By Raiza Giorgi

publisher@santaynezvalleystar.com

Even though the Dixie Fire continues to burn hundreds of miles from the Santa Ynez Valley, the effects are being felt locally as several native Valley residents’ homes have burned and/or are displaced from their homes. 

“My son Nick has been a wildland firefighter since he graduated high school (Santa Ynez Valley Union High School Class of 2000). Nick and his girlfriend Taylor Storey have lost everything in the Dixie Fire,” said Anne Bunch, former head chef for New Frontiers until her retirement. 

The Dixie Fire started July 13 and is burning in four Northern California counties: Butte, Lassen, Plumas and Tehama. As of Aug. 18, it has burned 626,751 acres and is 31% contained, according to the website InciWeb, the Incident Information System (https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/). The cause is still under investigation. 

Nick Bunch is a division chief for the U.S. Forest Service in the Lake Almanor Ranger District in the Lassen National Forest. He and Storey moved to Greenville early this year and started a farm, where they hoped to build a therapy farm. 

The entire town of Greenville was lost Aug. 4, when the Dixie Fire rolled through. More than 75% of the town’s buildings were destroyed and the infrastructure is gone, according to news reports. 

“Nick is currently on the fire so he cannot talk about our situation, and we really haven’t had a chance to process what happened,” Storey said in a phone interview. “Luckily our property didn’t burn down, but all our belongings are completely destroyed from smoke damage, and we won’t be allowed back in for quite a while until it’s deemed ‘safe.’ I’ve evacuated three times now, and it takes a toll emotionally.” 

Storey added the situation is surreal as she has spent many hours with fire victims who lost everything, particularly from the 2018 Camp Fire in Northern California — the deadliest and most destructive in the state’s history. 

“After grad school I studied social work at Chico State and we got together and went to camps and engaged in needs assessments for fire victims and helped them connect to local resources,” she said. “I also was a Camp Fire recovery counselor and connected people to resources and helped with trauma debriefing. Basically helping people get out of the ‘fight or flight’ response.” 

Story met Bunch when she took a behavioral health job in Plumas County in 2019 and they have been together since. 

“When we moved to the farm in Greenville, we wanted to just live simply,” she said. “I did canning, and we had just gotten two goats and were fostering a heifer cow and we were studying food and permaculture.”

Storey added their goal was to buy property in Indian Valley and start a horticultural therapy institute. 

“Well, that might happen sooner than later, but for now I am just living in the moment and trying to deal with insurance companies. Wish me luck,” she said. 

Storey added the outpouring of support from people from the Valley has been incredible. 

“I come from a small town where everyone knows each other, and it’s comforting to know people care, thank you to everyone who has helped. We will pay it forward,” she said. 

Nick’s mother set up a GoFundMe and they are almost to the goal of $20,000. 

As the news of Anne Bunch’s son’s loss wasn’t enough, her grandson Thomas Harden (of Santa Barbara) and his girlfriend also lived in Greenville on the property of another Valley native, Jordan Townsend, and they all lost their homes in the same fire. Harden is on the Hotshot crew and also working the Dixie Fire, according to his grandmother. 

This is the link for Harden’s GoFundMe, 

“Our family and the Townsend family has had a really rough and traumatic few weeks,” Anne Bunch said. ‘I just hope the funds can help them a little bit of rebuilding their lives.” 

Townsend has worked for the USFS for more than 20 years and for the Plumas National Forest for 15 years, according to the GoFundMe set up for him and his wife Julie. 

The post Effects of Dixie Fire hit home in Santa Ynez Valley appeared first on Santa Ynez Valley Star.

Contributing Writer

Nutritional consultant Robin Clifton, has been invited back to New Frontiers Natural Marketplace where she will be performing Hair Analysis for a four-week engagement starting July 5. Hair analysis can help determine if a person’s environment or eating habits are affecting their overall health and wellness. Each appointment is one hour. In just 15 minutes, she will analyze hair samples using non-invasive German technology and provide a 45-minute consultation making recommendations, along with a 37-page personalized wellness nutritional report to take home. 

