Our Land
In the 1970s, we fell in love with an old apple farm in the hills of northwest Sonoma County, CA. We enjoyed the beautiful views and sunshine here in Annapolis, as well as the grand redwood forests. Our love for our land has inspired inspired us to care for and protect it in any way we can.
Forever Wild
Behind our chapel is 50 acres of land that we have dedicated to be forever wild. We hope to keep it a sanctuary for redwoods and wildlife long into the future. Logging, vineyards, and construction could threaten the integrity of this area, which has long been secluded from these encroachments. We hope that through our own small efforts we can encourage others to cherish this area as we do.
Conservation Easement with Sonoma Land Trust
In February 2019, we were excited to announce that our Conservation Easement with Sonoma Land Trust was official! This agreement is the result of years of work and the efforts of many people who believed in the value of preserving the land for the future. Our land is now permanently protected from over-development or intensive agriculture. Dave Koehler, Executive Director of the Sonoma Land Trust, stated that: "The Starcross Community has shown the way by living and farming in balance with nature for decades."
Olive Trees
Our first organic olive field of 1200 trees was planted in 2001 and named for Francis of Assisi. In 2003, we planted our second field of 600 olive trees, named for Teresa of Avila. The olives are hand-picked and cold-pressed within hours to make our award-winning organic extra-virgin olive oil.
Redwoods
Our home used to be surrounded by huge coastal redwood forests. Then, the loggers came, and many of the trees were cut down. They are slowly making a comeback, and we do our part to help them along. In January 2016, we planted our first group of redwood seedlings and have continued to plant since then.
Our Garden
Part of the open space on our property is used to grow a sustainable garden, which provides us and those who our food pantry serves with an abundance of fresh produce. When summer rolls around, we can everything from tomatoes to blackberries to pears to help sustain us through the winter.