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Whole-Orchard Nutrient Management & On-Farm Composting at Heartwood Farms

Caff

On April 10th, Community Alliance with Family Farmers (CAFF) hosted a field day at Heartwood Farms in Linden, CA with farmers Franz Eilers and Emma Wade to discuss all things compost and pest management on their biologically-integrated walnut and cherry orchards. Franz and Emma explain their composting process.

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Guide To Starting a Fruit Orchard on Your Farm

Farmbrite

Starting a Fruit Orchard on Your Farm Growing fruit trees or nut trees on your farm is a great way to be more self-sufficient and a great way to add items to your CSA, use the unwanted fruit to supplement feed for your animals, sell at your local farmers market or for personal use. Fruit trees need lots of sun and space to grow properly.

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Now Available: “Understanding the Science Behind Climate Smart Agriculture in California: A comprehensive literature review”

Caff

These collaborations have provided snapshots of how practices like compost, cover crops, livestock integration and reduced tillage (to name a few) can impact soil health on a given farm in a given region.

Science 110
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Vitis and Ovis Farm Tour and Discussion: Adaptation to Climate Extremes in the Capay Valley

Caff

When they purchased the farm over 30 years ago it was an unproductive almond orchard and since then they have pulled the almonds out and utilized the sloped landscape to construct swales, establish a vineyard, and plant a wide variety of fruit trees which provide shelter while their flock of ducks grazes.

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BIOS Field Day at Chinchiolo Farms

Caff

(Photo by Nolan Kirby) The Community Alliance with Family Farms (CAFF) held a Biologically Integrated Orchard System (BIOS) field day at Chinchiolo Farms on April 20th. After a very wet winter, attendees enjoyed the nice weather as they gathered in the orchard to discuss a novel mower prototype, pruning, and nematode management.

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Breaking Barriers & Ground: How Equipment Sharing Empowers Small-Scale Farmers in California

CalCAN

Their neighbors’ operations include vineyards, orchards, grain and vegetables. The collective currently shares two mid-sized combine harvesters, one mini-combine harvester, a compost spreader, two seed cleaners, a berm flamer, a no-till drill, and a foliar spray trailer. Now, every farmer in the collective uses compost.

Compost 52
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We Bought a Home with a Sterile Suburban Yard. Our Journey To Bring Life Back is Just Beginning

Modern Farmer

To build sustainable soil structure with plenty of bacteria, fungi and protozoa, we made compost by processing kitchen scraps in a tumbler. When the compost is mature, we mix it with dirt when planting. I am lucky I am an annual vegetable grower, so I do not rely on chilly winters like orchard growers do.

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