Clifton is a board-certified Esthetician, Certified Phlebotomist, with a Bachelor of Science degree in Holistic Nutrition.

“Hair is a bio-marker that carries a lot of personal information at a quantum epigenetic level,” said Clifton. “Epigenetic mapping has the potential of releasing you from your genetic limitations. By determining what our bodies require to maintain optimum health we can take a different path, where our genetic inheritance no longer controls us. We become empowered and in control of our own destiny.”

Clifton explained that the Hair Analysis is a 90-day accumulation of information regarding the well-being of your body including the liver.

“I have done more than 1,300 hair scans and without making any medical claims, I began to see a pattern appear that indicates that perhaps people are not paying serious attention to their liver,” said Clifton. “Your liver is constantly getting hit, minute by minute, by toxins, molds, bacteria, viruses, parasites and fungus.These can affect your body’s underlying wellness. We can learn a lot about the condition of our bodies by looking at our hair follicles.

“If you have fatty liver, and most people do, it can cause havoc with the immune system,” Clifton explained. “When the liver isn’t clean it produces ‘dirty blood’ and may cause Type 2 Diabetes, hypertension and cholesterol issues.  The liver is a very important organ. Not only does it clean the blood, but it also stores lipid-soluble vitamins, such as A, D, E, K and B12. The liver controls blood fluidity and regulates the blood-clotting mechanisms. It also converts the products of protein metabolism into urea for excretion by the kidneys, so it is extremely important that you have a clean liver.When the liver is clean it functions optimally, like it was intended, then the good things you do daily will then be processed correctly and the body will balance itself in a natural way.”

Four strands are removed from the base of the neck. The hair samples are digitally processed and sent via a secure Internet connection to a technology center in Hamburg, Germany, where a super-computer maps the epigenetic information. Based on these results, the tested person will receive a report that includes nine wellness categories, covering more than 800 individual influences; a list of food restrictions to leave out of your diet for 90 days; a list of food additives to avoid and common additive information; a 90-day wellness plan, including nutrients, water and lifestyle factors; a list of foods to increase or add to your intake; and self-check sheets to help you keep track of your progress.

The report provides information regarding your adrenals, emotions, sleep, detoxification, fatty metabolism and more. It shows what foods may be causing some sensitivities. The EMF page provides information on any frequencies that may be a problem to the immune system such as; mobile phone, microwave, 5G’s, cell towers, solar and electric batteries. The report also includes personalized information on such subjects as vitamins and minerals, fatty acids, amino acids, anti-oxidants, environmental challenges such as chemicals and hydrocarbons, radiation and toxic metals. The Resistance Indicators page provides information on bacteria, fungus, molds/spores, parasites, viruses and post virus that are in your body. 

“We don’t do medical. I can’t tell you what virus you have. We work with the epigenetic signals that include the experiences of our ancestors, our current diets and lifestyles, as well as our thoughts and beliefs. Beliefs and thoughts have a direct effect in our emotions and over-all wellbeing. By understanding some of the epigenomic influences, we can change diets and lifestyle to optimize gene expression and its impact on our daily performance. I then canrecommend supplements and food, which are corrective to the outcome of the test,” said Clifton. “The test is a great way to show your overall health and determine if your body is nutritionally balanced.  

For more information, including costs, or to make an appointment, call Clifton at 949-439-8083.

New Frontiers Natural Marketplace is at 1984 Old Mission Dr., Solvang.

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New Frontiers Natural Marketplace in Solvang will donate 5 percent of their sales to Santa Ynez Valley Cottage Hospital Foundation from 8 a.m. – 8 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 21. 

