Apple Blossom School now will be Wine Grape School ??!!!??!!

[Peace Voyager]

The public auction was not public at all; I was there. They moved the location and only Hobbs folks were informed. There is so much more to the back story of how it all happened, I hope to have both old and new information out soon.

There are several points in all of this we must break down and counter, because it is certain to get worse if we don't.

So even if Hobbs grows organically, that does not remediate all the social and environmental atrocities this man and brand are responsible for.

BTW Sebastopol's Whole Foods has Hobbs' Cross Barn label on their shelf; I'm talking to the manager today, and corporate WF to follow. We've been down this road before; surprised to find they think we have a short memory.

How about you? Do you look for these brands at your stores and restaurants? Do you tell those in charge you prefer not to give your business to establishments which carry the Hobbs brands?

How many old growth trees and historic barns were sacrificed for Hobbs' investors' gains? What will it take to end the West County wine grape glut and impacts not limited to: clear cuts, & siphoning of our ground and surface water, erosion, imbalance of the natural habitat through the deluge of chemicals, etc.?

The Ag Commissioner, DA, and majority of Supervisors and Planning Commissioners appear to be under their influence, so we've got a lot of work to do.

Being able to build international support gives me hope it can be done. Thanks to everyone who is taking mindful action.

I don't remember the amounts, but Hobbs took that money to public auction when the property went up. When no one showed, Hobbs won the auction for a few thousand dollars. Please do the research, as I'm not able to do it at the moment. But it was, from where I stand, a crime the way this property was transferred. It is something worth getting out there.

[There's lots more about that here on WaccoBB.net - Barry]

Bear in mind, this guy is not alone. There are many like him ready to pounce on available properties. I have, and will be posting more info on my blog: thegravenstein.blogspot.com. I will be posting more on this. There are a few petitions floating around around and letters to be written. Please make your voices heard.

[Peace Voyager]

There's a new article in the Sonoma West by David Abbot about this issue.

Vineyard conversion at Twin Hills District in the works

...

“Hobbs will be using wettable sulfur and Roundup. The way those are used is not prone to drift,” he said. “There won’t be dusting or use of pesticides when school is in session. ... He understands the relationship with apples and is going out of his way to work with the community.”

www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_27101.cfm

Roundup More Toxic Than Officially Declared - New Study

GM Watch, February 21, 2013
Straight to the Source

For related articles and more information, please visit OCA's Environment and Climate Resource Center page and our Genetic Engineering page and our Millions Against Monsanto page

In a new research(1) published in the highly ranked scientific journal Toxicology, Robin Mesnage, Benoit Bernay and Professor Gilles-Eric Seralini, from the University of Caen, France, have proven (from a study of nine Roundup-like herbicides) that the most toxic compound is not glyphosate, which is the substance the most assessed by regulatory authorities, but a compound that is not always listed on the label, called POE-15. Modern methods were applied at the cellular level (on three human cell lines), and mass spectrometry (studies on the nature of molecules). This allowed the researchers to identify and analyse the effects of these compounds.

Context: Glyphosate is supposed to be the "active ingredient" of Roundup, the most widely used herbicide in the world, and it is present in a large group of Roundup-like herbicides. It has been safety tested on mammals for the purposes of regulatory risk assessment. But the commercial formulations of these pesticides as they are sold and used contain added ingredients (adjuvants). These are often classified confidential and described as "inerts". However, they help to stabilize the chemical compound glyphosate and help it to penetrate plants, in the manner of corrosive detergents. The formulated herbicides (including Roundup) can affect all living cells, especially human cells. This danger is overlooked because glyphosate and Roundup are treated as the same by industry and regulators in long-term studies. The supposed non-toxicity of glyphosate serves as a basis for the commercial release of Roundup. The health and environmental agencies and pesticide companies assess the long-term effects on mammals of glyphosate alone, and not the full formulation. The details of this regulatory assessment are jealously kept confidential by companies like Monsanto and health and environmental agencies.

