• Technical Round Table on Increasing Irrigation Efficiency with Technology APRIL 11, 2016 7:00-8:30 PM

    Landscapers in the Santa Barbara area: If you haven't made it to one of Sweetwater Collaborative's Technical Round Tables yet, this is the one you need to get to! David Szucs, of Dreamscape Landscaping Co-op, and TA for the SBCC Irrigation class, will be the guest facilitator.  David will:

    • Introduce the scientific work of David Bainbridge on ollas, clay pipe irrigation, wick irrigation, ecology, and sustainable practices.
    • talk about hiis own collaboration with Raintree Ranch & Dreamscape to do a feasibility report to see if an Ollas irrigation system can be used at large scales to irrigate citrus orchards. This is an ongoing project.
    • discuss how new soil water tension monitoring equipment (about 3-4 year old technology) made by Irrometer (a company) can be used to indicate the amount of moisture the soil holds

    We invite you to listen, reflect, ask questions, come up with ideas, and integrate these concepts and practices into your own experiences. Exploring the pros and cons of these cutting edge techniques is also encouraged.

    This will be our next Technical Round table, held at the Watershed Resource Center, 2981 Cliff Dr, Santa Barbara 93109, at Hendry's beach, on Monday, April 11, 2016, from 7:00-8:30PM. 

     

    Technical round tables are held on the second Monday of each  month. In April we'll be discussing Cutting Edge Water Wise Irrigation Practices.

    Our goals are for each of us to feel more empowered and ready to promote or install cutting edge features, create a support system so we can quickly trouble shoot with each other, use less water in a more efficient way without compromsiing our lifestyles, and make our community more resilient. This is an ongoing process and we hope you’ll join us and continue to attend these productive meetings.

     

    The Watershed Resource Center is the blue two-story building on the right of the main parking lot at Hendry's Beach, as you face the ocean. It's about halfway to the beach from the street. Come up the stairs and come on in.

     

     Suggested donation is just $10 at the door in cash or check. Looking forward to seeing you there.

  • Ollas workshop - UCSB Family Student Housing Gardens, May 19, 2018

    On Saturday, May 19, Sweetwater Collaborative taught a workshop in making and irrigating with ollas at the UCSB Family Student Housing "Storke" garden. Josh Graning was the primary instructor. "Olla" means 'pot' and in this context, that term refers to porous clay pots that are buried in the soil and filled with water that seeps out slowly to water plants over time. Using ollas in your garden or raised bed cuts down on the frequency and time a human being needs to irrigate plants; at the same time, plants have more consistent access to water.

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