Founded in 1978, Santa Ynez Valley Cottage Hospital Foundation (SYVCHF) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization with a mission to develop, manage and channel financial support on behalf of Santa Ynez Valley Cottage Hospital, serving not only to protect but also to enhance the hospital as a valuable community. SYVCHF provides financial support through private donations, fundraising events and grants for patient care services including specialty equipment, patient programs and other hospital needs.

New Frontiers has become a staple for organic food in the past two decades at its location at the corner of Alamo Pintado Road and Highway 246, in what is now called The Merkantile shopping center. It sells organic produce, meats, holistic supplements and herbal remedies, and its deli is one of the best in the valley. Log onto www.newfrontiersmarket.com for more.

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Contributing Writer

Nutritional consultant Robin Clifton performs live-cell and hair analysis at New Frontiers Marketplace to determine if a person’s environment or eating habits are affecting overall health and wellness. In just 15 minutes, she can analyze blood and hair samples using non-invasive German technology and provide a personalized wellness nutritional report.

Clifton is a California board-certified phlebotomist and has worked as an esthetician for 20 years and a nutritionist for 10 years.

“Modern-day living has many common influences that can have an impact on and affect your body’s underlying wellness. This includes the food we eat and the nutrients our body absorbs along with environmental influences,” said Clifton. “We can learn a lot about the condition of our bodies by looking at the condition of our blood cells.”

A minuscule drop of blood is extracted from a finger and placed on a slide that is then put under a microscope so that the live blood cells can be seen on a computer monitor. The different formations of the cells, stacked or clumped, for example, can be seen live.

Clifton can then report what this pattern indicates, what condition is observed, and suggest what is needed to ameliorate the condition of the blood, if necessary. The test may even determine if a person has parasites. No fasting is required.

Because the blood test determines what your blood is like at that moment, Clifton also offers one free follow-up appointment for the live cell blood analysis to see if her recommendations have improved the condition of your blood.

“By taking a small sample of blood the test shows your PH levels and shapes and sizes of your red blood cells. It also shows your B fighter cells,” said Clifton. “Recommendations are then given on supplements and food, which are corrective to the outcome of the blood test.”

Clifton explained that the hair analysis is a 90-day accumulation of information regarding the well-being of your body.

“Hair on the other hand is a bio-marker that carries a lot of personal information at a quantum epigenetic level,” said Clifton. “Epigenetic mapping has the potential to release you from your genetic limitations. By determining what our bodies require to maintain optimum health we can take a different path, where our genetic inheritance no longer controls us. We become empowered and in control of our own destiny.”

Four strands are removed from the base of the neck. The hair samples are digitally processed and sent via a secure Internet connection to a technology center in Hamburg, Germany, where a super-computer maps the epigenetic information. Based on these results, the tested person will receive a report that includes nine wellness categories, covering more than 800 individual influences; a list of food restrictions to leave out of your diet for 90 days; a list of food additives to avoid and common additive information; a 90-day wellness plan, including nutrients, water and lifestyle factors; a list of foods to increase or add to your intake; self-check sheets to help you keep track of your progress; and supporting information on all the categories.

“These tests are a great gateway to show your overall health and any supplementation deficiencies and food sensitivities you might have,” said Clifton. “It is a great way to determine if your body is nutritionally balanced.”

The consultation takes one hour and results are back immediately. Clifton provides the service between 9:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. on Fridays.

For more information, including costs, or to make an appointment, call Clifton at 949-439-8083.

The post Blood, hair analysis available at New Frontiers appeared first on Santa Ynez Valley Star.

news@santaynezvalleystar.com

Owner Missy Collier stood in the mezzanine and looked down over the new space where New Frontiers is set to open late this month, reflecting over the past two years of hard work.

“We outgrew the current space for New Frontiers 10 years ago, but finding a space for a big retail store is hard to find in the valley. We are so grateful to Josh Richmond and his family for coming to us with this idea of building a new store, and I can hardly stand the wait until it opens,” Collier said.

The natural food store will close its doors on July 22, taking a few days to move to the new location next door. Collier expects to re-open July 26 or 27.

