Reading aloud is the most important thing you can do to get your child ready for kindergarten. Time in nature has been shown to improve focus, wellbeing, and happiness. With Let’s Read Outside, we’ve combined the two!

Let’s read bilingual, nature-themed books in a beautiful place!
Let’s play and sing in the garden!
Let’s make arts and crafts inspired by nature!
Let’s learn about the bugs, insects, and animals that live on the earth with us!
Let’s make new friends!

Let’s Read Outside is generally for children between the ages of 0 to 6. Of course, older siblings are welcome to attend as reading mentors!

Let’s Read Outside at Bayer Farm – Summer 2024

Bring the kids to the farm for reading, arts, Crafts, free lunch, and fun! Fridays at Bayer Farm from 10:30am – 12:30pm – 1550 West Avenue, Santa Rosa

July 19, July 26, August 2

Let’s Read Outside at Jeff’s Garden – Summer 2024

Bring the kids to the community garden for reading, arts, crafts, free lunch, and fun! Fridays at Jeff’s Garden at Andy’s Unity Park from 11am – 1pm – 3399 Moorland Avenue, Santa Rosa

July 17, July 24, July 31, August 7

Help Every Child Get a Free Book!

We’re always happy to take donations of gently used or new books, especially bilingual books about nature! Our office is generally open from 9am – 5pm, Monday through Friday (not open on the weekends) but call ahead to make sure someone will be there. (707) 544-7284. Thank you!

Questions about Let’s Read Outside?

Please contact Danny at (707) 544-7284 or [email protected]. Habla espańol.

Stories from the Field

Reflections on the Queer Forestry and Fire Program

November 26, 2024

Tags: community care, forestry, growing community with nature, queer fire and forestry, riddell preserve, stewardship, Volunteer

The closest sound to me is my handsaw cutting through the wood of a small Douglas fir tree, the next sound the wind bustling in the canopy overhead and through the tall dried grasses surrounding me, more distant the sounds of laughter and conversation from those working around me, beyond that the consistent call of the foghorn from the bay. These sounds surround me as I work in the Ocean Song grassland, homeland of the southern Pomo, alongside the twenty-five other individuals who participated in the Queer Forestry and Fire Program. These are the sounds of community, connection, and care for the land and each other that we created in this program.

What Happens Now? A Letter from Executive Director Craig Anderson to Friends of LandPaths

November 14, 2024

Tags: executive director, letter from craig, outdoorequity

The results of the U.S. presidential election, one week ago, sent shockwaves through our community, neighborhoods, and families. It makes a person pause, and it certainly should. At a time when it seemed there was momentum to move ahead, for many people what seems a U-turn has emerged, surrounding us. Click one of the tags above to read the entire post.

Community Gardens Internship

November 11, 2024

Tags: Bayer Farm, Community Garden, internship

Are you interested in learning all about what it takes to run a successful community garden? Consider becoming a community garden intern with LandPaths! Bayer Farm, Santa Rosa’s Roseland neighborhood, and Jeff Bodwin Community Garden, in southwest Santa Rosa, together contain 120 garden plots adopted out to community members in addition to a teaching garden for students to learn about growing food and nutrition. The internship is offered on a part-time basis, unpaid, up to 20 hours per week, with an option of work in exchange for course credit. Click on one of the tags above to learn more.