Conclusion and consequences: This study demonstrates that all the glyphosate-based herbicides tested are more toxic than glyphosate alone, and explains why. Thus their regulatory assessments and the maximum residue levels authorized in the environment, food, and feed, are erroneous. A drink (such as tap water contaminated by Roundup residues) or a food made with a Roundup tolerant GMO (like a transgenic soya or corn) were already demonstrated as toxic in the recent rat feeding study (2) from Prof. Séralini team. The researchers have also published responses to critics of the study (3). This new research explains and confirms the scientific results of the rat feeding study. ..

[Peace Voyager]

Do you want the City of Sebastopol to put more of this in our watersheds? Then tell them to mind their own no-herbicide policy or more city resources will be spent on this substance going down the city's drains and into the creeks and laguna.

Our county as a whole needs to re-examine the consequences of Round Up, etc.

www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_27101.cfm

Roundup More Toxic Than Officially Declared - New Study

GM Watch, February 21, 2013
Straight to the Source

[taurusmoon]

There was a child went fourth every day,
And the first object he look’d upon, that object he became; *
And that object became part of him for the day, or a certain part of the day, or for many years, or stretching cycles of years. *
**
The early lilacs became part of this child, *
And grass, and white and red morning-glories, and white and red clover, and the song of the phoebe-bird, *********5
And the Third-month lambs, and the sow’s pink-faint litter, and the mare’s foal, and the cow’s calf, *
And the noisy brood of the barn-yard, or by the mire of the pond-side, *
And the fish suspending themselves so curiously below there—and the beautiful curious liquid, *
And the water-plants with their graceful flat heads—all became part of him. *
**
The field-sprouts of Fourth-month and Fifth-month became part of him;
Winter-grain sprouts, and those of the light-yellow corn, and the esculent roots of the garden, *
And the apple-trees cover’d with blossoms, and the fruit afterward...

Walt Whitman

[Peace Voyager]

Paul Hobbs received a judgement for $360,000 against John Jenkel. The story states that was twice the amount he was suing for. How much could it cost to take down 6 Douglas Firs, presumably not $160,000? Even with legal fees factored, 160K seems insane not to mention 360K. I can't help but think that what Paul Hobbs did was premeditated and borders on elder abuse. I enjoy a glass of wine with my dinner on occasion but this kind of thing has begun to turn me off to drinking it.

They paid $61,000 for property worth close to $3,000,000 at the time, which was close to being paid off. In the misguided eyes of Hobbs and the court, Jenkel still owes them the remaining nearly $300,000.

I will again remind you that Efren Carillo did nothing to stop this, and only long after the fact, when a public outrage was underway did he pretend to take action. This is why Hobbs is still able to buy and develop parcel after parcel of our county for wine grapes, which will not be served to the school kids for lunch, or for sale at our Farmers Markets.

I wish Ernie Carpenter had worked to help Veronica Jacobi win instead of splitting the anti-Efren vote. With that lesson learned let's reach for strategic, selfless strategies for our greater good.

[dominus]

Thank you for your post. As I understand it, VESCO is the agricultural equivalent to an EIR. It was legislated by the State of California and all grape growers are required to adhere to it's mandates. The Ag Commission is required to enforce Vesco standards and doesn't have within it's jurisdiction the capacity to turn down an Ag project if a developer is adhering to it's standards. Any rewriting of it's guidelines must occur at the State level.

One previous post suggested that the schools in question were built next to Ag zones so parents knew what they were getting. Those schools needed to built so where else were they supposed to be built? Knocking on neighbor's doors with Kozlowski's pies in an effort to be a "good neighbor" doesn't exempt Paul Hobbs from using using "Roundup" nor does it sanction his ruthless and cut-throat behavior which he's displayed on other occasions. While I don't know him myself, John Jenkel sounded very difficult to deal with but did that warrant Hobbs from extracting his land from him? I don't think so. Unfortunately, the Ag Commission's hands are tied as Hobbs has the legal right to do what he wants with his property as long as he follows the guidelines laid out by Vesco and it sounds like he's doing that.

