Let’s Lie Local logo
Current and Upcoming Activities:
Meals on Wheels
Help Needed. Meals and Wheels can come to PMC!!! Several years ago LLL tried to get Meals on Wheels here but it wasn’t possible at that time. Now Meals on Wheels in Frazier Park has allocated 4 hot meals to ailing, disabled, homebound PMC residents who can’t get food. But drivers are needed to pick up the hot meals in Frazier MWF shortly before 10 AM and deliver them to the homes in PMC. Elizabeth Lex is coordinating this effort. If you can volunteer to drive even one day a week, please contact her at 242-2790. We’ve had deliveries for two weeks on a last minute ad hoc basis and the meals make such a wonderful difference to the lives of those who are being served. We hope you can help.
Health Services and Family Care Giving Network
We now one phone number you can call for referrals directly to local our new PMC health care services. Reach Licensed/Certified Local Providers Toll Free at:
888 352-0661
Let’s Live Local Featured on Radio Show
Let’s Live Local was featured on Kari Ruel’s Napa Valley Life Magazine radio show.
Napa Valley Life Magazine
Beef Coop
The grass-fed Beef Coop was launched in 2009 with the Larry Darling Ranch has continued to be an important on-going program. Larry subscribes most of his herd to local residents. Subscriptions are being taken for this year’s herd.
Organic Produce Coop
In conjunction with Abundant Harvest Organics, the Organic Produce coop thrives under the capable coordination of Vicky Bingaman. There are approximately two dozen participants. Like clockwork a Let’s Live Local volunteer picks up the boxes every Saturday afternoon in Lebec and delivers them to Pine Mountain where coop participants pick up their boxes.
Wood Pellet Coop
The coop began by subscribing a late winter truckload of 22 tons of pellets in 2008. Subscribers have found them to be of high-quality and clean burning. Six 22-ton truckloads of wood pellets were delivered to subscribers in 2011. An eighth truckloads of pellets will be delivered this year. We are grateful to the four people who have volunteered to coordinate each new truckload, similar to the way the Beef Coop works. A waiting list is now being compiled for what will be the eighth truckload of pellets that is expected to fill later in the fall.
People in the community have also expressed desires for other coops for buying LED bulbs, potassium water softener pellets, and cisterns. If you are interested in one of these and are willing to help with developing a new coop, let us know.
Let’s Live Local for Your Community
Let’s Live Local offers no-cost licenses to establish a separate Let’s Live Local organization in your community or neighborhood. Email us if you’d like to know more.
Cell Phone Study
The results of the cell phone feasibility study funded by Let’s Live Local are in. It was funded with a grant from Southern California Edison. The future of cell service for our community hangs on the action of PMC Board of Director at a future meeting . If you believe cell service is important for our safety, local businesses, and households, let the members of the Board of Directors know.
Aging in Place
A Let’s Live Local priority is an Aging in Place program. Grants and colloborative relationships are being sought to establish one.
Economic Well-Being
To learn about upcoming events and activities, shopping, real estate, check out the site of Pine Mountain Village’s Basecamp.
Senior Activity Program
Our Health Services Group is working on developing an Aging in Place program. If you’d like to be involved email us.
House-Call Doctor Comes to Town
We are delighted to announce that Dr. Fred Lindberg has opened a part-time House Call practice in Pine Mountain. He will be here the first Friday and Saturday of each month. Our Sustainable Health Working Group Met with Dr. Lindberg Nov. 6. With his arrival our plans for health services here is one step further along. Read about his new practice at http://flindberg.wordpress.com/. To set up an appointment, you can call 241-0362.
Red Cross Training
Let’s Live Local and the California Family Counseling Network sponsors Red Cross Training programs. The church is in the process now of becoming our first nearby Red Cross Shelter. We are working hard to recruit, train and build our own local Red Cross Unit in our mountain communities and to have a Disaster Response Team in each area. Want to help? Call Shelia 242-1922.
In-Home Care Provider Training
Being able to stay in our homes and age in place or care for our loved ones here at home is a major part of our local Sustainable Health Initiative. To help make this a reality, Sarah Edwards and Shelia Clark have become qualified as Red Cross Providers and offer Red Cross Authorized Family Care Givers Training co-sponsored by Let’s Live Local and the California Family Counseling Network. For more information on obtaining training to be a paid in-home caregiver for a loved on or others in our community, or to receive the services of an in-home care giver, call 661 242-1583.
More on a Community Farm in PMC
- 2012 Let’s Live Local Clothing Exchange
A taskforce of the Board has been established to work with Susan Hirth who was the head of our Food Group. So if you’d like to have fresh locally grown produce, please let her know.
Clothing Exchange
The 2012 Swap and/or Shop Fall Clothing Exchange was the besl attended one in its history. As always it was e lots of fun. Tons of clothing – men’s, women’s and children’s were brought. That which was not exchanged was donated to the Boys and Girls Club.Much of it is usually brand new or barely worn. So make plans to bring the nice clothes you’re ready to part with or plan to just come in 2013. You don’t need to bring clothes to participate! If you wish to put together another type of exchange, let us know.
“Cutting Down on Energy Costs and Saving on Utility Bills” was the theme of the Fall 2010 Energy Fair and Inventor’s Contest . Southern California Edison and the Pine Mountain Club Property Owners’ Association joined us in co-sponsoring the 2010 Energy Fair on Saturday, August 28th. It featured many exhibits and a energy innovation contest with cash prices for inventors in two categories, entrants under 18 and above 18.
