Doing Good: Morningsun Herb Farm

Jun 26, 2025

By Sustainable Solano

Rose at Morningsun Herb Farm in Vacaville

Tucked away on 3 vibrant acres in Vacaville, Morningsun Herb Farm has been a beloved part of the community for over 30 years. What began as a personal love of growing herbs blossomed into a thriving nursery and farm thanks to the vision and dedication of founder Rose Loveall.

“I never thought I would have a business,” Rose reflects. Before starting Morningsun, she spent years growing plants for the U.S. Forest Service in Placerville. At the time, she was limited to cultivating just five species, but her heart was set on growing hundreds. That dream took root when she stumbled across a magazine article about a small herb business, sparking the idea that she could do the same on her own terms. ​​

Today, Morningsun offers over 800 varieties of culinary, medicinal, and fragrant herbs, as well as drought-tolerant perennials, heirloom vegetable starts, and fruit trees. The nursery has become known for its extraordinary selection of hard-to-find and specialty plants, many of which are propagated from seed and cuttings collected right on the property. For Rose, one of the greatest joys is when a customer lights up after discovering a plant they’ve been searching for, sometimes for years.

Sustainable Solano is naming Morningsun Herb Farm as a recipient of our Doing Good business award program. Their commitment to Earth Care and Fair Share is evident in every corner of the farm.

“We go out into our own garden, collect our seed, and do our own cuttings,” Rose explains. “A lot of the plants we sell we’ve seen from start to finish.”

The farm’s beautiful demonstration gardens serve as a source of mother plants — mature plants that provide cuttings to grow the next generation. Even the plants and seeds that don’t sell find purpose through donation to schools and organizations in the community or composting. “It’s all circular,” she says. The compost and used soil are either returned to the land or shared with other farms, reinforcing a system where nothing goes to waste.

One of the things that makes Morningsun so valuable is its ability to support a spectrum of needs including therapeutic experiences. During the early days of the pandemic, the farm offered a chance for people to safely experience the beauty of the natural world. The lush gardens invite visitors to linger and breathe. “We were a place where people could come and bring their families,” Rose said.

Beyond the farm and nursery, Rose also dedicates a significant portion of her time to land advocacy. As an active member of the Pleasants Valley Agriculture Association, she works to protect Vacaville’s rich agricultural heritage. “We are so close to the Bay Area, we see ourselves getting eaten up by development,” she said. As housing and commercial projects sprawl outward, farms like Morningsun face increasing pressure.

During our visit, Rose led us to a gleaming copper still named “La Bruja”, Spanish for “the witch.” This traditional distillation machine is used to transform fresh flowers into pure essential oils, and on this particular day, it was filled with fragrant lavender. The harvest came from friend and neighboring farmer Alexis Koefoed of Soul Food Farm. Rose and Alexis run Hierbas y Flores as a collaborative venture focused on lavender oil and products. The two laughed about getting “lavender drunk” while removing the flowers from the machine. Even the byproduct of the distillation process, hydrosol, doesn’t go to waste. This aromatic floral water can be used in natural skincare products, room sprays, and therapeutic blends. Another example of how the circular system that sustains Morningsun also nurtures relationships between local farmers.

When asked what advice she’d give to others that want to make their businesses more sustainable, Rose emphasized the importance of autonomy for her employees. “I really trust my employees. They get to rebuild gardens and change things around. They know better than me who does what job the best. … If you have employees, it’s better to give them a lot more freedom.”

Doing Good

The Doing Good business recognition program spotlights Solano businesses that stand out in their efforts to support people and planet. Sustainable Solano’s work is informed by the practice of permaculture to form healthy ecosystems. The three ethics of permaculture are Earth Care, People Care and Fair Share. In business, this can mean authentic sustainability practices, how companies care for their employees, and giving back to the community. Our program recognizes businesses that excel in any of these three areas.

Know a business that is Doing Good in Solano County? Let us know by submitting a nomination form here.

