Written by Theresa Catlin What do gardening, raising chickens and designing a greenhouse have in common? They all fall under the definition of “permanent agriculture” or Permaculture. Bill Mollison, an Australian and one of the founders of permaculture, describes it this way: “Permaculture is a philosophy of working with rather than against nature; of protracted and thoughtful observation rather than ...

Submitted by Elizabeth Gabriel MARIPOSA – Mariposa County Master Gardeners’ ranks have increased by four new members. Monique Kolster, Jacob Reynolds, Jennifer LaDuca and Laura Pound all attended 64 hours of college-level horticultural instruction to earn their badges. Since 1995, Mariposa Master Gardeners have contributed approximately 33,000 hours of community service.

MARIPOSA – If you’ve been looking for your dream house – that is, dream playhouse – it’s not too late to find it. This is the final week of raffle ticket sales for a beautifully designed and built Lawson Construction Playhouse, with tickets selling for $10 each and all proceeds going to benefit Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of Mariposa, ...

MARIPOSA – It’s going to be a busy trio of beautiful spring days as thousands flit into town for the annual Butterfly Festival, held the first weekend in May starting Friday, May 2 through Sunday, May 4. Organizer Jeanetta Phillips wants everyone to know it’s a “family-friendly few days of fun, with no admission cost, and lots of live interaction ...

MARIPOSA – The Mariposa Yosemite Airport will host the annual Mariposa Air Fair and Family Adventure Day on Saturday, Apr. 26. Gates open at 8 a.m. and the festivities last until 3 p.m. with free airplane rides for youngsters. The Air Fair is a fly-in community event featuring a range of attractions including fly-bys and demonstrations, antique aircraft, Warbirds from ...

MARIPOSA – At approximately 10:10 a.m. on Thursday, Apr. 11, Mariposa County Sheriff deputies responded to a report of a plane possibly down in the 6000 block of Highway 49 North, near the Mariposa – Yosemite Airport. With the use of a fixed wing aircraft manned by the Sheriff’s Office and the CHP helicopter, the small private plane was located ...

MARIPOSA – On May 8, the University of California is asking the public to join its faculty, students, staff, 4-H members and volunteers, and Master Gardeners in a vast science project across the state, in recognition of the 100th anniversary of University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE). One hundred years ago on that date, President Woodrow Wilson signed the Smith-Lever ...

MARIPOSA COUNTY – You CAN have fresh food all year long. Mariposa Master Gardener President Betty Massey will present a free workshop on year-round gardening Saturday, May 10, from 10 a.m. to noon at Senior Citizen Hall, 10340 Greely Hill Road, Greely Hill. She will cover which things grow best in cool weather and which do best in warm weather, ...

Contributed by Len McKenzie MARIPOSA – Birds of prey, or raptors, are among the most charismatic of animals, evoking a sense of awe, excitement and respect for their vital role as predators in the food web. Admired for their grace, strength, speed and hunting prowess, hawks and owls range widely across North America. Most of the Sierra Nevada and Central ...

MARIPOSA – When a California Gold Country couple found a stash of pristine old coins while dog-walking on their nearly bankrupt property, word spread faster than they could say “Eureka!” Dubbed the “Saddle Ridge Hoard” for the space on the couple’s land where the dirt-crusted fortune was accidentally discovered in rusty cans, experts estimate the find to be the most ...