The July 4th weekend is a great time to come to the Point Reyes area. The Point Reyes weather is generally more comfortable than the rest of the Bay Area. The food in the area is fresh as the local farms is producing their bounty. And, if you are interested, there are many local events that give you a flavor of the different towns in the area.
Bolinas-Stinson Beach Tug-of-War: Every Fourth of July, the towns of Stinson and Bolinas have a tug of war over the channel that separates the two towns.
For the last few years, there has been a pretty good controversy about the oyster farm located at Drakes Estero. The lease for the farm expires in a few years and battle lines have been drawn about the renewal of such a lease. Scott Shafer of KQED’s Forum moderated a lively debate among these guests:
Dianne Feinstein, U.S. senator
Dr. Corey Goodman, elected member of the National Academy of Sciences currently teaching anatomy and biochemistry at UCSF
Gordon Bennett, parks chairman with the Sierra Club’s Marin Group
Huey Johnson, president of the Resource Renewal Institute and former California secretary of resources
Get out here this first full summer weekend. The weather is predicted to be very nice and the wonderful Point Reyes Farmers Market opens (get there by 10a for an opening toast to the season).
While you are enjoying the long days, keep an eye out for jellies washed up on the beaches; they are susceptible to temperature changes in the upper layers of water. The park folks say “Tomales Bay State park rangers have been finding dinner plate sized – ice tea colored “Lions Mane ” jellies on their beaches, these may have tentacles that sting and cause an allergic reaction. Clear moon jellies with white crescents do not have stinging tentacles. Usually, by the time they are on the beaches, the tentacles have been eaten away.”
This is a guest letter by Lyons Filmer, Point Reyes Farmers Market Steering Committee member.
A poem of gratitude, a letter of blessings – beautiful texts written about the special qualities we see in our everyday lives. Writings by West Marin School student Adrian Vega and farmer Sandy Dierks are my inspirations as this year’s Point Reyes Farmers Market readies to open on Saturday, June 27.
“So I love” my farmers market…..here in the town where I live, with farmers and vendors who come from nearby, selling what they’ve grown and made with care. I am blessed to know where this food comes from: lettuces from Paradise Valley soil nurtured by Dennis and Sandy Dierks…..Fresh Run romano beans from Peter Martinelli in Bolinas…..raspberries out of (the) Wild Blue of Tomales from Jack and Margie…..Jams and eggs from Susan Martinelli’s Creekside Garden…..Peter Worsley apples a hop-skip-and-a-tractor-ride from the mesa…..Lunny oysters straight from the briney in their snug-fitting jackets…..Sartori strawberries have no sartorial troubles, they come dressed in their juicy flesh…..Biodynamic herbs power Moonflowers’ creams and essences. I am blessed that these farmers consider soil and sun, wind, rain and micro-climate when choosing what and when to grow, that I may enjoy it all!
Katia and Doug of Beekind place their bees with careful intention; what’s in bloom to tempt their buzzing crew? What fruit is the ripest for this week’s tarts? That’s Sandra’s quest as Wedgewood Baker. Brickmaiden Celine raises dough (it’s faster than kids!) into loaves and baguettes. Windrush wools are vegetable-dyed, from sheep Mimi Luebbermann raises. I love Duck Derby quackers, kittens & Kathy from Planned Feralhood; MALT’s hikes and farm tours. Breakfast or lunch? Grilled cheese sandwiches, Mexican dishes, juices, teas, and coffees. Sit at picnic tables, enjoying wonderful music Carolyn Strausser arranges. Pick up ideas and tasty samples from guest chefs Amy Whelan choreographs. Star in a Richard James photo. And more & more……..
“So I love” these people, and all who attend my farmers market – schoolkids, tourists, house-husbands, bankers, teachers, tots, the grumpy and growly, the new-comers and old-timers, I look forward to them all. There’s Chris and Oscar, without whom……and market manager Bonnie Guttman, market sponsors Toby’s Feed Barn, Marin Organic, Point Reyes Books, the County of Marin.
