Propagation Workshop

On Wednesday Sept. 23 we are holding our Propagation Workshop in anticipation of the Holiday Plant sale for December. In order to fullfill the requirements of the Organic Certification rules for Dharma Farm, we will be using ONLY certified Organic plants and seeds at this workshop. Any cuttings brough MUST come from an Already certified organic plant. Our main focus for this Plant Sale will be Herbs and Flowers since it was suggested that the marketability of these at that time is best. We haven't determined yet where we will hold our actual sale--it has been suggested that a more public site would be preferred such as a shopping mall or other situation. If that will be the case, you are welcome to include for the sale only, plants that you have propagated and maintained.
If any of you haven't visited the newly opened SEED BANK in Petaluma--you're in for a surprise! The variety and selections of rare and organic seeds they have is outstanding. You'll find them on the corner of E.Washington and Petaluma Blvd. Interior of the bank is also a feast for the eyes with the 30ft. ceiling of hammered metal and large windows.
Also, don't forget to check out the weekend workshops at Harmony Farm Supply in Sebastopol. this Saturday from 10-12 is a cover crop class and next Saturday is a Garlic Class with Chester Aaron --king of garlic growing who has written several books on garlic growing. Each weekend in the winter months offers a workshop including Mushroom growing, winter gardening, water useage, etc.

Sept 11

Don’t forget—Wendy has a MALT event at the Farm Saturday (today)
Vic and I had another meeting at the Kentfield Campus today and dropped off a “bribe” box for the Asst. of Student Affairs. It did it’s Magic—all in the club counsel would like a tour of our Farm. We’re going to be presenting ourselves to the Associated Students Group on Thursday and to request assistance for getting our Club off the ground.

Our 1st Farm Club project will be a Propagation Workshop on Sept. 23 at the Farm Field Greenhouse from 10 AM to 2PM.
We’ll be planting for our Holiday Plant Sale in December.
Here’s what we will be needing (if you can supply something from the list, please contact Vic or myself):

Soil (being picked up by Rob Fowler)
Vermiculite
Seed trays or pots
Tags/markers
Permanent marker pens
Seeds
Cuttings
Bulbs

If you can, contact your local nursery or gardening friends to see if they could donate to our cause. I’ve contacted the Bolinas Nursery and will be getting cuttings from many of their Mother Plants to use (for example). They are also donating a huge amount of plastic pots to us. I’ll also contact my farmer friends out here in Bo, too.

Our first Field trip is scheduled in November to UC Santa Cruz to visit the Allan Chadwick garden. We’ll be discussing the details of this trip in the oncoming meetings.

A perk test was done at the Farm last week in a hole dug in the “melon patch”. The results aren’t so favorable. The hole was dug on Wednesday and filled with water. By Friday, most of the water was still pooled. Which means, we have an apparent hardpan layer.

Henry and his Conservation Corps and Interns are really making the Fall garden Glamour!! What a transformation we’re seeing there right now from harvest to hallowed grounds again.

Great Video, Hilary-thanks for sharing it.

White House Garden...

Check out this great youtube video!

August 21

Hi All!
I visited the gardens during my first Landscape Design class last Friday. Everyone was Awed by our Garden--including a few members from our original class that hadn't visited since class ended last Spring. So, now that the new school session has started, how about adding some new members to the Farm Club? Should we have a welcoming party--or harvest party. Perhaps we should send out an invitation to all students participating in any of the classes of the department. Feedback?

Lavender

Back in July, Wendy and Steve were involved in a discussion on Lavender and the disappearance of the true species. Do any of you, or Steve, can you tell me the name of that species and how you are trying to protect it.
And, regarding the Melon posting by Hilary--THANK YOU!! I wonder, though, which is which on the melons. Is the dark green melon with the yellow dots the Moon and Stars? Did we mark where the varieties were planted or just scatter the seeds?

Melon Reminder

The public keeps asking us what kinds of melons we've got and so far our answer has been a vague "well we planted so many varieties..." Here's my list of what we planted back in April with a link to more information.  We still might not be able to tell them which is which (Moon & Stars is the obvious exception), but at least we can sound a little more informed:

Hime Kansen Watermelon (Japanese Ice Box)

Imperial 45 Cantaloupe

Hale's Best Jumbo Cantaloupe

Charentais Melon

Mickeylee Watermelon (Ice Box)

Old Original Melon

Moon & Stars Watermelon