This situation has the potential to ignite a firestorm of controversy and be the tipping point for further consideration in respect to how many acres of grape vines can and should be allowed. A feverish "land grab" has developed as a result of artificially depressed interest rates. As a consequence of this condition, I've no doubt, many counties throughout the country are experiencing the conflicts of Ag business as it butts up against the population. With that said, just because the Ag Commission is committed to Vesco doesn't mean that a united and organized group of parents, teachers, administrators, and concerned citizens shouldn't persist. They absolutely should because this could be the "perfect storm" which will change the course of the wine industry in Sonoma County and even quite possibly for the wine industry itself. Bear in mind, any change against the prevailing status-quo takes a great deal of time and effort, alot of time and effort.

...
How many old growth trees and historic barns were sacrificed for Hobbs' investors' gains? What will it take to end the West County wine grape glut and impacts not limited to: clear cuts, & siphoning of our ground and surface water, erosion, imbalance of the natural habitat through the deluge of chemicals, etc.?

[sebastacat]

Dominus: I SO agree with you! Knocking on the neighbors' doors with Kozlowski pies in hand is, to Sebastacat at least, akin to childlike bribery. I certainly know what I would have done with that pie!

Sorry folks, but this type of approach won't work. The disingenuousness shows through all too clearly.

Espaliered apple trees? Pl-ease! This just goes to show how out of touch with west county values the developer of this project is. And I don't think that they were what the great Walt Whitman had in mind when he wrote the poem posted above by TaurusMoon.

The only thing that IS going to work is if the proponent of this project abandons this unpopular, misguided plan and sites this mega-vineyard someplace else -- oh, say, somewhere in the central valley -- and leaves the students of the six affected schools and the residents of the west county alone to live in peace and tranquility once again -- once and for all.

[gardenmaniac]

"Never depend upon institutions or government to solve any problem. All social movements are founded by, guided by, motivated and seen through by the passion of individuals. ”

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."

~ Margaret Mead

... With that said, just because the Ag Commission is committed to Vesco doesn't mean that a united and organized group of parents, teachers, administrators, and concerned citizens shouldn't persist. They absolutely should because this could be the "perfect storm" which will change the course of the wine industry in Sonoma County and even quite possibly for the wine industry itself. Bear in mind, any change against the prevailing status-quo takes a great deal of time and effort, alot of time and effort.

[dominus]

What might happen if every willing citizen in the county agreed to plant a tree or trees as an act of protest to vineyard development?

[rossmen]

i think hobbs is using this vineyard to rebuild his local reputation. probably not a premeditated strategy, just inspired by the moment. will he keep his promises for an "organic" apple orchard next to apple blossom with trees trained like grape vines? is his vine culture less toxic than conventional orchards and more conventional vineyards? i think he will pay more attention to his promises to adjoining schools than his troublesome neighbor and original benefactor at the home vineyard. is the ag commission sensitive to the reputation of hobbs? will wine grapes continue to dominate sonoma county agriculture for many more years?

how big would it be if paul hobbs, the international winemaker consultant famous for single vineyard vino, goes organic? or better yet biodynamic? does paul hobbs care about the future his children and their children will live in? how about all the other children?

There's a new article in the Sonoma West by David Abbot about this issue.

Vineyard conversion at Twin Hills District in the works

Here's a a couple of salient sections:

[mamaj]

I feel outraged that our county would allow this vineyard to go in and destroy this beautiful apple orchard. The winery people will lie,lie,lie to all of us to get what they want. All they really see is $$$ in their pockets. If this county allows this to continue in favor of the winery owners, they are proving how stupid and ignorant they are.
We the people who really care about our children and their children and the enviroment MUST take a stand! We can't be dis respected and abused of our rights to protect our families and the enviroment they live ,and learn in! This apple orchard is organic now and should be protected and allowed to grow with the right people to manage it-haven't you heard of organic apple juice ?

i think hobbs is using this vineyard to rebuild his local reputation. probably not a premeditated strategy, just inspired by the moment. will he keep his promises for an "organic" apple orchard next to apple blossom with trees trained like grape vines? is his vine culture less toxic than conventional orchards and more conventional vineyards? i think he will pay more attention to his promises to adjoining schools than his troublesome neighbor and original benefactor at the home vineyard. is the ag commission sensitive to the reputation of hobbs? will wine grapes continue to dominate sonoma county agriculture for many more years?

how big would it be if paul hobbs, the international winemaker consultant famous for single vineyard vino, goes organic? or better yet biodynamic? does paul hobbs care about the future his children and their children will live in? how about all the other children?

[jbox]

I feel outraged that our county would allow this vineyard to go in and destroy this beautiful apple orchard. The winery people will lie,lie,lie to all of us to get what they want. All they really see is $$$ in their pockets. If this county allows this to continue in favor of the winery owners, they are proving how stupid and ignorant they are.
We the people who really care about our children and their children and the enviroment MUST take a stand! We can't be dis respected and abused of our rights to protect our families and the enviroment they live ,and learn in! This apple orchard is organic now and should be protected and allowed to grow with the right people to manage it-haven't you heard of organic apple juice ?

So, I take it you favor the government being able to tell private property owners what specifically they must do with their land. Even though this is already happening with zoning and land use policy to a certain degree, you want to take it a step further and remove any decision making away from the individual in favor of Big Brother. REALLY? Long live Ceaucescu, Stalin, Mao, and Kim Jong Il. I really feel outraged at your attitude.

[Peace Voyager]

What might happen if every willing citizen in the county agreed to plant a tree or trees as an act of protest to vineyard development?

This is a great idea to counter the land rape across the globe; but we need more than protest to counter the unbalanced land and water uses the west county is experiencing. Too bad most of our local, state and federal reps, along with the Press Democrat are in the back pocket of the wine grape and casino businesses.

A very vocal and widespread boycott of the brands on the zeros list will have impacts; a recall of those in the pockets of these zeros will make all of them think twice before getting drunk on the wine grape lobby's tab.

Call on the DA to review what happened in the 3 Hobbs cases. The Environmental Crimes unit was made to ignore Hobbs' crimes and just go after the folks paid to do the work.

DA's can be recalled and disbarred.

Let's review a few other threads and consider what Jill Ravitch is doing, or not doing to serve the best interest of our county:

04-01-2013 Houston Herczog, my beloved son--WE NEED HELP

04-24-2013 Wacco Heroes and Zeros

08-30-2012 Unbelievable rampant family court corruption

06-13-2012 Colleen's Blog

07-29-2011 Very serious local issues in our news
__

There are many more but I'll end with this one. If Jill Ravitch had pressed charges when she had the chance against Charlotte's father, John Charles Molinari, for raping me; and an honest, thorough investigation had been conducted regarding this, as well as his involvement in prostitution, production of teen pornography, and unsecured possession of drugs, (some of these were found in her body) he would be in jail and Charlotte would be alive.

No matter if it is rape of the land, or rape of a mother; we are all at risk from the failure of the judicial system to honestly and honorably do its job.

04-21-2012 Re: Charlotte
My daughter's death was 100% preventable.

Please see the public comments I made to the Santa Rosa City Council on 4/3; just after the presentation for item 6.1 PROCLAMATION -- SEXUAL ASSAULT AWARENESS MONTH. This was 11 days before she went missing. Marsha Vas DuPre was the only one who bothered to do anything; and it was not enough.

I had been asking the Santa Rosa City Council and Police Chief for 3 years to help - they did not take action against the person who raped me, my child's father; nor did they take me seriously when I said she was at risk, the first hour they notified me she was missing. The criminal responsible for my rape, and Charlotte's disappearance is still being protected by the City of Santa Rosa, and their police; as well as the DA's office.

Justice will not prevail, unless the public demands it. In the meantime; there is a known rapist in Sonoma County who walks free.

Charlotte has paid for these crimes with her life. What will you do to change it? Please help me get Charlotte's Law passed; so more rapists get convicted - the first time they assault someone.

In honor of Charlotte; please don't stand silent. Help me fix this broken system.

