Happy Thanksgiving from Smart Yards Co-op and Smart Yards Education

Written By Elizabeth Sarmiento

As we pause to give thanks for our family, friends, good health, food, shelter, nature, clean air, water, work and our beautiful planet, we're thinking of you in gratitude for the great time and difference we've make together. Gratitude, indeed deserves a day as there is so much to be grateful for.

We, at Smart Yards Co-op and Smart Yards Education, celebrate this day by giving thanks for the opportunity to work with you. Many members of our community and partners to meet our mission of transforming outdoor living spaces into habitat, full of life, regenerative, fun and beautiful gardens using Permaculture methods: Planet Care. People Care. Fair Share. Thanks for the positive changes made throughout the year and for the investment you've made with us in taking action and doing your part to using our precious resources wisely, while curbing climate change in your own outdoor spaces.

We thank our wonderful clients, trainees, and partners for their investment in nature, their trust, inspiration, and overall making a difference with us. This year alone, in 2022, we:

  • Worked with over 150 of you, members of our community

  • Designed and converted over 50,000 square feet of grass

  • Helped save more than 15 million gallons of water per year

  • Did many greywater systems installations, shower and laundry water to gardens

  • Engaged over 175 participants with our hands-on workshops such as pastries and pollinators, laundry to landscape, aquaponics and community events such as The Seed Saving and Exchange and The Annual VeggieFest

  • Built many habitat gardens full of life; working with our local elected official on greywater (water localize and re-use) policies and taking action to being a voice for the conservation of our local flora and fauna

We think that this incredible impact is something worth being thankful for as every drop counts and every creature matters in our web of life.

It takes a village and we're so proud to be part of such a supportive village to make a difference with us at Smart Yards Education and Smart Yards Coop. YES. The collaboration with, Human Agenda, A Slice of New York, Lopez Remodeling, Mariposa Gardening and Design, La Mesa Verde of SHCS, Valley Water, Vital Cycles, TeamWorks, Assembly Member Ash Kalra, The Community Foundation of Santa Cruz County and Marian Goldeen & Arthur Ogawa Fund are key partners we have work with over the years. We're grateful for their ongoing support and friendship. Thank you all.

Awareness is key. The growing interest of learning more about our work of designing, building and nurturing life supporting urban ecosystems is exciting. And we, at Smart Yards Education, our non-profit organization, bring people together through hands-on workshops to learn how to design, install and manage California climate-appropriate gardens, cultivate vibrant communities by connecting with nature in ones own outdoor back and front yards.

Stay tuned for the up coming opportunity to participate in our first-of-its-kind program which is offered in partnership with Santa Clara Valley Water District(Valley Water) and Vital Cycles of Santa Cruz.

Hands-on Permaculture Skills Training Workshop Series: Learn How to Grow Water.
4 Workshops • 4 Weekends • 4 Months • 4 Our Earth!

The first weekend will be held at an established food forest and native garden designed upon permaculture principles, and includes an introduction to permaculture with an emphasis on a regenerative approach to water solutions. We will cover understanding the water cycle, its challenges, and how to restore it with an extensive tour of the garden system, examples, Q & A and discussion. Each of the 3 remaining weekends will include Saturday morning presentations followed by hands-on installations on Saturday afternoons and Sundays.

For more information about this visit us at, smartyardseducation.org or contact Lisa, lisa@smartyardseducation.org

Thank you and very Happy Thanksgiving to you and your loved ones.
The Smart Yards Co-op and the Smart Yards Education Team

“The thankful receiver bears a plentiful harvest.” – William Blake

Elizabeth Sarmiento

Elizabeth Sarmiento has a deep love for nature and its innate value in our lives. Originally from Honduras, she has a degree in Environmental Studies and a strong commitment to conservation. She is trained and certified with Greywater Action to design and install greywater systems.  She is a certified Bay-Friendly Regional landscape designer, Santa Clara County Master Composter, Permaculture Designer, and Landscape Water Management Irrigation Training and Research Center (ITRC) Specialist.  She brings her knowledge and experience in the challenges of water supply, lost habitat, soil depletion and energy demands to design, install and maintain ecological gardens and empower others with this understanding. Using ecological principles she installs native and drought-tolerant plants, drip and greywater irrigation system, rainwater systems, pervious paving, and reusable materials.

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