About Savanu
The name Savanu comes from an old Hebrew after-meal blessing; an overflowing stream of gratitude for fullness, for the abundance that surrounds us, the joy and connection that comes from the act of eating together. Savanu means “we are satiated”, and is a dream from the dormant season for the fruit to come.
In 2014, Rivkah Khanin fell in love with apple trees while apprenticing on a 1-acre orchard in Watsonville, CA. She spent several seasons covering rows of trees with compost and mulch, pulling weeds, covering cherries with bird netting, accidentally puncturing holes in and replacing irrigation lines, pruning, grafting, thinning young fruit, harvesting, transporting, cooking, and eating the literal fruit of her labor. The time spent out in the sun, the cold, the rain, among the birdsong and coyote tracks, in the company of these rooted organisms, transformed her. Being out there in her early 20’s, a transient time of life, was exactly the lesson she needed: how to cull what wasn’t needed in order for the rest to thrive, for rooting down and fruiting out. The trees themselves are great teachers, but none of this would’ve been possible without her dear friend and mentor, Freddy, their primary caretaker.
Since then, Rivkah has been tending home gardens and yards around the Bay Area, helping bring trees into healthy, productive, manageable parts of people’s lives.
We wouldn’t be where we are without our teachers & partners
Epicenter Nursery
Freddy Menge & Ellen Baker (and their dog Lucca) have been fruit tree care mentors for us for years, and sell gorgeous avocados and pomme fruit.
Backyard Permaculture Guild
Our friend Helen “badass with a chainsaw” Cowart of the Backyard Permaculture Guild often works with us on larger pruning projects and lends her expertise on native plant gardens.
Regional Parks Botanical Garden
We got a deep dive into California Native Plants through completing a Docent Training with botanist Glenn Keator in 2019. We are grateful to have learned from experts working in the different ecologies of the California landscape, and to have learned specialized care of native plants through our involvement here.
More friends & resources
Hida Tool
what good is a craftsperson without good tools? we’re committed to using high-quality blades and to keeping them clean and sharp
Far West Fungi
this family farm’s spent mushroom blocks are our favorite compost for trees
Mak’amham
our friends Vincent & Louis generously share Ohlone culture and cuisine that keeps us engaged with and connected to the roots of the Bay Area with respect
Darrow Feldstein
our friend assists on larger pruning projects and offers guidance and inspiration on landscaping design and implementing permaculture practices