Thank you,

Colleen Fernald

[Peace Voyager]

Sad that you think the value of land would fall because of a mandate for going organic in sensitive places. Don't the majority of us find organic certification an added value, not less? Does it really matter if foreign or corporate investors find organic ag land less valuable?

That's a good idea. I've been thinking that a new agriculture buffer overlay zone would be helpful that would be applied to all parcels that are currently zoned for agriculture that adjoin non-agriculture uses that places additional restrictions on their farming practices, including perhaps requiring it to be certified organic.

Of course the owners of the land would scream bloody murder, and they would have a point. It's quite possible that the value of their land would fall, and they would be constrained on how they could manage their land. Perhaps they could be compensated in some fashion, as above. Just a thought...

[Shepherd]

At a meeting yesterday of the Watertrough Childrens Alliance of a dozen people, one of the mothers volunteered to put up a website against the vineyard conversion.The link follows. Photos of the mothers are being taken today at the apple orchard and will be sent to Wacco and elsewhere. Articles are scheduled to appear this Thursday in the Bohemian and in Sonoma West. Please send letters to their editors in response.

Shepherd

https://watertroughchildrensalliance.weebly.com/

[Peace Voyager]

Paul Hobbs received a judgement for $360,000 against John Jenkel. The story states that was twice the amount he was suing for. How much could it cost to take down 6 Douglas Firs, presumably not $160,000? Even with legal fees factored, 160K seems insane not to mention 360K. I can't help but think that what Paul Hobbs did was premeditated and borders on elder abuse. I enjoy a glass of wine with my dinner on occasion but this kind of thing has begun to turn me off to drinking it.

You are quite right; this is only one of several things the County and court have done which would fall under elder abuse. The minute I pointed this out to Shirley Zane at a BOS meeting; she turned on me.

Someone said she's had a "Bosco Lobotomy" referring to Doug Bosco's influence, one of at least 2 new Press Democrat owners who promote industries which compromise our quality of life here. Besides supporting the over-planting of wine grapes; they represent PG& E and Station Casinos. If one had the resources to dig deeper, we'd probably find links to the fluoride industry as well; just notice how the only details relating to the risks comes from letters to the Ed, not the reporters, or "repeaters" as they are called by the well informed.

[Peace Voyager]

i think hobbs is using this vineyard to rebuild his local reputation. probably not a premeditated strategy, just inspired by the moment. will he keep his promises for an "organic" apple orchard next to apple blossom with trees trained like grape vines? is his vine culture less toxic than conventional orchards and more conventional vineyards? i think he will pay more attention to his promises to adjoining schools than his troublesome neighbor and original benefactor at the home vineyard. is the ag commission sensitive to the reputation of hobbs? will wine grapes continue to dominate sonoma county agriculture for many more years?

how big would it be if paul hobbs, the international winemaker consultant famous for single vineyard vino, goes organic? or better yet biodynamic? does paul hobbs care about the future his children and their children will live in? how about all the other children?

I don't think Paul Hobbs has children; and he doesn't have to use this new vineyard to rebuild his reputation, the Press Democrat is doing that for him rather well.

• Meet Paul Hobbs 2.0
  
  A winemaker of uncommon renown, who has made wines from Napa and Sonoma under his own name since 1991, Paul Hobbs isn't the likeliest of producers to have launched a brand geared to a younger generation. Published March 27, 2013 https://www.pressdemocrat.com/articl...71003/0/search

Do a search for him on their site and you get 101related story links.

Plus, it does not matter if you "like" me, or John Jenkel; neither of us deserves the crimes and misconduct perpetrated by, or ignored by the authorities.

This has been going on for a long time, there is so much to it it makes your head spin; but that does not mean these things should remain unresolved. The unholy marriage this county has to wine grapes has many, many consequences, not one of you will escape these impacts, no matter what your age, race or income is.

[Peace Voyager]

Re-posting this list for 2 reasons. A) so it is very clear I am not anti-wine grape; just very concerned about the imbalances and bad practices by some in the industry; and those charged with its oversight. B) to help inform your choices in support of better personal health & safer environments where grapes are grown.

