We decided to try a new CSA funding system this year – CSA by donation! Our prospective CSA members were asked to donate for their CSA box anywhere in the range of $210-420. The idea is that we could have members who might not be able to afford the CSA box otherwise, while members whoContinue reading “The price of a peach”
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Fruit thinning
The peaches and nectarines are pollinated to the brim this year. We’ve been coming up with theories about why the pollination seems to increase each year. The nearby honeybees aren’t doing so well – each year their populations seem to dwindle, perhaps because of the Paraquat that gets sprayed on the conventional walnuts across theContinue reading “Fruit thinning”
The fruit marathon, beautiful peaches and a farm tour!
This week feels like the end of a long marathon — the solar panels are installed on the barn, the first soil moisture sensors are up at the farm and the graywater system is set up where we wash our crates! We are excited about anything we can do to save water and energy, though ourContinue reading “The fruit marathon, beautiful peaches and a farm tour!”
A new fruit season!
We are entering a new fruit season at the Cloverleaf! We’re excited and nervous for a new season — we’ve got a big beautiful crop of fruit, but the drought is lurking in the back of our minds as to whether the groundwater will last for the season. We don’t have a big deep well, soContinue reading “A new fruit season!”
Aerial seed bombing and wildflower community event – Saturday Sept. 13th!
A FREE community event celebrating the Bee Friendlier Movement. Educating the community on the importance of planting wild flowers and its direct impact on the farming community. Come see us drop over 50,000 brightly colored seed balls from a vintage WWII crop duster to plant a wildflower field at the Cloverleaf, Collins Farm and HeartyContinue reading “Aerial seed bombing and wildflower community event – Saturday Sept. 13th!”
Farming in the rain
I just ducked in to escape an April Fool’s hailstorm and downpour. The build up to the thunderstorm was amazing from the top of the apricot trees. The orchard looks beautiful and lush out there with all the rain. I know I should be hating the rain coming down on all the baby peaches, andContinue reading “Farming in the rain”
The end of the marathon
I’ve had a great year at the farm — so many tasty fruits my stomach is going to burst at the collective impact of all the peaches I’ve eaten this year. The farm has been supported by so many: the Davis Food Coop, Soil Born Farms, Heavy Dirt Farm, Bi-Rite market in San Francisco, EverythingContinue reading “The end of the marathon”
The unloved unlovely peach
My friend Jen is a big fan of the unlovely peaches in the orchard. The ones with bite marks, powdery mildew marks, contorted flesh, split pits, the small, bite-sized peaches. By far, the biggest aesthetic problem we have is the powdery mildew, which occurred back in April during those big wind storms. The spots don’t spread and onlyContinue reading “The unloved unlovely peach”
A new year
So much has changed at the Cloverleaf since last year! The orchard is looking beautiful and I’m getting ready for a busy fruit picking season. The most significant change is that my three lovely farm partners, Sasha, Aubrey and Marisa, are no longer at the farm. This is a real bummer as so much happenedContinue reading “A new year”
Winter at the farm
We have seen the season come and go so quickly! Now almost December, we’ve wrapped up our CSA and farmstand and are beginning our winter work. We’re pruning the orchard, planting cover crop in the vegetable field, and beginning to make plans for all the work that needs to be done between now and springContinue reading “Winter at the farm”