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Farming ~ More than just Growing Food
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The farm is a living, continuously changing outdoor classroom. No matter how many times one walks the same path or works the same field, one is always filled with a sense of anticipation as things are never the same from one moment to the next. Last week a group of homeschoolers (Blue Mountain Group), who visit the farm on a regular basis, were lucky to see the birthing of twin baby lambs. Being able to witness nature's act of creation up close was a visceral and powerful learning experience. Over the course of the season we welcome everyone to visit and deepen their relationship with the farm, to discover and learn what happens to the landscape, the plants, animals, and people who live here.  By inviting nature to teach us, the farm is transformed into a fun, dynamic, living classroom, where ecological concepts of diversity, cooperation and interdependence are alive and real.

To farm sustainably one has to learn to become a nature detective, constantly observing and deciphering the signs and messages in the field in order to anticipate events and tailor one's farming practices accordingly. Right now I am paying close attention to signs of growth in the fruit trees; the buds on both the plum and apricot trees have swelled and are starting to break open. This is a critical time. The next 2-3 weeks, just like with a newborn, the trees are the most vulnerable, as tender succulent leaves and flowers start to emerge and unfold. This is the time when insects and diseases can cause the most damage. I am hoping for drier weather in the coming weeks, so that the blossoms have a better chance to get pollinated and set fruit. Meanwhile it will be important over the next 2-3 months to make timely foliar applications to reduce "brown rot" -- a hard to control and often damaging bacterial disease among stone fruit trees. I pretty much expect that some crops will do better than others from one season to the next, however by growing a large diversity of crops we always end up enjoying a bountiful harvest for most of the season. For now, I am ready to pack away my raindance gear and start singing songs to welcome warmer and drier weather. It's time to plant potatoes and early spring crops for the start of the season.

- Tom

Keep GE out of Organic!! Comment period ends Feb 15
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The USDA is considering deregulating Monsanto's Genetically Engineered "Round-up Ready" alfalfa, and this will have far-reaching consequences for the organic community. If you can help out, please submit your comments before Feb 16. Among other things, USDA claims that there is no evidence that consumers care about contamination of organic alfalfa and foods derived from GE alfalfa (think: dairy and meat), and we need to let them hear our voices loud and strong that this is not true.

If you wish to learn more about this before commenting, the Center for Food Safety has a well researched, detailed fact sheet you can read. All organic consumers should be concerned about this, even if you do not consume organic meat or dairy.

The easiest way to submit comment is via one of three organizations who have prepared easy comment-submitting forms for online use. I used the one by the OCA (Organic Consumers Association) and it was simple and well organized. Here are the links:

www.FoodandWaterWatch.org

www.CenterforFoodSafety.org

www.OrganicConsumers.org

Thank you everyone!
Debbie

Sheesh, it's sheep and lambs galore!
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by Taylor Brady, 2nd year farm intern

Hello Live Earth Community!
 
As most of you have probably heard, Live Earth Farm recently welcomed nine new sheep into the family. Their new home resides between two of our rolling apricot orchards, where the sheep have open access to a lush, quarter-acre field of cover crops - oats, vetch and mustard. It's safe to say that the past month has been nothing less than exciting as all of us learn how to integrate the herd into our daily routines. The most recent sheep activity, of course, has been the ewes giving birth. Over the past few weeks, a steady stream of new lambs has spotted the field with the world's cutest little bounding personalities.
 
As a second-year intern, I was fortunate enough to witness the births of numerous kid goats last April - but this was my first lambing season. With the final ewe giving birth this past Saturday, we now have a total of 11 little lambs frolicking around the field. Sheep, like goats, are incredibly independent when it comes to giving birth, so catching the birth of a lamb has proven quite the challenge to witness.
 
However, last Tuesday as Jessica and I were leading the Blue Mountain Home School Group around the farm for their monthly visit, some serendipitous twist of fate allowed for the group to watch the birth of twin lambs! We were on our way down to the new barn to thresh dry beans and save seed for a planting in the education garden, when one of the mothers ran up beside me and announced that one of the ewes was in labor! It was quite the sight to see as 20 grinning kids promptly turned around and began to sprint up the steep slope of one of our farm roads - all the while hooting and hollering about the thought of seeing a newborn lamb. There was a sense of magic and wonder in the air, and a hush fell over the group as we approached the pen. The group patiently waited along the electric fence, craning their necks and whispering amongst one another but never straying their gaze from the ewe in labor over the course of an hour. Keeping a safe distance from the ewe to give her plenty of room to let nature take its course, we all watched as two beautiful new lambs popped into the world and onto the farm. 

