Conscious Consumption Tilth & Oak and The Filling Station

Conscious Consumption

Tilth & Oak and The Filling Station

n Bitsy Hall Photo by Luke George

In recent years, conscientious shopping has become a marked theme in stores and products around the US. People are beginning to consider the impact of their purchases—is this product wrapped in too much plastic? Is it refillable? Rethinking our buying power has even shifted product availability at retail giants. Shampoo bars and biodegradable bags are popping up on the shelves of major chains. But retail giants can’t beat one thing for the conscientious consumer: shopping locally.

Supporting local business is both a community investment and eco-friendly habit. Your locally owned businesses keep taxes close to home and offer employment opportunities for your neighbors. From an environmental standpoint, small businesses often feature local products, requiring less transportation and less waste. For someone seeking to make more ethical and community based purchases, shopping local is a no-brainer. Luckily for Benicians, we have two new businesses offering an array of green products and refillable goods: Tilth & Oak and The Filling Station.

Tilth & Oak started during the pandemic. Like many, co-owner Michael Davis was laid off due to lack of work. His wife and co-owner, Bobby Crawford explained, “During his sabbatical from a regular 9-5, he started creating handmade gifts to sell online. A few months later, the concept of Tilth and Oak was born!” Davis created a website with curated and sustainable goods. His website became so successful that a thought crossed their minds: “This could really make a mark on our community!” And thus began the search for a retail space. Davis and Crawford decided on Benicia because they “fell in love with the people and charm” and knew Benicians would appreciate their mission of supporting local businesses and sustainability.

Tilth & Oak’s core value of sustainability is emblematic of the conscious consumption trend appearing across the states. Crawford says, “Our business model is an emerging concept throughout the country. We personally try to live by our core values and wanted to share that within our store. As the world shifts to more eco-friendly products for our planet, we want to be Solano and Wine Country’s destination for sustainable goods.”

Shoppers at Tilth & Oak can find artisanal products from other local businesses, a refill bar, reusable paper towels, ecofriendly home cleaning products, and even curbside compost solutions. Tilth & Oak is located in the Raley’s Southampton Shopping Center at 880 Southampton Road and is open Tuesday through Sunday.

Down the way, above the Chamber of Commerce on First Street is The Filling Station, Benicia’s new sustainable gift shop. Owner Kristen is a Benicia native with a lasting childhood vision of entrepreneurship. She recalls, “I have always dreamed of opening a business. When I was 9, I saw a classified ad for a frozen yogurt machine with my dad. He said, ‘We should open a shop!’ While it never happened, the idea of business ownership never left my mind.” While Kristen knew she someday wanted to own a business, she spent years working in data analytics and sales. Her career in sales familiarized her with the market and the dos and don’ts of boutique ownership. When her job came to an end, she reflected on her future career goals and landed on the guiding words of “community” and “entrepreneurship.”

When the owner of Benicia’s long beloved gift shop, Romancing the Home, passed away, Kristen knew she wanted to offer another source of gifts and household goods. Her store would offer locally sourced and American made products, goods from businesses that employ individuals with special needs, and eco-friendly items. Her decision to include a refill station came after her frequent trips across the bridge to a local zero-waste store. She wanted to bring the ease and ecofriendliness of refillable goods to Benicia, sans bridge toll.

Kristen acknowledges that sustainability can seem daunting when considering the many products we use on a daily basis. She explains, “I’m all about one step at a time. If you think about sustainability, it’s overwhelming. We can make small changes that can make a difference. My goal is to take the thought out of it and have you know that coming to me [The Filling Station], I’ve thought through 90% of the decisions that you might find overwhelming.”

The Filling Station’s current location at 601 First Street, Suite 250-D will be switching to a street level location on First Street at the beginning of 2023. Keep your eyes peeled on their social media (instagram @tfs_goods_and_gifts) to find out where! B

Holiday

n Caitlin McCulloch

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! Whether you’d like to stay in town or venture out a bit, there are tons of options the whole family can enjoy this 2022 holiday season.

