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April 2015
Serving Alamo and Diablo
Tractor Gang Puts History in Motion at Forest Home Farms By Jody Morgan
Affectionately called the Tractor Gang (T-Gang), several multi-talented volunteers began restoring machinery at Forest Home Farms (FHF) shortly after Ruth Quayle Boone deeded the 16-acre property to the City of San Ramon in 1997. In keeping with Ruth’s desire to honor the memory of her husband Travis and his creative contributions to agricultural practices in the San Ramon Valley, T-Gang reconditions vintage tractors and other mechanical devices used on local farms and devises interactive exhibits that give visitors of all ages an engaging perspective on Valley life a century ago.
T-Gang members gathered with the Case DC3 currently being restored, left to right: Ron Simmons, Mike Storms, Joe Krueger, Tom Slingerland, John Maryott, Dan Foster, Vern Kalepp. Absent: Roy Ginochio, Bob McCoy, Tony Hurt, Pat Sorenson, Ron Frye, Jim Donahoe.
Roy Ginochio is the group’s mentor. One of the few T-Gang members to have been depended on on a daily basis for keeping cranky farm machinery running, Roy has extensive experience with the intricacies of making a tractor perform. Also savvy about the pull tractors exert on people, Roy initiated the
See Tractor continued on page 20
Enjoy the Birds with Diablo Audubon Society By Fran Miller
It’s prime bird watching season, and many locations along the Diablo Corridor are host to several species of migrating water, land, and shore birds. Beginning early April through May, birds making their Pacific Flyway return journey seek suitable habitats in which to feed, and many find a temporary home in areas such as Walnut Creek’s Heather Farms Park, the Lafayette Reservoir, Castle Rock Regional Park/Diablo Foothills Regional Park, and Mitchell Canyon in Clayton. Mt. Diablo Audubon Society member Tracy Farrington has identified 96 bird species within Heather Farms Park within the last few years. He says the area tops out at about 130 different species. An avid “birder” since 1970, Farrington loves the treasure hunt aspect of bird watching. In a one-hour period,
See Birds continued on page 25
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Hap Magee Labyrinth to Open in April By Sharon Burke
Since mid-February, world renowned labyrinth artist Marty Kermeen has been hard at work measuring, cutting and placing concrete pavers, painstakingly building an 11 circuit Chartres-style labyrinth in Hap Magee Ranch Park. The labyrinth measures 42 feet in diameter, has 113 lunations or moon-shaped scallop decorations around the perimeter, and includes 28 U-turns in the interior which form the intricate 860 foot path to the center. These are the same dimensions and elements as the famous labyrinth in the Chartres Cathedral in France, which dates back to the 13th century. The labyrinth was approved last year as a public art installation by the Danville Town Council and by the Alamo Municipal Advisory Council, joint owners of the Park. Although it will be a public installation accessible to all, the entire project was funded by a group of private donors, mostly Alamo and Danville residents, sponsored by the San Ramon Valley United Methodist Church. The project began with memorial donations made by the friends and family of Will Schramm, a 24 year old Alamo resident who was tragically killed in a vehicle accident on Stone Valley Road in April 2013. Although the intent of the original donors was to fund a memorial in Schramm’s memory, due to its placement in a public park, the labyrinth will not be labeled as a memorial. Marty and Debi Kermeen of Labyrinths in Stone in Illinois were chosen as the labyrinth artists due to their prominence in building labyrinths all over the world. Labyrinths in Stone has been commissioned to build labyrinths in public parks, universities, museums, churches, and hospitals. One of the most important works built by the Kermeens is at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland. This labyrinth is being used as a tool for returning wounded warriors as “Safe Ground” in their therapy treatments. Many of the veterans are learning to walk again, and the labyrinth gives them not only a goal to reach at the center, but also meditative healing along the way. Some visitors have come by the project and asked if it’s too late to contribute to help with the final phase of the project. There will be future expenses for maintenance and possible enhancements made to the area around the labyrinth. Anyone who would like to support this effort, please know it’s never too late to make a donation. Tax deductible donations can be made payable to “SRVUMC Labyrinth Account” and mailed to Labyrinth Project, c/o Teresa Schutzman, Volume XV - Number 4 1615 Litina Drive, Alamo CA 94507. 3000F Danville Blvd. #117, The Labyrinth Project Committee is Alamo, CA 94507 planning for a public dedication ceremony Telephone (925) 405-NEWS, 405-6397 in mid-April, so watch for notices of the Fax (925) 406-0547 date and time. Meanwhile, stop by Hap Alisa Corstorphine ~ Publisher Magee Ranch Park to view the labyrinth in Editor@yourmonthlypaper.com progress, located behind the Magee House Sharon Burke ~ Writer close to the gazebo. Visitors are asked to The opinions expressed herein belong to the writers, and do view the artist at work from outside the not necessarily reflect that of Alamo Today. Alamo Today not responsible for the content of any of the advertising safety fence around the construction zone. isherein, nor does publication imply endorsement.