Please let us know if you know of a brand which meets these standards but is not listed here.

The easiest ways we can improve the standards of any industry is move your money and share your reasons far and wide.

#1 Be a patron of businesses which demonstrate respect for our social and environmental values

#2 Spread the word on which ones do, and do not

#3 Inform the stores and restaurants that you will move your business away from them if they continue to carry the brands such as Paul Hobbs, who are known to violate these standards.

#4 As for media outlets which promote businesses that continue to violate these social and environmental standards, let their advertisers know you will discontinue your business with them if they continue to advertise with those promoting unsatisfactory businesses. (In otherwords, don't feed the beast that's feeding other beasts.)

#5 Vet your candidates well; don't fall for false promises, or slick campaigns. Organize to recall those who clearly fall short of protecting our best interest.

(I warned you long ago about Efren Carrillo. The bad practices he has gotten away with here, will be multiplied now that he was given reigns of the regional water agency association, and he's headed up the ladder for election in a State Senate or Assembly seat.)

It's important to also let the bad apples know what it takes to get our business back and cease our vocal dissatisfaction.

For me, with regard to Paul Hobbs, he would have to begin by withdrawing his permit to grow wine grapes next to any schools; be 100% certified organic or bio dynamic & dry farmed; admit fault and return 100% of John Jenkel's land back to him.

Possible, though not likely to happen, unless there is enough similar pressure on a large scale, or the authorities grow their conscience and take appropriate action.

Your power is: your vote, your financial support of conscientious businesses, spreading the word on which businesses do, and don't measure up; uniting in large numbers to protect our common causes.

With enough time and dedication,

the bad apples will shrivel up;

the good ones will thrive, as will we!





Support California Organic and Bio Dynamic Wines
see list attached
​Hope you all will print it, or save this list on your mobile devices, for use when shopping and dinning.

[Barry]

I've been thinking that a new agriculture buffer overlay zone would be helpful that would be applied to all parcels that are currently zoned for agriculture that adjoin non-agriculture uses that places additional restrictions on their farming practices, including perhaps requiring it to be certified organic.

Of course the owners of the land would scream bloody murder, and they would have a point. It's quite possible that the value of their land would fall, and they would be constrained on how they could manage their land. Perhaps they could be compensated in some fashion, as above. Just a thought...

Sad that you think the value of land would fall because of a mandate for going organic in sensitive places. Don't the majority of us find organic certification an added value, not less? Does it really matter if foreign or corporate investors find organic ag land less valuable?

I'm sorry that makes you sad, Colleen, but that's my sense of the market realities.
I still think this is a very good idea and is a graceful way to both slow down the conversion of farm land to vineyards and making sure that an increasing percentage of new vineyards are organic.

Regarding the value, that's simple economics. If a farmer has an apple orchard with an adjoining a non agricultural use, they could no longer sell it to someone who wants to grow grapes conventionally. There would only be subset of interested purchasers who would be interested in growing organically. The lower competition would drive the price down. Sorry to say, but the intrinsic value of organic land vs conventional land doesn't come into play.

Of course, I'd like see the organic restriction put on all conversions, but limiting it to adjoining non-agricultural use would be a good start and more politically viable. I'd add adjoining organic agricultural land to that restriction as well.

This issue shines a spotlight on the Sonoma County Grading, Drainage, & Vineyard & Orchard Site Development Ordinance, also known as VESCO. People who are concerned with vineyard conversions, monoculture, water table, erosion and such should focus their attention on getting the ordinance updated to require more environmentally sensitive agricultural practices.

[rossmen]

i'm pretty sure he has two children. and i think the modifications to vineyard management offered to the schools are afterthoughts, not part of the original planning. hobbs and crew appear to be scrambling again in damage control mode, like at pocket canyon and vine hill, different than the calculated dismembering experienced by jenkel.

I don't think Paul Hobbs has children;

[Peace Voyager]

This list is 2 years old and will be updated in the near future. Your suggestions will be reviewed by the person who created the list to see if it meets the needed requirements. Your enthusiasm and patronage of brands which meet these standards could motivate the whole industry to improve, if their bottom line and reputation are impacted by not measuring up to both the social and environmental standards we hold dear.

