Celebrating Earth Day at Iron Horse Vineyards: On Sunday, Iron Horse Vineyards (9786 Ross Station Road, Sebastopol) celebrates Earth Day in Green Valley with a very special keynote speaker, Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor.
This "Eat, Drink and Be Green" fete features a tasting of Green Valley wines, including Marimar Estate, Dutton-Goldfield Winery and several others, and a local feast prepared by chef Douglas Keane. There will be a display of environmental art, a presentation by Silicon Valley Robotics and a performance by Trio Elias, an all-female mariachi band from Los Angeles.
Cost of the main event is $65. To attend a private reception for Justice O'Connor with Iron Horse bubbly and caviar from California Caviar, you'll need to pony up $300.
As of press time, there were still tickets for both events. To join in, visit ironhorsevineyards.com.
Festival of Feathers: The Bird Rescue Center hosts its second annual Festival of Feathers on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Nearly two dozen resident raptors — birds that, for various reasons, cannot be returned to the wild — will participate, offering opportunities for guests to see these birds of prey up close.
In addition, there will be yummy appetizers, snacks, desserts and beverages, including wine. A silent auction features a mix of services, getaways and more.
Birds around the world are struggling, and local organizations like this one do so much to help, not just with individual birds but with the education of humans, essential if threatened species are to survive.
The Bird Rescue Center is located at 3430 Chanate Road, Santa Rosa. It is open daily, year round. For more information, call 523-2473 or visit www.birdrescuecenter.org.
Speaking of Feathers: On May 3, the Laguna de Santa Rosa Foundation hosts Rookery Walk, a guided hike to a bird nesting colony at Delta Pond.
Nesting birds include great blue herons, double-crested cormorants and great egrets, all in their breeding plumage.
There are five walks, at 8 a.m., 8:15, 8:30, 8:45 and 9.
Cost is $15 per person, and if you want to join in you should sing up today, as the number of participants is limited and these annual walks are very popular.
Register online at www.lagunafoundation.org; after you register, complete directions and details will be emailed to you.
Oliver's Celebrates Sonoma: On Saturday from noon to 4 p.m., Oliver's Markets hosts its fourth annual Showcase of Local Vendors in the parking lot of the Cotati store, located at 546 East Cotati Ave., in the Rancho Cotati Shopping Center.
The fete features abundant food and wine tastings, livestock viewing, face painting, hula hoops, arts and crafts for children and live music.
Among the featured vendors are Bella Rosa Coffee, Caggiano Sausages, Kozlowski Farms, Sola Bee Farms, local cheese companies, vendors of skin care products, Hook and Ladder Winery and many more.
Musicians from Oliver's CD series, "Real Music: A Taste of Sonoma County Music," including Doug Jayne and Clusterfolk, Kevin Russell and Friends, Solid Air and Danny Sorentino, will perform.
Admission is free, but the Redwood Empire Food Bank will be on hand collecting donations of nonperishable food.
Local groups such as the Go Local co-op will have informational booths.
Talking About Hula: On Monday, the Santa Rosa Junior College Arts & Lecture series features Kumu Hula Shawna Alapa'i, presenting "Hawaii's Indigenous Dance: Hula."
The talk will focus on the ancient style, hula kahiko, its connection to the natural world and its deep cultural history. In addition, Alapa'i will demonstrate movements, foundational steps, motions and chant and share a poignant dance about Wai'ale'ale, the sacred mountain on the island of Kauai that is known as one of the wettest places on earth.
The lecture takes place from noon to 1 p.m. at Newman Auditorium in Emeritus Hall on the college's main campus at 1501 Mendocino Ave., Santa Rosa. Admission is free; campus parking costs $4.
A few days after the lecture, Alapa'i and her students will present a ho'ike, a two-hour hula performance to be held from 1 to 3 p.m. on Saturday, May 3 at the Hamilton Amphitheater on Hamilton Parkway in Novato. These performances take place every two years.
The performance explores the realm of Pele, Hawaii's goddess of volcanoes, and her clan. The show includes both hula kahiko and hula 'auana, with dancers that range in age from about 5 years old to nearly 70.
Admission is $10; children 10 and under are admitted free. If you have a little girl interested in hula, this is a great opportunity to inspire her, as the keiki — children — will present several dancers.
Seating is outside, and attendees should bring a low chair or mat, along with water, a sun hat and sunscreen. You may also bring a picnic if you like; alcoholic beverages are not allowed at this venue.
Tickets are available at the event; be sure to arrive a bit early to snag yours.
For more information about Kumu Hula Alapa'i and her halau, visit www.hulaon.org.
Tierra Vegetables Spring Hours: As spring's harvest kicks in, Tierra Vegetables farmstand has extended its hours. It is now open on Sundays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Tuesdays through Fridays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
The farm is about halfway through its asparagus harvest, with just two or three weeks to go. Its strawberries are ripening, and the farmers are harvesting beets, carrots, cilantro, dill, favas, flowers, green garlic, herbs, leeks, lettuce, red onions, rhubarb, shallots and spinach. The farm also offers eggs, heirloom popcorn, heirloom cornmeal, sauerkraut, salsa and sauce mixes, hot pepper jams, hot sauces, estate wool and more.
Tierra Vegetables is located on Airport Boulevard, just east of Highway 101.
Michele Anna Jordan hosts "Mouthful" each Sunday at 7 p.m. on KRCB 90.9 & 91.1 FM. Email Jordan at michele@micheleannajordan.com. You'll find her blog, "Eat This Now," at pantry.blogs.pressdemocrat.com.
UPDATED: Please read and follow our commenting policy: