Last week I spent some time at the National Heirloom Expo. Each year they have large, detailed displays of squash, tomatoes, peppers, and melons. All organized by varieties, its like a living seed catalog. As a farmer you spend a lot…
Last week I harvested the first of this year’s dried bean crop. I am growing four different bean varieties this year Tiger Eye, Jacob’s Cattle, Hutterite, and Calypso. Each of these varieties has a distinct colorful pattern hidden underneath their…
We are giving away a pair of 3-day passes to The 2014 National Heirloom Exposition. You have two chances to win via Facebook or Instagram. The winner will be randomly selected and announced on Sept. 5th on my weekly radio show, Sustainable Growing, 2pm to 3pm (PST) To enter on Facebook:…
Thursday morning while I was getting seedlings ready for market and harvesting tomatoes. I couldn’t help but notice shadows that weren’t there a few weeks ago. The sun’s position has changed, it’s no longer directly over head, its starting to lean towards the…
During this time of year the main task on the farm is harvesting. The tomatoes are ripening so fast that almost everyday some row of plants need to be harvested. Just week, I harvested over 70 pounds of cherry tomatoes. I’m…
The winter squash vines are beginning to crowd the walkways and are taking over the field. Hidden underneath the big leaves and bright yellow flowers are beautiful baby squash, starting to take on their varieties distinct shape. With all the…
The field is full of ripe tomatoes! I’ve been harvesting the plants a couple of times a week to keep up with all bounty. At Quarter Acre we grow 10 different varieties of beautifully delicious tomatoes. Right now we are…
The winter squash and pumpkin plants are blooming and the bees are having a field day. The honey bees and native bees go into the large blossoms and come out covered in pollen from head to toe. Some bees even…
This past week, I’ve been watching all the critters on the farm. Woodpeckers, lizards, robins, hummingbirds, ground squirrels, quail, and even a California king snake. I love seeing the farm full of biodiversity. I believe it is important to have some…
Cherry tomato harvest started this week and the blackberries are not far behind. As much as I love both of these sweet little fruits they very are labor intensive to harvest. I grow about 600 row feet of cherry tomatoes,…