Tomatoes Tomatoes Tomatoes
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…
Bees, a Farmer’s Best Friend
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…
Farm Critters
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…
Tiny Fruit
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,…
Guest Newspaper Column
Recently I was asked by local foodie columnist, Kristin Jorgensen, if I could write about how the current drought is affecting my farm. I jumped at the chance to have a farmer’s perspective in the press! My guest column was…
It is Dry Out There
Last week in the afternoon I was busy weeding the tomatoes. With my head down focused on pulling weeds I smelled what I thought was an early dinner of barbecue. I continued weeding but soon the barbecue smell was too…
Calm Before the Storm
The bees have been busy at the farm, rushing around to every flower they can find. The blackberry’s flowers are turning into fruit, most of the tomatoes are covered with flowers, and soon the potatoes will have their flowers out…
Revitalizing CCOF’s North Coast Chapter
Quarter Acre Farm is certified organic by California Certified Organic Farmers, CCOF. All CCOF certified members based in California belong to a chapter based on their regional location. For my farm the region is considered the North Coast which includes…
Sometimes You Get Behind
Thursday I finally planted dried beans, winter squash, and pumpkin seeds in the field. When I had made my crop schedule, back in January I had planned to plant these seeds at the beginning of May. So they got in the…
This Year is Different
This spring I’ve had people visiting the farm, for many this is their first time walking around my field. As soon as they arrive I feel the need to quickly explain to them, that my field normally doesn’t look like…
Harvesting off the Farm
I think of myself as an outdoorsy person cause I like being outside but I’m not the type of person that goes on hikes or camps just to be outside. I like to spend time outdoors completing a task or…
Bugs with Benefits
In the cool of the morning I walk through the field checking in on all the plants, looking to see what needs my attention. Frequently I find myself in awe of the various insects inhabiting the farm. Pests or bad…