Down(town) on the Farm

Winter on the Farm

While in most parts of the country, gardens are covered in snow, we're still harvesting, and still planting, food!

There is an abundance of Asian and European greens and lettuces growing right now, loving the cool weather.  Just look at the variety:

We've even got some tomatoes on the vine!

I think they'll be happy to hear that it's going to be in the 80s next week!

Don't forget you can get a taste of this beautiful bounty--come by the Seeds at City Farmer's Market next Tuesday, January 13, 9:30am to 11:00am!

For more photos of the January Farm, check out our album!

Farm Fresh Organic Veggies for You!

Thanks to everyone who stopped by the Farm yesterday for the Market!  Proceeds have allowed the Farmers to buy some much needed tools!

If you missed out on yesterday's Seeds at City Farmer's Market, make sure you come on downtown next Tuesday, January 13, from 9:30am to 11:00am (or until we run out of veggies!).

We'll have organic salad greens, braising greens, radishes, turnips and more!

Happy New Year!

Start off the new year right--eat organic! 

Come on down to the Seeds at City Farmer's Market on Tuesday, January 6 from 9:30am to 11:00am for some great winter produce--organic salad greens, braising greens, turnips, radishes and more!

Don't forget to bring your reusable bags!

Farmer Julia: Green Winds of Change

As we move into late November, the Farm is definitely transitioning from a warm season palette into a winter weaving of cooler season crops.  Lettuces, peas, kales, and collards are replacing tomatoes, corn, squashes and eggplants.  Interns and volunteers alike, are cultivating beautifully raised beds amended with dark compost and raked into gorgeous chocolate mounds that look good enough to eat!  The care of our city soil is central here at the Farm, as we nourish the living medium that will give life to the food we grow.

Many passersby were sad to no longer see the yellow and green architecture of maize that stood "as high as an elephant's eye" and asked in desperation, "Did you get to harvest much of the corn?" "Was it any good?"  We reassured them that the corn was indeed harvested, and deliciously enjoyed--and that it was time to clear the area for salad and cooking greens.  One thing about gardens is that change is the only constant.  And as Wendy Johnson has written in her beautiful book, Gardening at the Dragon's Gate--"Alan Chadwick said that 'the entire garden is pulsation, pulsation and a huge zest for change.'--and gardeners respond to this swell and ebb in the natural world because our lives and our very bodies are intertwined with light and dark and with the tendrils and leaves, flower petals and ruddy roots of the plants we love to tend."

The idea of 'change' is so much in the air these days--with a new president elect, a tanking economy, and a climate that seems to be trying to tell us something if we would only listen.  How can farms, gardens, and the folks who tend them help be a part of the good changes that need to happen in our city?  Of course, the list is endless.  We know we're on the right side of history.  But there is even more reason to hope now, with a president who could support a sustainable vision that would include the possibility of a Green New Deal.

One of my favorite activiists these days is Van Jones, founder of the "Green for All" campaign that's working to "build a green economy strong enough to lift people out of poverty."  As I was reading his most recent article in this month's edition of The Nation, I was struck by how well the City College Urban Farm fit into his vision of joining civil society with green business to better our place in the world.  He goes on to say: "We can take the unfinished business of America on questions of inclusion and equal opportunity and combine it with the new business of building a green economy, thereby healing the country on two fronts and redeeming the soul of the nation."  How do we create a program at City College that takes both Ecology and Social Justice into consideration?  Entrepreneurship and Activism?  Personal Change and Community Change?  Like Van Jones, I believe that the time is ripe for a Green New deal, and am certain that food and farming will be central to that vision for participatory democracy.

We vote with our fork every day--and when we're able to learn how to grow our own food, we inherit an even broader invitation into what it might mean to be a citizen of this planet, caring for the soil, and recreating a social change agenda that empowers everyone to be stewards of this beautiful and wise green earth, our home.

As we harvest yet another amazing salad from an assortment of greens and beans growing just beyond the metal railing, a Monarch butterfly dips down among the milkweed and Mexican sunflowers daring anyone to disprove that this urban place is not alive with the winds of change.

From Farmer Paul: A Farmer's Confession

I think that most people that know me well already know.  One of the most powerful motivations I have in growing food is that I have an insatiable food addiction.  Especially food plants that I played a part in and witnessed growing from seed to maturity.  As the plant goes through its phases of growth, I find myself visualizing the many methods I could use to prepare it.  Thanks to my parents that felt it was a good idea for me and my siblings to be able to feed ourselves at an early age, they taught me to cook when I was about ten.  One of the most satisfying things I've ever experienced is growing and cooking my own food (sharing it with friends is also a joy), so as a result, I do try to do it often, once or twice daily.

This summer, at the farm, we grew a whole bunch of Kabocha squash (Japanese pumpkins) and they are exquisite in so many ways.  Kabocha squash are on my "Top Ten Plants" list that should be in every garden.  Kabocha squash are considered a winter squash because they grow all summer, then are stored and eaten throughout the winter months.  They actually get sweeter with age, very much like fine wine and middle-aged Urban Farmers.  Squashes that have dark colored flesh are truly "super foods" because they are nutrient-dense with a balance of protein, carbohydrates, vitamins and a host of antioxidants associated with brightly-colored foods.  They are the perfect food to include in our winter diets when we need the extra nutritional support.  Isn't it funny how nature has this all worked out for us?  All we have to do is notice a good thing when the universe presents it.

