon, we will be ready for … Continue reading San Damiano Center for Sustainability: foundation in progress, Part VII
Bethlehem Farm earned a 2019 Platinum Seal of Transparency Bethlehem Farm just earned a 2019 Platinum Seal by adding information to our Nonprofit Profile on GuideStar. By sharing these important metrics, we’re helping the sector move beyond simplistic financial ratios to assess nonprofit progress. We chose to display quantitative information such as number of households … Continue reading Bethlehem Farm earned a 2019 Platinum Seal of Transparency
San Damiano Center for Sustainability: Foundation in Progress, Part VI The Caretakers carved out some time in the midst of spring group season to lend a hand on the foundation work: filling retaining walls with concrete mix (watch out for that dust!) and laying the block walls to separate the compost bins beneath the composting … Continue reading San Damiano Center for Sustainability: foundation in progress, Part VI