Both the contest, the exhibit hall and the Edison mobile vans were a huge success. We had 300 participants- 247 visitors, 15 vendors and 17 staff volunteers. Sponsors, vendors and visitors were pleased. We hope to have a photo gallery of the event up soon.
Field Trip to the Southern California Edison Customer Technology Application Center.Renewal energy options, energy audits, news of the PMC Energy Faire, funding possibilities and more.
What We’ve Done This Year: Our 2010 Annual Report
Seeing what all we’ve done this year all in one place is pretty exciting. While there is so much more to do, it’s surprising to discover
how far we’ve come since 2005 when we first met!
Health Services Exploration Pilot Project Report
The options we’re exploring to be part of a national pilot project for sustainable medicine and bring local health services to our community.
Let’s Live Local is a 501(3)c non-profit organization of local volunteers working to build a resilient, sustainable future for our local forest community, Pine Mountain Club, CA. We’re a small mountain village in California’s Los Padres National Forest and the 11th official Transition Town Initiative in the United States.
Our many projects include a wood pellet coop, an organic food coop, and a beef coop. We also have educational and act-based events at our monthly meetings and in our five active subgroups: Food, Energy, Economy, Water and Government Review.
For additional information on how to participate and get involved in any aspects of Living Local call 661 242-2624 or e-mail: Sarah Edwards at sedwards@frazmtn.com
If you’d like to find out more about or join:
LLL Food Coop: contact Vicky Bingaman pilates0075@netzero.net or 661-242-2955
LLL Pellet Coop: contact Paul Edwards pedwards@frazmtn.com or 661-242-2624
LLL Beef Coop: contact Larry Darlingodarling@bigvalley.net or 661-406-1152
Below are some facts about our group, its background, goals and projects.
Background and Goals
We originally came together in August of 2005 as an informal group of volunteers concerned about the effects climate change, peak oil, and resources depletion were having and would have on our community and the surrounding National Forest. Given our small size and remote location we wanted to identify the steps we need to be taking to develop awareness, solutions, and projects to address such issues as how we can:
- Reduce costs of heating, lighting, cooling and otherwise running
our homes.
- Reduce fuel costs in traveling to and from work, shopping,
medical services and entertainment.
- Create a resilient local economy that protects the ecosystem
and supports a sustainable community life.
- Share what we learn about relocalizing with other rural
communities as well as with self-defined urban and suburban
villages or neighborhoods also wishing to develop sustainable
communities.
In the first year the group affiliated with the Property Owners Association to put on a well-attended Energy Fair. The group also participated in the annual Community Strategic Planning process.
Our first community-wide project was the creation of a Pellet Coop in the spring of 2008. Recently we have started an organic food coop via Community Supported Agriculture.
Scope of Programs and Projects Discussed and Considered
- Community Assessments and Resiliency Planning
- Gathering information and identifying resources and needs required for living sustainability here, including learning about alternative energy both of our own homes and for the community at large
- Surveying local gardens and fruit trees to explore possible community harvesting
- Local Sustainability Projects
- Expanding potential and incentives for shopping locally
- Creating shared transportation pools and a ride-sharing programs
- Exploring
- Safely composting
- Develop personal greenhouses and other ways of extending our short growing season
Developing a community garden
Touring local homes that are using energy-saving approaches
- Developing and Offering Educational Materials and Programs:
Lost Life Skills, i.e. Gardening, Permaculture, Canning, Seed Collection, Native Plants for Landscaping, Simple Living
Self-Sufficiency, Usage of Alternative Energy: Solar, Wind, Biodiesel, Geothermal etc., Green Living and Building
- Developing funding for goal-related program activities
Our Projects
In 2006 to launch our group formally to the community, we co-sponsored the first local Energy Fair to an large and eager crowd. That year we also participated in a community-wide strategic planning effort that considered four scenarios for the future.
In Spring of 2008 we established a Wood Pellet Coop and have brought three 22-ton truckloads of pellets to eager subscribers for the past two years.
During the Summer of 2008 we established our program priorities as Food, Energy, Water, and Sustainable Economic Development. That fall we organized an Organic Food Coop with a regional CSA, Abundant Harvest Organics. In the Spring of 2009 we organized the a beef coop or Cowpool with the Darling Ranch of Cuddy Valley.
On March 24, 2012 Sarah and I conducted a workshop entitled Finding a Sustainable Livelihood in the Mountain Communities, co-sponsored by the The Mountain Communities SBDC of Women’s Economic Development and the Mountain Communities Chamber of Commerce. The Workshop was fully attended in the most beautiful library and meeting room
Finding a Sustainable Livelihoods Workshop March 24, 2012
in Frazier Park. Lots of great ideas for filling the gaps in basic services were brought forth. It’s inspiring and uplifting to see so many excited and motivated people.
Publicity
Let’s Live Local has been recognized in an Sierra Club Green Home article.
Let’s Live Local is featured by Greentowns on Facebook and on New Haven, Connecticut’s Greentown Blog for Local Sustainability
To Learn More about the Community
To learn more about Pine Mountain Club, a video is available. Find it under “The Association” at on the left side of the page. It is the last tab.