Super Local

Don’t miss the annual Holiday Open House on First Street to kick off the month right. On December 2nd from 6-9pm, Benicia Main Street and First Street merchants partner to host this event that’s free to the public. Treats and warm drinks, carolers, and other live entertainment await. Don’t forget to check out the star of the show: the Christmas tree at the end of First Street, which will be lit for the first time this season during the event!

Head to our town’s Christmas Parade & Holiday Market on December 10th from 10am-3pm. The parade begins at First and D Streets, traveling all the way through to its ending at H street. There will be dancers, marching bands, and the big man himself— Santa Claus. Treat yourself to some delicious food and browse handcrafted artisan items, too.

Northgate Church is once again putting on their Northgate Light Show! There are multiple nightly showings on December 1-4, 7-11, and 14-21, so one (or three) should fit the family’s schedule. The 12 sky beams, 200,000 LEDs, and three mega trees that are featured will wow adults and kids alike. Simply park your car, tune in to the provided FM radio station, and let Larry the Lightbulb guide you through the 30-minute show. This event is completely free, but donations to a community cause will be optional via Venmo. Snag your tickets at thisis.church/events/christmaslightshow.

Join the Benicia Ballet Theatre December 17th and 18th as they present The Nutcracker at Solano Community College. Starting at the wee age of three through adults, 60 dancers take you through this magical adventure of Clara, The Nutcracker, the Mouse King, and everything in-between. There are three showtimes to choose from, and tickets can be found on blogs. solano.edu/theater. San Francisco

There’s so much to see and do in Union Square. Take in the enormously tall tree (think 80+ feet) and admire the iconic 7-story Macy’s building from outside. Inside you’ll find plenty of shopping for any last-minute gifts—for others or for yourself.

Photo by Kevin Berne

After you're done at Macy’s, hop over to the nearby Westin St. Francis. Head indoors to check out their charming holiday décor, including the famed 12-ft tall sugar castle. A short car ride brings you to the Fairmont Hotel where you can view the most epic of gingerbread houses. This life-size, two-story creation boasts thousands of See’s candies and gingerbread bricks. You can even make a private reservation to dine inside of it! For another magical food and drink option, stay and warm up with holiday tea in the hotel’s Laurel Court. Sipping on varietals like Vienna Eggnog and Frosty Plum Spice while you munch on miniature pumpkin-flavored Yule logs will surely get you in the holiday spirit. Reservations can be made at fairmont-san-francisco.com. Walnut Creek A quick trip over the bridge promises Scrooge’s spirits of Christmas Past, Present, and Yet to Come—all you have to do is head to A Christmas Carol at Lesher Center for the Arts. Running from December 8th through the 22nd, this classic is recommended for ages 6 and up. Tickets are going fast, so head over to lesherartscenter.org and grab yours today. If ice skating is more your speed, don your gloves, beanies, and blades at Walnut Creek on Ice. This Civic Park rink is open from December 9th through January 16th. Reserve your skate time in advance at walnutcreekonice.com. Pro tip: you can even book skating lessons on select dates!

Photo courtesy of the Westin St. Francis

Sacramento

Presented by the Hallmark Channel, Enchant Christmas is truly something to see. Only eight cities across the country were chosen for this magical event, and our state’s capital is one of the lucky winners. Watch as Sutter Health Park is transformed into a winter wonderland, complete with an ice skating rink, a Christmas light maze, Santa, live music, a play place with Mrs. Claus, and a Christmas Village full of shopping delights. Adult elves can partake in drinks that come in a lightbulb-shaped cup, or grab a cozy hot chocolate that anyone will love. Now through January 1st, tickets can be found at enchantchristmas. com.

Dashing Through the Snow

Have a blast in some powder without going deep into Lake Tahoe at Boreal Mountain California. This is a one-stop shop for skiing, snowboarding, and tubing fun. You can book 90-minute tubing sessions with both tubes and parking included. Head over to rideboreal.com to secure your tickets.