Solano’s 3rd Permaculture Design Course Starts in August

May 30, 2025

By Anne Freiwald and Lydia Neilsen of Vital Cycles

We are excited to have Anne Freiwald and Lydia Neilsen of Vital Cycles return this summer for our next Permaculture Design Certificate course in Benicia — starting Aug. 23! In this blog, Anne and Lydia reflect on past programs, talk about what will be covered in this year’s program, and we share a few videos and upcoming talks. The program will run through December and is a great opportunity for people who are interested in an internationally recognized certification on how to design in a way that works with nature. Past participants have included landscaping professionals, passionate backyard gardeners, staff from land conservation and sustainability organizations and others. The program has attracted participants from around the region. We invite you to be part of building community in this year’s cohort! Learn more about the PDC and register here!

Participants in the 2023 PDC program install a garden during their hands-on weekends

We are thrilled to be returning to Benicia for another five-month deep dive into permaculture with Sustainable Solano. We are continually impressed and inspired by the commitment of Sustainable Solano and the larger community to regenerative practices and community resilience. Over the years the level of education and the multiple amazing projects that have been manifested are truly making a difference in the community. Do you want to be a part of it? Are you ready to find out what permaculture is all about and take the first or next steps on your permaculture journey? Join us this fall for your own deep dive into permaculture practice and design!

 

From August through December, monthly classes will guide participants through the permaculture curriculum, which covers patterns in nature, patterns in culture, design, water on the landscape, soil health and vitality, trees, plant communities and their pollinators, how water soil and plants stabilize climate on earth, urban considerations, greywater, sustainable technology, design for resilience and so much more. Hands-on activities for every topic bring conceptual learning into the practical realm. Every month will connect to the previous so that all material is integrated into one relational whole, closing loops, restoring cycles, and offering a paradigm shift in how we think about sustainable human culture. The course culminates in a group design project that brings it all together. Past projects have involved ideas for re-envisioning and rewilding public and urban spaces, designing homesteads and habitats, and healing spaces. They have gone beyond the landscape to look at how these reimagined sites could serve people and communities.

Come join us and make like-minded friends, open doors of opportunity for a career shift or just transform your own yard!

Learn More & Explore

If you’re interested in learning more about permaculture, check out these two exciting talks being offered in partnership with the Benicia Public Library. SuSol staff will be on-hand to answer questions about the PDC as well.

  • 6-7 pm July 9: Summer Gardening Series: Designing Your Garden with Nature with Heath Griffith of Grow with the Flow

Natural ecosystems can be incredible models for our own home gardens and landscapes, if we know how to tap into their abundant wisdom. As a certified permaculture designer and water-harvesting practitioner, Heath will lay out principles from the natural world that can guide us in designing landscapes that create sustainable beauty and nourishment. Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or just starting to get your hands dirty, this presentation is ideal for anyone interested in collaborating with nature to grow sustainably.

  • 6-7:30 pm Aug. 7: Summer Gardening Series: Song Birds, Caterpillars, and Native Plants with Lydia Neilsen

A yard full of songbirds is a joy to behold! Did you know that 95% of song birds feed their babies caterpillars, and they won’t nest where they can’t find enough? Many people see caterpillars as pests who eat our plants, but they are actually an essential part of a healthy ecosystem, and provide extremely nutritious food for birds and other creatures. These caterpillars are the larvae of our native moths and butterflies, which need native host plants on which to lay their eggs. It’s all connected! Come find out which are the best plants to provide good caterpillar populations for the wildlife we love, how to support our native songbirds in general, and create a beautiful garden adapted to our local conditions in the process!

Ready to sign up for the PDC now? Register for the PDC here

Celebrating Outstanding Service: Honoring Noah Galgan and Stephanie Oelsligle Jordan

May 5, 2025

Stephanie Oelsligle Jordan, center left, accepts the award on behalf of Sustainable Solano’s Local Food team

By Taylor Collins, Development & Communications Coordinator

In recognition of their exceptional work to reach Solano County youth through Sustainable Solano’s Youth Wellness Program, Local Food program managers Noah Galgan and Stephanie Oelsligle Jordan were recognized Monday night at the 19th Annual CAC Recognition Awards.

The awards celebrate individuals and organizations who go above and beyond in supporting students with disabilities, and are presented by the Solano County Special Education Local Plan Area (or SELPA) Community Advisory Committee. This honor shines a light on the kind of dedication and hard work that Noah and Stephanie bring to the Youth Wellness Program, particularly in bringing the program to Golden Hills Education Center in 2024.

