Large holes were dug to accomodate each of the heavy root systems that were still locked into large clumps of soil. Currants are heavy feeders, or "hogs" as instructor Wendy Johnson likes to call them, so before placing the plant into the hole, several shovel fulls of sifted compost were added. In addition to the compost, we added a few handfuls of mineral amendments to the hole, and a few more to any exposed roots on the plant. A mixture of gypsum, calphos, kelp meal, and worm castings is the perfect recipe for strong, healthy currants.
January 24, 2013
Transplanting the Currants
Large holes were dug to accomodate each of the heavy root systems that were still locked into large clumps of soil. Currants are heavy feeders, or "hogs" as instructor Wendy Johnson likes to call them, so before placing the plant into the hole, several shovel fulls of sifted compost were added. In addition to the compost, we added a few handfuls of mineral amendments to the hole, and a few more to any exposed roots on the plant. A mixture of gypsum, calphos, kelp meal, and worm castings is the perfect recipe for strong, healthy currants.
December 19, 2012
This Time of Year...
November 24, 2012
December Wreath Making Workshop on the Farm
The holiday season is here, and so is our insatiable itch to get decorating. That's why the Indian Valley Organic Farm and Garden is hosting the second annual wreath making workshop with Wendy Johnson leading a fantastic lesson in the ancient craft. Gather at the farm this Saturday morning at 10:00am and plan on leaving with a colorful wreath to decorate your own space. Foliage and materials are provided, but we encourage attendees to bring their own clippers gloves and foliage to share. Be sure to register by November 29th, the class is limited to 25 participants.
Where: Indian Valley Organic Farm and Garden
Fee: $50.00 All fees directly benefit the Indian Valley Organic Farm & Garden, pay instructors, and help the Marin Master Gardners to continue their outreach to the public
Register here: http://ucanr.edu/ivofg_120112
Master Gardeners receive 3 CE hours for their attendance.
Additional Information: Free parking at College of Marin Indian Valley Campus on weekends. Master Gardner volunteers will be available to help direct participants to the classroom and Farm. Comfortable walking shoes are recommended as well as warm layer
November 16, 2012
November 21, 2011
Cause for Celebration: Grant will help College of Marin's organic farm in Novato become self-sufficient!
"It takes a long time to sustain a farm operation," Schorske said. "This grant will help sustain our operation to the point where we can maximize our production level and become self-sustaining."
Marilee Eckert, chief executive officer of Conservation Corps North Bay, which is responsible for year-round operations at the College of Marin farm, noted that the farm has only been in operation for three years.
"We just planted our fruit trees, and it will be a few years before they're actually producing things," Eckert said. "So getting this grant was really a godsend. It will really help us out for the next two years while we're developing the program."
The college launched the farm in 2009 as a kind of laboratory to help Marin residents and others learn the essentials of organic farming from experts like the University of California Cooperative Extension's Steve Quirt and Wendy Johnson of Green Gulch Farm.
Since then, the program has taken on additional importance for Marin County's 23 registered organic farms.
"In order to keep our farms going, we need to be developing the next generation of people who are committed to farming like this," Schorske said. "So we now have the first state-approved program for organic farming in the country. Peter Martinelli (of Bolinas' Fresh Run Farm) has helped us launch the program, and (Marin County) Supervisor Steve Kinsey has given his support to a pilot program that will enable us to place students on other farms."
The farm has grown in popularity with its inception. The school's organic farming class has grown from an initial group of 31 students to 106 students this semester, according to college spokesman Cathy Summa-Wolfe. Interest in the program has also helped boost enrollment at the college's Novato campus overall, which has doubled in the last five years, Schorske said.
To view the article online, please go to http://www.marinij.com/marinnews/ci_19283915
Community Event: Eco Farm Conference
Join us for the 2012 EcoFarm Conference on February 1 - 4, 2012
at Asilomar Conference Grounds, Pacific Grove, CA.