I think it's safe to say Tuesday's birth was truly a magical experience. I feel so fortunate to be able to share such a unique and rather timely event with a group of children and adults that have developed such a meaningful connection to Live Earth Farm over the course of their monthly visits. Sharing the experience of the birth really made me appreciate just how fortunate I am to be an apprentice who gets to eat, sleep, and breathe farm life here on Live Earth Farm. I cherish these moments where I get to share such incredible experiences with the Live Earth community and welcome you all to come and visit our new family members. I want to give a special thanks to Jody and Claire McCalmont for taking so many pictures throughout the day. Have a great week and stay tuned for more updates from the field!
 
- Taylor
 
PS - Live Earth Farm is looking for a puppy to live with and protect our flock of sheep, so I would like to take this opportunity to probe our CSA community for any information regarding a possible sheep dog. Child-friendly breeds only! Please contact me at vermontaylor@gmail.com for any information regarding dog varieties, a breeder, or a new batch of puppies!
 
And stay tuned for updates about life as a Live Earth Farm apprentice - I'm planning a farm blog! Watch for more information about this in a future newsletter. I'll let you know when it's up and running!

Kid's Summer Camp at Live Earth Farm
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The Live Earth Farm Discovery Program is happy to announce a "summer-celebration-art-on-the-farm" day camp this July! Our education team would like to invite kids from within our CSA community to join us for a weeklong adventure day camp. Campers can expect to get their hands dirty while exploring pieces of Live Earth's 80 acres in both organic vegetable row crop production and fruit orchards. In addition to learning about life as an organic vegetable farmer, campers will spend time getting to know our herd of goats, our flock of sheep and visit with chickens. Campers will assist in daily chores of our animals while learning about the benefits of humane livestock management. 
 
Throughout the week campers can also expect to explore the wonders of the farm while creatively expressing their interpretation of the natural world through the visual arts. Activities will include printing from natural materials, musical instrument making, working in the education demonstration garden, cheese making, felting and so much more! Each day we will harvest something from the garden to contribute to our sustainable lunch picnics! We are limiting participation to 15 kids between the ages of 8 and 12, so sign up today!
 
Although this summer camp will be a day-camp affair, we are also offering an optional Thursday night pizza-making camp-out and sleepover! This option is for campers who wish to carry the fun of daily farm life long into the night. Join us for cob oven baking, s'mores making, and a roaring fire. There is an additional cost for campers who choose to do the overnight, but the cost covers a farm fresh dinner, and breakfast in the morning. Don't forget your sleeping bag!
 
The Discovery Program is also looking for two counselors-in-training between the ages of 13 -15 to help the education team throughout the week. This is a great way to build work expeience with children and learn about life on a working farm.
 
Details
Age: 8 - 12
Cost:
· $325/camper for the full week (not including Thursday sleepover). Cost includes plenty of art supplies and a daily farm-fresh snack!
· There is an extra charge of $50/camper for the Thursday night sleepover.
· We are also offering two partial scholarships to those most needed. Please contact us if interested.
Hours: 9am - 4pm Mon - Fri, plus the optional Thursday night camp-out sleepover.
Dates: July 12th - 16th
 
For more information contact Taylor Brady at vermontaylor@gmail.com or call the Live Earth Farm Discovery Program office at (831) 728-2032.
 

Pasture-raised meat chickens anyone?
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If like me you are interested in a source for locally-grown (right here in Watsonville!) pasture-raised meat chickens, read on:

Surfside Chickens, now in its second season of operation, raises organically-fed, pastured chickens for meat, and is opening up for additional customers in 2010 (note that customers must be willing to pick up in Watsonville. There may also be limited pick-up locations in the Santa Cruz area).

Owner Sarah Greene talks about her operation, "Each day, the chickens move to a fresh area of a grassy pasture. The pasture has never been through the organic certification process, however for all intents and purposes it has been 'organic' for at least the last 7 years. In 2010, I plan to have chickens available at least a bi-weekly.  They will be sold on a 'first come, first served' basis via email or phone orders."

For more information and to get on Sarah's mailing list, please email her at surfsidechickens@gmail.com

- Debbie

Sauerkraut - live culture - reminder
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A quick reminder to everyone who gets the Preserves Option: the Sauerkraut is a live culture fermented product. It has not been pasteurized, and so you will want to store it in your refrigerator, not on the shelf like the other preserves. Because it is not pasteurized, the 'button' in the lid will not be down like a heat-sealed jar, but this is okay. So when you get it home, keep it in the fridge. The day it spends outdoors at your pickup site is not a concern - it will be fine; we just don't want you to take it home and stick it on a shelf like the jam or tomatoes! In your fridge, it will continue to ferment slowly. Enjoy!

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