Thursday, October 7, 2010

Organic Farm & Garden students collecting Calendula flower seed and prepping beds
Compost piles are heating up! 150F and counting!


Farm & Garden class students help with the potting up for the Plant Sale on October 23rd 11am-3pm!

Making Bouquets for the Civic Center Farmer's Market on Thursday.
Join us thursdays at the Civic Center Farmer's Market from 8am-1pm!

Thursday, September 23, 2010

The last of the summer melons...

Watermelon!

We grew many varieties this summer, watermelon, cantaloupe, charentais, fond blanc, canary...
Fond Blanc Melon - Sweet & Delicious!

New IVC Farm Crew member Devon Paoli enjoying the Fond Blanc

Sunday, September 19, 2010

Plant Sale and Farm Celebration October 23, 11am-3pm

Join us for a Plant Sale and Open Farm Celebration!
October 23, 2010 11am-3pm
Enjoy Tours, Tastings and Activities
Flower bouquet making with Wendy Johnson
See you there!

Sunday, September 12, 2010

Bounty of the farm

The farm class threshing quinoa
Threshing loosens the grain from the chaff
Separating the grain from the chaff is called winnowing
Instructor Steve Quirt winnowing Quinoa

Saturday, September 4, 2010

Farm club members Vic & Kat planting flowers

Time to get those cool weather crops started!
The Organic Farm & Garden class transplanting broccoli.


9.29.10

Representative Lynn Woolsey (D-CA) visits the Indian Valley Organic Farm & Garden! With Farm Supervisor Henry Wallace, Will Becker of CCNB, Dean Nanda Schorske, and Steve Quirt of UCCE.

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Fall 2010 Farm & Garden Class!

Transplanting with Dena and Jerry!




Monday, August 2, 2010

Novato Farmer's Market

Join us at the Novato Farmer's Market!
Tuesdays 4pm-8pm
Downtown Novato/Grant Street

Thursday, July 22, 2010

Chickens for Adoption!

80 chickens area available for adoption through the Marin Humane Society - check out the article below.

Adopt a rescued egg-laying hen

July 15, 2010|By Peter Fimrite, Chronicle Staff Writer

A flock of 80 rescued hens with an uncanny ability to lay large numbers of eggs has arrived at the Marin Humane Society and they are awaiting loving - or at least adaptable - homes.
The flightless birds were put up for adoption at the humane society at 171 Bel Marin Keys in Novato Wednesday after two weeks of emergency care at Animal Place, a farm animal sanctuary near Vacaville.

Carrie Harrington, the spokeswoman for the Marin Humane Society, said anyone with enough yard space who lives in a properly zoned region will be permitted to adopt the birds at a cost of $5 per hen, as long as the new pet owners are planning to put only the eggs and not the chickens down their gullets.
"There were originally 200 injured birds. We've got 80," Harrington said. "We've agreed to take more if our adoptions go well."

The squawking brood apparently fell victim to an ambitious, if intellectually challenged, egg farm manager who put leg bands on the hens when they were young without taking into account the probability that the birds would grow. The bands became embedded in the chicken's legs, in some cases all the way to the bone, necessitating an intervention, Harrington said.

The birds, which are all about 1 1/2 years old, were bred to produce 250 eggs a year per hen. Most egg farmers slaughter the poor peckers after two years because their egg production drops. The rescued chickens should live six or seven years and, although less productive than in their younger days, will still squeeze out enough eggs for the average household to fry, Harrington said.

"The taste difference between freshly laid eggs and store-bought eggs is noticeable, and it's also a money saver," Harrington said. "A lot of people, after trying fresh eggs, can't go back to the store-bought kind."

The chicken, or Gallus gallus domesticus, is the most common domestic animal in the world. The humane society made room for them by shipping out several resident roosters.

"We don't want to make more chickens," Harrington said.

She said the gawky birds still have a little swelling in their legs, but are otherwise healthy and are happily poking and lurching about, evidently eager for human companionship.

"Chickens make good pets. These girls like sitting in laps," Harrington said. "It's not like having a dog or a cat, but they can be good companions. We've even had a chicken be a therapy pet at the humane society."

To adopt a hen

What: 80 egg-laying hens are available for adoption

When: From 10 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday and from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Wednesday

Where: Marin Humane Society, 171 Bel Marin Keys, Novato

How much: $5 each

For more information: Call (415) 506-6225

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Farm Stand Moving to Wednesdays!


Starting August 1, the Farm Stand will be moving to Wednesdays 10am-3pm!

Potatoes!


Unearthing the season's first potatoes!
This variety is called Viking Red!
Check out the Yukon Golds! Yum!

Sunday, July 11, 2010

Moving the Water Tank 7.7.10


Moving the Water tank, in preparation for the Solar Water Pump!



Project ReGeneration 7.6.10


Farm Crew Member Spencer Nielsen 'Planting People'!
Getting Unplanted!

Monday, July 5, 2010

June 30th - Project ReGen/Volunteer Day


Instructor and founder Wendy Johnson with Volunteer enjoying the Black Eyed Susans and freshly harvested Winter Wheat



Here come the squash! Planting pumpkins and winter squash - 100 plants and 6 varieties.


Americorps member Megan FitzSimmons helps Project ReGen member wash salad greens for lunch
Farm Crew member Katharine helps Project ReGen members prep salad fresh from the farm!

Project ReGen member helps to prep beds for planting
Project ReGen members help spread compost on a bed

Watering in the newly planted lettuce starts!