For more info, please visit http://www.eco-farm.org/programs/efc/
October 5, 2011
John Valenzuela and food forests
A food forest has seven layers, although a food forest needs to have at least three layers (big, medium, little)
1) Canopy or overstory (such as large fruit and nut trees)
2) Semi dwarf (such as peach, citrus, persimmon)
3) Fruiting shrubs
4) Herbaceous layer
5) Rhizomes (root veg)
6) Soil (ground cover)
7) Vertical layers
Food forests were inspired by the tropics, where the forests are super productive with foods, herbs, and medicinal properties. We also discussed the Polynesians, who when traveling, were said to have 22 types of plants and animals they'd bring in their canoe to feed themselves in distant lands. This sparked an internal question: What would my 22 canoe crops be? What would yours be?
John said the number one item needed for the a food forest is water. "You got to get your water right, or you got nothing right." Wonderful ways to go about collecting war is to have a rainwater catchment system. Another idea is grey water recycling--to use water from inside the house for outside water. Gravity fed water is a great and simple system also. How about a pond? Grow fish for food and the fish water is great for plants. "Do you have an excess of slugs?" John asked. "Maybe instead you have an absence of ducks." Ducks! Ducks are great for eating pests and they give you eggs! Double win! For more info on aquaphonics, please check out Max Meyers of NorCal Aquaphonics link below.
How about planting flowers? Flowers are a wonderful habitat for the predators of pests (pest predators). When planting flowers in your food forest, look for flowers that are very accessible for insect's small mouth parts. It's very important to provide for the pest predators, because these guys have a longer, slower life cycle than the pests they hunt. Remember when planting your food forest, diversity makes it interesting.
Also, please make sure that you plant pairs or clusters of fruiting trees for pollination (plant sex!) and that tree planting is planting for decades away. And as always, share your harvest!
And lastly, I want to impart you with John's 3 VERY IMPORTANT rules for seed saving, planting, and propagating. LABEL, LABEL, LABEL!
Please check out these other links for more info!
Regenerative Design Institute
CA Rare Fruit Growers Golden Gate Chapter
CA Rare Fruit Growers Scion Exchange
John Valenzuela's blog, Cornucopia Food Forest
NorCal Aquaponics
October 3, 2011
Community Event: Joel Salatin at Petaluma Seed Bank!
For more info on Joel Salatin, please read http://www.treehugger.com/files/2009/08/joel-salatin-americas-most-influential-farmer.php
See you at the Seed Bank!
October 2, 2011
October 1, 2011
Community Event: Bioneers 2011
The Bioneers Conference is a leading-edge forum presenting breakthrough solutions for people and planet. Join us on October 14-16, 2011 at the Marin Center in San Rafael, CA, for the annual conference.
Please visit http://www.bioneers.org for more info.
Summer Tomato Live: Why processed foods are so bad.
Check out more of Darya and Summer Tomato at http://summertomato.com!
September 24, 2011
FF2T: The Wonderful World of Freecycle
Freecycle. The word came to me one evening. I rushed to my computer and googled the word to see if something as cool as 'freecycle' could exist. By gum, it did!
What I learned was that Freecycle is a web based community forum or bulletin board where people can both offer and request items. Remodeling your kitchen? "OFFER: Kitchen Cabinets". Or you just had a weight change? "OFFER: Women's shirts, size medium". Or maybe you're doing some housecleaning? "OFFER: 2 years of back Yoga Journal issues". Need something for a project or looking for a new item? "WANTED: Picture Frames" or "WANTED: Newspaper for my wormbin" maybe even "WANTED: Redworms for my wormbin" or simply "WANTED: Travel Coffee Cup". You usually pick up at the home of the person who is giving it away, although I've even had things delivered to me!
The idea behind Freecycle is to keep things out of landfills. It's great to recycle your old collection of Yoga Journals, but isn't it better to give them to someone who could use them in their current incarnation?
In Marin County, we are very lucky to have such an active Freecycle group. It is superbly moderated by Nicole; groups.yahoo.com/group/marinfreecycle/ has over 5000 members, and averages about 200 offer, wanted, taken, promised and received posts weekly.