Through hands-on experiences in the kitchen and the garden, Noah and Stephanie have guided numerous students in harvesting, preparing, and sharing nourishing meals at the table. Cooking and gardening are incredible tools for teaching patience, responsibility, and resilience. These experiences also spark curiosity and confidence in students who may have never planted a seed or cooked a fresh meal before. By showing students that food doesn’t just come from a store shelf, but from the Earth and our collective care for it, the program builds both life skills and a sense of stewardship.

Since its inception in 2022, the program has served more than 160 Solano high school students.

Please join us in congratulating Noah and Stephanie for this well-deserved recognition!

Introducing the new Solano Local Food System Alliance Logo

Apr 25, 2025

By Stephanie Oelsligle Jordan, Local Food Program Manager

The Solano Local Food System Alliance has a new logo!

The Alliance Steering Committee began this process about a year ago in collaboration with a graphic designer to enhance our presence in the county (and among other food policy councils) and provide a brand for when we engage in advocacy, policy work and send statements to outside groups.

The Alliance is a coalition of diverse organizations that believe in our mission of creating an environmentally regenerative, economically viable and socially just local food system in Solano County.

First was a brainstorming session with words, ideas and images that come to mind when we think of Solano County, which was a challenge because Solano County is so geographically diverse, with open spaces, water access, cities and farms. Then the real work began, to reflect an additional layer of images that would represent the local food system.

The Alliance examined logos from other regional/national food policy councils and advocacy groups for inspiration and ideas. Steering committee members then reviewed multiple versions of the logo to lead to the final design.

The final design incorporates farms and ranches, rural and urban, land and water, with a spirit of cooperation to build a strong and healthy local food system in Solano County.

About the Solano Local Food System Alliance

The Solano Local Food System Alliance includes a wide variety of stakeholders that work within the local food system in Solano County. Sustainable Solano is a member of the Alliance and the backbone administrative organization for its work.

Learn more about the Alliance here

2025 Benicia & Vallejo Tour: Featured Gardens

Apr 10, 2025

Scroll through the list below to read about the Benicia and Vallejo gardens that are featured on this year’s tour, and to learn about special offerings at some of the gardens!

Register for the April 26 tour here!

Benicia Food Forest, Pollinator & Community Gardens

Avant Garden

The spring garden tour will begin at 9 am at Avant Community Garden in Benicia with a Permaculture 101 talk from Anne Freiwald. She is an experienced permaculture designer and always inspirational! Anne Freiwald and Lydia Neilsen will teach this year’s Permaculture Design Certificate course that starts in August, so this is a great opportunity to learn more about that program as well. Itinerary pick up will be from 9-11 am. Sustainable Solano Board Member Maggie Kolk, a Master Gardener, will host a Master Gardener information table. Come with your questions! Also during that time, Benicia interns will be highlighting their final project with a local food tasting, seed planting, handing out a scavenger hunt for youth and more.

Bay Vista Homeowners Association

 In June 2024, Bay Vista HOA in Benicia transformed its common area lawn into a waterwise, sustainable landscape to reduce water and beautify the space.

Michael Wedgley from Soilogical was the designer for this project. A lot of consideration went into plant selection. It was important to provide plenty of native species for habitat and food for native insects and birds, while also considering aesthetics as a critical aspect in HOA common spaces.

The plants selected and water catchment from the roof downspouts to the in-ground basins makes the landscape more resilient and builds healthy soil.

Learn more

Greyhawk Grove

Greyhawk Garden after installation

A 10-year-old established food forest with two swales that are dug out and refreshed every 2-3 years, laundry-to-landscape greywater to fruit trees, and chickens. The drip irrigation system was removed four years ago and the garden is thriving! Annual beds are hand-watered once a week during the growing season. Water elements in the form of fountains were added last year, which lured in a wild (non-venomous) snake who can sometimes be seen lounging between flagstones, and a frog who can be heard at night. Special thanks to Solano County mosquito abatement for the mosquito fish who overwintered and continue to thrive in the fountains. Greyhawk Grove is a “high-traffic-survival-of-the-fittest” garden.

***There may be lemonade and baked goods for sale by children, as well as products from the garden to give away (dried calendula, lavender, herbs, eggs, fruit, etc.).

Learn more

Living and Learning

Established front yard food forest that replaced a lawn in 2016 with two swales, a laundry-to-landscape greywater system and a diverse group of plants and fruit trees that has now expanded throughout the property. There are small spaces for relaxing and enjoying throughout the garden.

Learn more

Redwood Guild

Food forest garden and greywater system installed as part of Sustainable Solano’s 2021 Permaculture Design Certificate course, with students transforming the front lawn with rain-capturing swales and planted berms and converting the sprinkler system to drip irrigation. The side yard is watered by a laundry-to-landscape greywater system and includes edible plants and native pollinators. This home has its own redwood grove, and certain plants were selected that do well in the unique conditions created by redwoods. The food forest keepers are using that knowledge to add other plants to the garden that will thrive alongside the redwoods.

Learn more

Wild Cherry Way

Southern slope food forest focused on pollinators, shrubs and native plants. This garden also includes fruit trees, perennial and edible plants, swales and a laundry-to-landscape greywater system.

***Sustainable Solano Board Member and Permaculture Consultant Ron Kane will be on-site to offer tours and answer questions.

Learn more

Yggdrasil Garden

An evolving food forest garden and greywater system installed as part of Sustainable Solano’s 2022-23 Permaculture Design Certificate course.Students transformed the front yard with a rain-capturing swale and planted berms with native and pollinator-supporting plants. The west side yard’s passionfruit vines and fruit tree guilds are watered by a laundry-to-landscape greywater system. The monarch butterfly-hosting back gardens were designed by Soilogical, nurtured with specially prepared compost, and supported by a Water Service Irrigation design created as part of a Sustainable Solano irrigation class. The site’s current steward, Heath Griffith of Grow with the Flow, cultivates edible landscapes with flowers and medicinal herbs, with an eye towards community engagement and ecological justice. An herb spiral was created with bricks repurposed from the chimney of the circa 1850s historic home, retaining walls were built from pieces of historic on-site stables, and patios were made from slate and brick on-site. The east side yard (in development) is watered with both a rain-capturing swale and a laundry-to-landscape system. Displays feature the historic aspects of the home; its background and ongoing tradition of art, design, and healing; information about the Ohlone Sogorea Te Indigenous Land Trust and rematriation of Carquin land; and various permaculture systems and landscape elements.

***Heath Griffith will be on-site to talk about permaculture, water harvesting, sustainable water use, and more! They participated in the 2022-2023 PDC and will be supporting this year’s PDC course in the fall. The garden will also feature kid-friendly hands-on activities and live music!

Learn more

Vallejo Food Forest, Pollinator & Community Gardens

First Christian Church

The church has two separate gardens: one is a peace garden with mostly flowers, cactus and trees, and the other is the vegetable garden, called Johnson Ranch. The vegetable garden was revived through the Solano Gardens program. The food grown is donated to the local food pantries (Faith Food Fridays, Amador Hope Center, etc.).

***Solano Gardens Program Manager Parick Murphy will be on-site to share DIY Landscape Design templates for both edible and water-efficient gardens. He also will be highlighting opportunities to get involved with local community gardens and available to discuss interest in future community gardens within the county.

Learn more

Loma Vista Farm

Loma Vista Farm is a program of the Vallejo City Unified School District. Students come to the Farm every week to participate in hands-on plant and animal science lessons.

The Farm is partnered with the Friends of Loma Vista Farm, a community-based nonprofit organization, which fundraises to provide all the expenses for the day-to-day operation of the farm, including all the animal and garden expenses, as well as major ongoing capital improvements.

This has been a treasured part of the community since it began in 1974. Families and individuals are welcome to visit on a drop-in basis during open hours and enjoy seeing the many animals and gardens. The farm is also a field trip site for schools and groups on a reservation basis from all over the Bay Area.

The Food Forest Garden provides a beautiful demonstration to the public on how they can plant their own yard in a variety of fruit trees, perennial vegetables, herbs, native plants and pollinator rich plants.

***This year’s tour is on the same day as Loma Vista Farm’s annual Spring Open House, making it an extra special day to visit. Plants that the students have grown will be available in the greenhouse for sale, animal feeding will be available, as well as entertainment such as a puppet show. For more information check out Lomavistafarm.org.

Learn more

Morningside Botanical Bounty

Morningside Botanical Bounty food forest was created as part of the Resilient Neighborhoods Program. This backyard garden has a laundry-to-landscape greywater system, fruit trees (pruned to keep them short and easy to harvest), swales, drip irrigation, bee-friendly plants, native plants and shade trees.

