Fermenting at C Street!

October 2020 Newsletter

Together, we will create a vibrant, intergenerational cohousing community in Novato, California where we know our neighbors well and live more sustainably.

Our Fantastic C Street Village Fermenter

submitted by Carol Ferre

Winemaking, beer brewing and kombucha making are hobbies Phil Muller has been pursuing for years. He has given up beer brewing partly due to the growth of microbreweries which make great beer. This allows him to focus on wine making and kombucha production. In this article we will focus on winemaking. Next month we will learn about kombucha production.

Phil started as a winemaker after being offered “second crop” grapes from Dry Creek Valley in 1978. The wine turned out well, so he continued. Every year he makes a batch of white wine and one or two red wines. His favorite white wines are Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling and Viognier. His favorite reds are Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, Sonoma County Petite Sirah and Zinfandel, and Lake County Syrah. He alternates among these wines to have a good variety of wines in his wine cellar. Phil has won winemaking awards at the Marin County Fair and the Sonoma Harvest Fair, mainly for his Zinfandel and Petite Sirah.

Fall is the time for grape harvesting. Phil especially enjoys picking grapes on pleasant Fall mornings. Processing involves several hours of work over a few days. Every couple months filtering and racking (siphoning wine from one container to the next, leaving sediment behind) occurs. Phil’s favorite part of wine making is bottling. Usually he makes 20 cases of wine a year. Currently he doesn’t have a brand name for his wine, but is thinking that “C Street Cellars” might make a good name going forward.

Residents of C Street Village Cohousing will be the lucky recipients of Phil’s winemaking talents. He hopes to share wine and include residents in the making of wine.

Be sure to tune in to our newsletter in November for Kombucha making.

Meet Our Community Members

Phil & Melissa

Phil and Melissa are empty nesters, having sent their two adult children, Ben and Katherine out to make their marks on the world. Rather than retiring to their own personal “bubble”, they have concluded that moving into a cohousing community is just the thing.

Phil is a long-time energy consultant, doing what he can to help clients wade through the complexity of the electricity industry. He has developed an additional interest in fermentation, making wine, kombucha and other fermented products to share and enjoy. Melissa, having completed her child-raising role, is developing her musical chops. She plays piano and guitar and has seriously taken to choral singing. They both sing with local choruses. Thrilled to have the time and energy available to put into helping develop a thriving community, they look forward to surrogate grandparenting and interacting with other community members in all sorts of things, like cooking and eating together, enjoying music and just hanging out. Being able to sneak back to their own private home space makes it perfect.

Mark Your Calendars for

These Upcoming (Online) Events

Family Zoom Call Meeting

Wednesday, October 7th from 8:00 to 9:00 pm

Join other C Street members with children under 18 years old in discussing issues related to children. Our topic this month is “Extracurricular activities.”

Please email [email protected] to obtain the link to our online meeting room. In your email please state which event you would like to attend.

Webinar for Prospective C Street Village Community Members Wednesday, October 21st from 8:00 to 9:00 pm

C Street Village Cohousing is starting a monthly webinar on cohousing and what’s happening in Novato specifically. We are welcoming new and prospective members. John Caye, our project manager, will be presenting. There will be time for questions. The webinars will be on the third Wednesday of every month from 8:00 to 9:00 pm.

Please RSVP/Email [email protected] to obtain the link to our online meeting room. In your email, please state which event you would like to attend. COME JOIN US!!

Virtual Family Playdate

Saturday, October 24th from 5:30 to 6:00 pm

Begin with singing, storytelling and fun! Time for parents to ask questions. Bring a snack.

Please email marincohousing@gmail by Thursday, October 22 to RSVP and receive the link to our online meeting room. In your email please state which event you would like to attend.

Virtual Potluck

Saturday, October 24th from 6:00 to 7:00 pm

It's your turn to join us and share your favorite meal via our monthly virtual potlucks. So grab your dinner and join us online for a virtual meal and nourishing conversation from your home. Ask us your questions and get to know the members.

Please RSVP/Email [email protected] to obtain the link to our online meeting room. In your email, please state which event you would like to attend.

Family Zoom Call Meeting

Wednesday, November 4th from 8:00 to 9:00 pm

Join other C Street members with children under 18 years old in discussing issues related to children. Our topic this month is “Family Traditions.”

Please email [email protected] to obtain the link to our online meeting room. In your email please state which event you would like to attend.

Have You Seen Our Community Plans?

Elevation of Private Homes / Architecture by McCamant & Durrett Architects.

In cohousing, one receives the benefits of living a connected life, while maintaining a private sanctuary in your own home. The private homes in C Street Village will have open floor plans and are designed to be filled with natural light, built with sustainable materials, advanced sound-proofing techniques, passive cooling and heating, front porches, and more. There are thirty two private homes with two, three, and four bedroom options available. There will also be 8 one bedroom and studio rental units (carriage units).