Thanks!

Support California Organic and Bio Dynamic Wines
see list attached
​Hope you all will print it, or save this list on your mobile devices, for use when shopping and dinning.

[MandT]

So, the notorious Paul Hobbs Inc. is at it again. The arrogance and greed of this company has no bounds. It wasn't enough that a short time past he virtually stole million dollar acreage from an addled neighbor through a trumped up shyster lawsuit that paid only a few dollars an acre for the confiscated land. Those County officials that Hobbs can't 'influence' he simply ignores and continues the rampage of viticulture terra forming that has destroyed acres of Redwoods and old Oaks. The safety of neighbors, schools, communities and the integrity of the land mean nothing to this family. Money is all. Methyl Bromide anybody?

[Peace Voyager]

This list is 2 years old and will be updated in the near future. Your suggestions will be reviewed by the person who created the list to see if it meets the needed requirements. Your enthusiasm and patronage of brands which meet these standards could motivate the whole industry to improve, if their bottom line and reputation are impacted by not measuring up to both the social and environmental standards we hold dear.

Thanks!

For folks having a hard time finding the list; go to the 05-07-2013 posting to this thread.

[mamaj]

I am now also very concerned about another ranch property located on Bodega Hwy. As you drive down the mountain grade towards Freestone ,on the right hand side is a ranch property which was a cattle ranch . The home has been newly remodeled and sits by the road,it is empty now. Where are the owners ? Every time I drive by I see different people(men) standing around looking at the property ,or driving their trucks on it I do not recognize as the owners. I pray this is NOT going to be another winery. Freestone was once such a peaceful beautiful community.

[MamaBird]

If you would like to stay informed and help us to gather as much info and resources as possible to fight this conversion and to set up new guidelines for chemicals in a school zone, please "like" us on facebook

https://www.facebook.com/WatertroughChildrensAlliance

I would ask that all postings on there be relevant to our cause and for the betterment of our children.

Thank you- Amber

I feel outraged that our county would allow this vineyard to go in and destroy this beautiful apple orchard. The winery people will lie,lie,lie to all of us to get what they want. All they really see is $$$ in their pockets. If this county allows this to continue in favor of the winery owners, they are proving how stupid and ignorant they are.
We the people who really care about our children and their children and the enviroment MUST take a stand! We can't be dis respected and abused of our rights to protect our families and the enviroment they live ,and learn in! This apple orchard is organic now and should be protected and allowed to grow with the right people to manage it-haven't you heard of organic apple juice ?

[mamaj]

I hope people are not losing interest in this situation, we urgently need to keep moving foreward in stopping Hobbs or any other vineyard vulture from taking this beautiful orchard over for their greedy, harmful business adventures. Where are the previous owners of this property? Does Hobbs apply for legal permits to demolish the buildings there? Did he recieve any permit to put a vineyard in? According to Effren Carrillos' office maybe not. If the permit dept. allowed any permits for Paul Hobbs to put in a vineyard next to the schools, then they need to quit being stuck on stupid and do their home work . It's like giving a dangerous criminal a gun,are they also giving him the ammo?

I have contacted Manzano organic apple products, they are doing some research into this now as well. This orchard at 622 Water Trough rd., Sebastopol might be one of the orchards where they recieve apples from. They do not want to have it turned into a grape vineyard either, they want to continue keeping this apple orchard alive.

If Hobbs had any type of heart and soul, as well as brains between his ears which do not listen any longer, he would negotiate a reasonable sale /release of this property into the hands of people who really care about it. To Paul Hobbs; do something right for a change and let this orchard go to the Manzano organic apple producers, or people who will keep this orchard alive as organic apples. If you were never concerned about your reputation before, you should be now.

[MamaBird]

We are certainly not losing interest. We have started an alliance called Watertrough Children's Alliance. we have been continuing to meet with the Ag Commissioner, meet with our School board, circulating our petition and working out how to best stop this from happening. We are EXTREMELY motivated to keep our children safe.