It’s now the sixth year after the install and many of the plants are still thriving. The greywater system irrigates the bougainvillea and butterfly bushes, which are popular with bees and hummingbirds. The drainage from the gutters to the swale and hugel mound prevent the yard from flooding during the rainy season. The water is stored in the earth and is available to the trees, artichoke, and roses. The peach tree, selected to be a variety resistant to leaf curl, has provided fruit even in years when most other peaches in Vallejo fail. Once a week watering of the trees on site allowed them to grow deep root systems, and they haven’t needed irrigation the last two years.

Learn more

Pollinator Pathway (Vallejo People’s Garden)

Pollinator food forest garden filled with a variety of California native plants that support the habitat of butterflies, bees, moths, wasps, hummingbirds and so much more. This garden was installed in February 2023 as a collaboration with a variety of organizations including Vallejo People’s Garden, Vallejo Project, Solano Resource Conservation District and Monarch Milkweed Project. Alana Mirror wrote three songs inspired by the installation, featured in her Pollinator Pathway Lawn Transformation Mini Series!

**Solano Resource Conservation District and Vallejo People’s Garden will be on-site promoting the Bay Area Butterfly Festival on June 1 with information on how to support pollinators! Solano RCD will have six-packs of Milkweed plants for sale for $10.

***Suzanne Briley from Vallejo People’s Garden will be giving talks on Creating Spaces for People and Wildlife, looking at ways to have garden spaces for ourselves while supporting wildlife. Talks and tours will be from 1-2 pm and 2:30-3:30 pm.

Learn more

Vallejo Unity Garden (Vallejo Project)

Vallejo Project’s Unity Garden initiative restored an abandoned lot that was once filled with sand and garbage and turned it into a multi-level food forest with internationally influenced farming techniques, a mealworm farm and chickens. This garden is focused on urban agriculture.

Vallejo Project imagines a Vallejo strengthened by new generations of youth and young adults who are inspired to give back to their community as role models, advocates, entrepreneurs, and leaders, and who are able to articulate and implement solutions to challenges in the community based on their learned experience and knowledge gained through youth development programs.

***Free annual veggie and companion plants to take home while supplies last

Learn more

Partner Garden: 4th Second’s Cherry Community Garden

 

Since February 2024, 4th Second’s Cherry Community Garden has been a space rooted in well-being, hands-on learning, and nature-based experiences. The garden is home to organically cultivated produce and serves as a hub for addressing food security, advocating for environmental justice, and expanding opportunities via mentorship.

All community members are invited to actively engage by leading different garden projects that can intersect with practical life skills to further the 4th Second Youth Program’s overall mission of developing positive coping skills toward a life of self-determination. Garden guests will learn about the youth’s hands-on efforts in the garden and youth-designed projects.

***There will be multiple youth coordinators that are fluent in Spanish, and one of them is a former Rising Sun extern that is fluent in Tagalog.

Learn more

Inspired Garden (Sure-Would Forest)

The homeowners had a nearly blank slate when they purchased this property in 2021, and soon started working on enriching the soil, retaining rainwater, and laying the groundwork for a food forest. This garden was inspired by Sustainable Solano gardens and a love of fresh fruit. In just over two years, the site has gone from food desert to food forest with the ability to eat from the garden year round. The homeowners attended a design class taught by Joshua Burman Thayer with Native Sun Gardens in 2023 through Sustainable Solano’s backyard program. In June 2023 they hired Joshua to update the design and add drip irrigation.

Inspired by rainwater harvesting systems seen on the 2023 demonstration food forest tour, the homeowners bought and installed four IBC totes to collect water from their downspouts. The irrigation system for Sure-Would Forest is designed to feed from either city water or rainwater storage tanks, allowing over 1,000 gallons of rainwater to be used to irrigate the garden.

**At 2 pm, the homeowner will talk about how he converted IBC totes to capture water and irrigate his garden.

 

We are incredibly grateful for the generous support of our funders. Magic Cabinet is supporting this year’s tour through its sponsorship.

The first seven food forest gardens were made possible through funding from the Benicia Sustainability Commission; the Solano County Water Agency supported the Sustainable Backyard Program throughout the county  from 2017 through 2024. Occasionally we combine funding from other programs to make larger projects possible.