However you choose to sail down the snowy peaks, warm up after at Northstar California. Enjoy live music on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays around the skating rink while you sit at a fire pit and munch on s’mores! B

It's the most wonderful time of the year!

Feature Feature Give a Gift of the Season

n Genevieve Hand

This is the season of giving. It’s a time to make loved ones and friends feel special by giving meaningful trinkets and, perhaps more importantly, the gift of time together. It’s this convivial spirit that helps lift us out of the doldrums of winter; magically conjuring a sense of abundance during a historically barren and harsh time of year.

While it is traditional to extend warmth and gifts to the people close to us, perhaps this is the year we look beyond our local tribe and extend a kindness to a family in need. Many of us have felt the effects of the economy on our personal finances, and while it may mean a tolerable sacrifice of tighter budgeting and fewer trips to the coffee shop for some, for others the situation is more debilitating.

In Solano County, over 9% of our population lives below the poverty line, with women making up the majority of this statistic. With the cost of basics like food, shelter, and fuel skyrocketing over the past year, the thin margin by which these people live is being stretched to its brink, causing families to forgo non-essential items like holiday gifts for the kids. Thankfully, there are a few community organizations that can help.

The Benicia Community Action Council is a non-profit organization that provides resources to those in need. Their holiday programs include:

Adopt a Family. Families-in-need are connected with local families, agencies, organizations and/or businesses who “adopt” them for the holidays. The families are presented with gifts and food.

“Home for the Holidays” Food Baskets. Nutritious, well stocked food gift baskets are created and provided to eligible low-income Benicia households at Christmas time.

Adopt a Senior. Carefully screened families and individuals are put in contact with a homebound senior who seeks companionship and camaraderie during the holiday season.

Benicia Cares for Kids. Benicia CAC conducts a community-wide toy drive to collect new toys and other presents low-income children request on their Benicia CAC Christmas Wish List.

To volunteer for any of these programs, call Benicia CAC at 707.745.0900. Donations can be made via PayPal and more information can be found at bencac.com. The Benicia CAC also offers other year-round programs.

St. Paul’s Episcopal has long offered their Feed the Hungry Community Meal, every Monday at Wednesday from 4:30-6pm. This continues through the holiday season, along with their seasonal programs which includes The Giving Tree, which presents a Christmas surprise to a child in need.

Beyond Solano, The Kimberly Moore Foundation offers an Adopt a Letter program which allows donors to “adopt” a letter to Santa from children in need. The program was inspired by the founder, Kimberly Moore’s experience finding a lost letter to Santa from a 6-year old on the post office floor. The letter simply asked for food for the 6-year old’s family for Christmas. Through her foundation, donors can be “Santa” by granting the wishes of kids in need. For more information or to donate, visit kimberlymoorefoundation.org.

There are other community support programs that help folks in need throughout the year, but can be especially needed around the holidays. The Meals on Wheels program is one of these. Meals on Wheels of Solano County delivers nutritious meals to homebound seniors, helping seniors remain independent while providing nutrition for them and their pets, human connection, fall prevention and other resources.

To learn more or to donate or volunteer, please visit mealsonwheelssolano.org.

There are also Family Resource Centers across Solano County, including in Benicia. The FRC is a communitybased center that provides information and referral services to families and children. Each FRC tailors its resources to best serve its respective community. FRC can be reached for an appointment at 707.746.4352.

Related Links www.beniciayouth.org www.childnet.org www.first5solano.org

Soroptimist International of Benicia is donating gift cards to the Benicia FRC for their Adopt a Family program so that families can choose items they need. The Liberty High School S Club is also hosting a fundraiser at the Holiday Open House and Tree Lighting so that they may Adopt a Family this season, as well.

These are just a few organizations lending a helping hand to those in need during the winter and holiday season. If you or people you know need help this season, do not hesitate to reach out. If you have the means to give either time or money to any of these programs this season, please do and know that you are making a difference. B