Earth Day at Burbank Experiment Farm this Saturday

This free, family-friendly event for Earth Day will honor Burbank and longtime Burbank volunteer Steve Fowler, who died last week

Steve Fowler, speaking in front of the spineless cactus that he planted, and which Burbank created. (Photo from Luther Burbank Experiment Farm)

Submitted by Karen Cross, West Sonoma County Historical Society

The Luther Burbank Experiment Farm in Sebastopol is where Luther Burbank conducted thousands of plant breeding experiments, leading to innovations like the Santa Rosa Plum and the Shasta Daisy. The farm is now a small city park with a historic cottage, barn and remnants from the experiments.

The famed horticulturalist Luther Burbank died April 11, 1926. And in a twist of impeccable timing, on the same day 98 years later — April 11, 2024 — Sebastopol bid farewell to the man who devoted so many seasons of his life to honoring Burbank’s work, Steve Fowler.

The Experiment Farm celebrates both men at the Earth Day celebration on Saturday, April 20, from 10 am to 2 pm.

Steve Fowler was the first curator of the Luther Burbank Experiment Farm and was part of a community effort to uncover the land from years of neglect, poison oak and blackberry brambles. Steve passed away unexpectedly last Thursday. He had continued to volunteer faithfully at the farm on Wednesday mornings, right up until his last full day on Earth.

Steve often referred to the park at 7777 Bodega Avenue as a “living tree museum.” Scattered through the three acres are remnants of Burbank’s work and new plant specimens that Steve and local volunteers planted according to Burbank’s gardening methodology. Steve gave countless docent-guided tours through his decades of stewardship, preserving and extending this legacy, and his voice can be heard in many sections of the online video tour of the property.

The farm will be celebrating Earth Day 2024 in Steve’s memory with free activities on Saturday, April 20, from 10 am to 2 pm. We will have music, tours, talks, and plant and tree sales.

Bibliophiles will be excited to learn that we will have several sets of the classic 12-volume series about Burbank’s work for sale as well. Luther Burbank: His Methods and Discoveries, Their Practical Application is one of the first sets of books published using color photography and is the most extensive publication of his work available.

Earth Day at the Luther Burbank Experiment Farm is a project by the Western Sonoma County Historical Society. Learn more at our website. 

We will celebrate and enjoy a day we could not have created without a lifetime of work by Steve Fowler. Rest in peace. We love you, Steve.