ACR's Last House Program Coordinator Susie Allen is excited to announce the “Last House Writing Contest,” in celebration of the style and spirit of M.F.K. Fisher, who wrote Art of Eating, How to Cook a Wolf, With Bold Knife and Fork, and approximately 30 other books and who resided in her 'Last House' on ACR's Bouverie Preserve in Glen Ellen until her death in 1992.

CALL FOR ENTRIES: Emerging writers of all ages are invited to submit original, unpublished essays, stories or articles exploring or conveying the connection between environmental conservation, science and nature, food and drink, and the cultures...

Not long before M. F. K. Fisher died, a friend called to say she thought Mary Frances’s diet was lacking in interest and diversity.  The nurses who cared for her also prepared her food, my friend explained, and Mary Frances was growing weary of their bland purées. If I had the time, she suggested, I might want to do a little cooking for my friend.

I spent the next afternoon reading cookbooks and gathering ingredients. Not being one who makes refined French fare very often, I  used Madeleine Kamman’s books for inspiration and the results pleased me.  Soon my kitchen was filled timbales, flans, and delicate souflés. A mousse of chicken and morels was delightful; an aspargus timbale had great charm; something smooth and creamy and full of leeks was wonderful even...

Since the coronavirus “Shelter in Place” order went into effect, and the school program hikes at ACR preserves in Marin and Sonoma counties were put on hold, I have been exploring other ways to help youngsters connect with nature. My time is now spent creating resources to inspire children to explore the natural word within their reach. Though there is no replacing the feeling of holding a newt or learning to spot a turret spider tower alongside the trail, children can still learn from and be comforted by nature. Even in the bustling San Francisco Bay Area, nature is all around us: the lizard sunning itself on a nearby rock, the shade offered by a tree, the warmth of the sun on one’s face, the fragrance of new leaves and flowers. There is nature where you are, and you can experience it...

ACR Board of Directors thanks Bryant Hichwa for his 17 years of visionary guidance, commitment, and exceptional leadership. Bryant’s belief in our mission, his good counsel, and his steadfast support has been an inspiration to us all.

Bryant’s service on the board began as the Madrone Audubon chapter representative in 2003 and grew to include four terms as board president—not only providing steady leadership during the financial crisis of 2008 but also in 2009 shepherding a collaborative agreement with ranchers Jim and Shirley Modini to acquire the 1,725-acre Modini Ranch near Healdsburg.

In 2012, again under Bryant’s leadership, the acquisition of the Mayacamas Mountains Audubon Sanctuary from the National Audubon Society, located adjacent to the Modini Ranch,...