“I remember when we first opened in the valley 21 years ago and people told Jake (Collier’s husband and founding partner) that we wouldn’t last six months. One house application we turned in turned us down because we had our own business,” she recalled.

New Frontiers has become a staple for organic food in the past two decades at its location at the corner of Alamo Pintado Road and Highway 246, in what is now called The Merkantile shopping center. It sells organic produce, meats, holistic supplements and herbal remedies, and its deli is one of the best in the valley under the stewardship of local chef Anne Bunch.

“We can’t wait for our customers to walk in and feel the grandness of the new space and the fact their carts will fit in the aisles — and that there aren’t support beams in the aisles, either,” she laughed.

The new store boasts a bigger customer seating area indoors, a separate coffee/smoothie/juice bar, a separate bakery space from the kitchen, a full-service meat counter, and more in the new 13,000 square feet of retail space. With offices, storage space and loading dock included, the building is 18,000 square feet.

The deli service will be expanded to include sliced meats and cheeses, a pizza oven, and a build-your-own stir-fry service where people can make their choice of ingredients and have them cooked to order in a wok.

“The wok was especially popular in our San Luis store, and we are thrilled to bring that back,” Collier said.

The new store will also have a sushi bar and a hot bar that will have daily themes such as Mexican, Greek, Italian and others. The store is also adding an olive bar and a cheese case.

“I am excited about the meat counter as well, because it will be like the old days when my grandma had her butcher she could order cuts from,” Collier said.

The opening this month will lead to a grand opening in October when New Frontiers celebrates 31 years in operation, 21 of them in the valley.

“We are committed to providing people a healthy living. We don’t advocate for any particular way of eating, just as long as it’s healthy,” Collier said.

All of the store’s contact information stays the same, including its phone number and address. Log onto www.newfrontiersmarket.com for more.

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Rendering of the upgraded New Frontiers Market at The Merkantile

Star Staff

Celebrating the kick off of “Concert on the Green” summer music series at New Frontiers, guests also had the chance to see the plans for the major rennovations the natural food store will undergo starting soon.

“The idea was formed together with New frontiers owners because they are busting at the seams and needed to expand. We wanted to help because we love what their business brings to our community so we decided to give the whole complex an upgrade,” said Josh Richman, manager of 1980s Old Mission Drive LLC.

The Richman family has owned the center at the corner of Alamo Pintado and Mission Drive for 15 years and are excited to give the complex a facelift complete with renaming it to The Merkantile, which is Danish meaning “related to commerce”.

“This is the biggest project we have seen in awhile in Solvang and we are so excited and grateful to the Richman family,” said Tracy Beard, executive director of the Solvang Chamber of Commerce.

Mayor Jim Richardson commented it will give a great new look as people enter Solvang.

Construction will begin this summer, demolishing the buildings surrounding the current New Frontiers Market, where Giovanni’s Pizza and the donut shop used to be. To replace them it will take about two years and four new buildings and space for eight to 10 retail spaces will be in their place. The Richman’s are also hoping to add another entrance from Highway 246 for easier access to the shopping center. Above the retail spaces will be apartments from studios to one-bedrooms.

When asked by a customer if there will still be a community space Richman replied they are centering the shopping around a bigger better space for community gatherings.

“We love events like Music on the Green because it gives people a chance to come together and enjoy the beautiful Santa Ynez Valley weather,” he added.

New Frontiers will stay open during the duration of the construction as many customers were concerned their beloved market might close temporarily. The market came to the Santa Ynez Valley first to farm at their property Nojoqui Farm in 1992, and grow year round produce for their flagship stores in Salt Lake City and Flagstaff, Arizona. They opened the Solvang store in 1997 and now farm more than 85 acres.

Anyone interested in leasing a space when construction is completed can contact Evan Lash for more information at evan@grandavenuere.com.

For more information about New Frontiers log onto www.newfrontiersmarket.com and look for their coupons in our monthly publication!

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