If you are interested in supporting us, please "like" us on facebook www.facebook.com/watertroughchildrensalliance or visit our website for updates www.watertroughchildrensalliance.weebly.com

It would do us a great service if you could begin writing these passionate pleas to the press democrat, or any of our other local publications. [email protected]

Thank you for your support.

I hope people are not losing interest in this situation, we urgently need to keep moving foreward in stopping Hobbs or any other vineyard vulture from taking this beautiful orchard over for their greedy, harmful business adventures. Where are the previous owners of this property? Does Hobbs apply for legal permits to demolish the buildings there? Did he recieve any permit to put a vineyard in? According to Effren Carrillos' office maybe not. If the permit dept. allowed any permits for Paul Hobbs to put in a vineyard next to the schools, then they need to quit being stuck on stupid and do their home work . It's like giving a dangerous criminal a gun,are they also giving him the ammo?

I have contacted Manzano organic apple products, they are doing some research into this now as well. This orchard at 622 Water Trough rd., Sebastopol might be one of the orchards where they recieve apples from. They do not want to have it turned into a grape vineyard either, they want to continue keeping this apple orchard alive.

If Hobbs had any type of heart and soul, as well as brains between his ears which do not listen any longer, he would negotiate a reasonable sale /release of this property into the hands of people who really care about it. To Paul Hobbs; do something right for a change and let this orchard go to the Manzano organic apple producers, or people who will keep this orchard alive as organic apples. If you were never concerned about your reputation before, you should be now.

[Peace Voyager]

Very sorry to report I found Paul Hobbs' wine on the shelf of Pacific Market in Sebastopol.

This suprised me, because of my conversation with someone who I thought was a vendor there about how pleased I was to see they were not stocking his brands that day, and how much many of us disdain the practices of that brand, and do not wish to do business with those who choose to carry and profit from it.

Not sure if I missed it before, or if they started carrying it again to protest our protest.

I hope you will let the new owner know how you feel about this.

[rossmen]

my advice is to say to the ag commissioner, "we want to talk directly to paul hobbs". make no mistake, hobbs is happy to let his cronies and lawyers run you in circles till he gets his way. his promo flunky mrs sharp, is expert at spinning the truth and shutting down dialog. i'm pretty sure she got me banned from yelp for writing the truth about hobbs and how he takes advantage of gullible neighbors. if and when you get paul, and i'm sure it will take awhile, ask him where his kids go to school. probably sonoma academy, the most exclusive private school in sonoma county. then you have him, public schools are way more important than schools for rich kids. you are in a powerful position to make change in our society : )

We are certainly not losing interest. We have started an alliance called Watertrough Children's Alliance. we have been continuing to meet with the Ag Commissioner, meet with our School board, circulating our petition and working out how to best stop this from happening. We are EXTREMELY motivated to keep our children safe.

If you are interested in supporting us, please "like" us on facebook www.facebook.com/watertroughchildrensalliance or visit our website for updates www.watertroughchildrensalliance.weebly.com

It would do us a great service if you could begin writing these passionate pleas to the press democrat, or any of our other local publications. [email protected]

Thank you for your support.

[estrella3210]

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Please come to a "Town Hall" meeting at the Sebastopol Grange on Wednesday the 29th of May at 7pm, to participate in a public forum about the apple orchard to vineyard conversion that is happening next to Apple Blossom Elementary, Orchard View Charter, Sunridge Charter and Tree House Hollow Preschool.

The grange is located at 6000 Sebastopol Ave (also known as HIGHWAY 12), Sebastopol, CA 95472, between Chevron gas station and the Strawberry farm stand.

This meeting will include lots of information about the short and long terms goals Watertrough Children's Alliance has for keeping ALL our children safe from pesticides. We have even invited Paul Hobbs to speak. There will be other interested parties speaking too.

Hope to see you there.

Look for us at Sebastopol Farmer's Market, we are tabling for signatures on our petition, or you can just come talk with us. :)

Thanks for your support everyone.

https://watertroughchildrensalliance.weebly.com/index.html