What a place to be, my farmers market. “All this, so I love.” (Gracias, Adrian.)
The Western Weekend during the weekend of June 6 and 7, 2009 celebrates the ranching roots of West Marin, with 4-H exhibits and homecoming queens. If you are coming through for just the day, plan to watch the parade on Sunday at noon thru at Point Reyes Station. The Western Weekend parade is the real electic mix of the area, combining the cowboy with the local food and the local artists. It’s real local fun.
2009 Western Weekend Schedule
Saturday, June 6th
* 4-H Livestock Show and 60th Western Weekend Fair Exhibit
* West Marin’s 4-H Clubs present their livestock and handiwork from 8:00 am to 2:00 pm at the Dance Palace. The food booth has burgers, dogs and soft drinks. Admission free.
* Western Weekend Queen Coronation and Homecoming Barn Dance at the Dance Palace 7:30 to 10:00 pm, Marshall Plucker Band, Special family rate admission – $25 (two adults and the kids) or $14 adult, $12 senior, $5 youngsters
Sunday, June 7th
* Dance Palace Silent Auction 10:00 am to 4:00 pm, admission free
* Art in the Schools Exhibit, all day Toby’s Gallery, admission free
* 60th Western Weekend Parade at 12 noon along Main St, admission free
* Marin Farm Bureau & Organics BBQ immediately following the parade at Toby’s,
* Regular BBQ: salad, beans, chicken, bread, beverage, ice cream $10
* Organic: chicken, salad $10
* West Marin Senior Services Chili/Cornbread/Pie Cook-off also at Toby’s, prices vary
* Raffle Winners and Parade Prizes announced during BBQ and Cook-off
Start the summer right by heading up to Point Reyes on Memorial Day weekend. Besides the usual outdoors fun, the Point Reyes Open Studios offers great works by local artists. Check it out…
John Small was waiting for the fog to clear at Point Reyes; it did not. But Point Reyes has its own special mood in the fog, captured well in one of his photos.
So far this year, one snowy plover nest is being monitored. Enclosures of string and metal fencing along the Great Beach are reminders of where they are attempting to nest, please avoid these areas, look for the annual closures signs especially from Kehoe Beach South to North Beach.
Springtime is also the beginning of annual bat monitoring – a healthy 212 Townsend Big eared bats in the first Olema Valley counts.
Spotted owl nest counts in older growth woods are also positive this year!
The usual sign of spring at Bear Valley – the gopher hunting great blue heron appeared last week.
This week is also peak harbor seal season – Bolinas Lagoon and the Estero Trail are good spots to observe from a safe distance. Or the newly repaired film at Bear Valley Visitor Center has some great images of onshore antics of these marine mammals.
New photography show at Bear Valley Visitor Center is nature images by Kevin Shea going up this week!
These are highlights from the National Park Service Park Wavelengths newsletter.
What if Point Reyes was a fully developed with housing? Well, in the 1950s, things were heading that way. If you want to know how the area got saved, I recommend this book on the history of Point Reyes and the Bay Area parks. Fortunately for us, the National Park service is continuing its mission of restoring the area to its natural state.
Projects at the Giacomini wetlands and Limantour include removing dams and levees, building bridges and restoring streams.
Take a look at this photo of Limantour in 1961. This was to be a housing development. Fill the land with tract homes and watch it spread across the peninsula. We have a lot of people to thank for saving this place.
See our special section on the 
The July 4th weekend is a great time to come to the Point Reyes area. The Point Reyes weather is generally more comfortable than the rest of the Bay Area. The food in the area is fresh as the local farms is producing their bounty. And, if you are interested, there are many local events that give you a flavor of the different towns in the area.
Get out here this first full summer weekend. The weather is predicted to be very nice and the wonderful 
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