I have had a Kabocha squash soup in the past that was to die for and had attempted to make it, but it never tasted like the the decadent dish I remembered.  Then a chef friend mentioned that the way to great squash soup is to first use the pulp and seeds in the squash as a base, then add the flesh after you steam it.  So with these glorious Japanese pumpkins at hand, I set out to put this theory to the test.

I used one large Kabocha cut in half; I scooped and scraped out the seeds and stringy pulp and all the soft pulp that normally gets tossed, put that in a small pot with 4 cups of water, 1 glove of chopped garlic, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and a pinch of Cayenne pepper, on a low boil.  Then I cubed the flesh and steamed it until it was done, but not mushy.  After the pulp and seeds had cooked 10 minutes, they were strained through a coarse strainer just to get the seeds out.  The base was put back in the pot with the cubed, steamed Kabocha with the skin still on.  The skin is paper thin and has flavor!  I then used a potato masher to mash and mix the tender flesh with the soup base.  I returned it to a low heat and added salt to taste and a couple of pats of organic butter.  I then cooked it at a low simmer for just 5 minutes. 

The first taste was heavenly!  I scooped out a bowl, sat down, started eating and harp music began playing!  I fully intended to bring this creation to share with my fellow farmers, but somehow, I kept forgetting to bring it, and didn't want it to go to waste.  Okay, I ate the whole pot myself!  It was over three nights at least.

I feel so much better that I got that off my chest!

Just Bike!

The City College Environmental Stewardship Committee invites you to join us on campus for a biking event!

Join us next Monday, October 27th from 11:00am to 1:00pm in Gorton Quad for everything you need to know to start commuting by bike, plus fun stuff for bike enthusiasts of all levels!

There will be free bike checkups and safety inspections by Fix Bike Shop.

The San Diego County Bike Coalition will be there to talk about bike advocacy and regional planning.

There will be an opportunity drawing to win cool bike accessories, a cool Tall Bike, free snacks and much more!

Go green--Just Bike!

And of course, while you're on campus, stop by The Farm!

For further information, contact Karon Klipple!

Farmer Update: Kim's Report

The pronounced cry of a Red-shoulder hawk forces my gaze to the sky.  He swoops low over the farm, checking in on the day's breakfast options.  He settles atop the "R" building and continues his keen search.  He observes me as I steadily observe him in admiration.  He has become webbed into the City farm life; it's expected to see his shadow and hear his exclaiming presence on a daily basis.

As you walk up a flight of stairs from the "C" street parking lot, you are captivated by a symphony of maize, squash and pole beans.  These beans incessantly climb bamboo pyramids in worship of the sun.  As you listen past the beans, you can hear the rustle of squash blossoms ascending high over the amaranth as if to peek through to beg, "here's my tendril, nice to meet you!"  The sunflowers make you squint in awe, for their smiles are too bright and too genuine to believe.  Their conversations are engaging and humbling.

Many creatures, big and small, are taking refuge in this jeweled oasis.  In the middle of a concrete jungle, where our landscapes are constructed of rigid building tops, asphalt rivers and mechanical food dispensers, this small oasis is refreshing, quenching, replenishing and revitalizing.

The number of insect species grows every day.  Bees harvesting pollen, Chinese beetle excursions, predator-fly huntings, butterfly wars and dragonfly races leave in the air dusty purple traces.  Caterpillars and grasshoppers share salads for lunch.

The herb beds invite you to kneel and touch the soil.  Micro-organisms add life to the earth and strengthen our crops.

Can we say that one of our blessings is freedom?  Freedom to touch the earth and cultivate it?  Freedom to plant seed and water it?  Freedom to harvest our love and sweat?  Freedom to taste and savor our food?  Freedom to gain vitality from the plant's "blood?"

In a distant land, not safe to mention by name, drought has created famine.  Wheat, which normally feeds the dwellers, can not grow.  Okra and melons will not grow.  A farmer falls to his knees in despair and takes in anguish out on dried okra stems.  It rained twice this year.  He must find a place and dig a well to water the government's farm.  His wheat is more lucrative than poppy.  Poppy can not nourish him or his family.

On Haiti, mud cakes of clay, salt and shortening, "feed" the starved and "supplement" pregnant women.  Malnourishment is a plague.  The land is being brutally eroded across many parts of this earth.

Melamine in milk powder, for baby formula, has created kidney stones in babies across China.

In our own city, there are many families who are food insecure.  Not knowing when or what your next meal will be. 
What would you do if placed in any of these scenarios?

Conscientious mind frame, conscientious living, conscientious action.  We are in desperate need of an Agricultural Revolution!

Again, we can ask: can we say that one of our blessings is Freedom?  Freedom to touch the earth and cultivate it?  Freedom to plant seed and water it?  Freedom to harvest our love and sweat?  Freedom to taste and savor our food?  Freedom to gain vitality from the plant's "blood?"

Come and soak up the Vitamin D.  Come and breathe the free air that the hawk and the dragonfly share.   Come and touch the soil that nourishes you.  Come and share the sun-rays that turn into chlorophyll.  Come and embrace your freedom with passion.  Come and take part of this crucial knowledge: foundation for survival.

"We need to get up, get out and do something, go change something, go be something, or else we'll fall for nothing."  -j. grea

Farmer Update from Paul: What to Plant Now?

As summer winds down and our cool season approaches, a farmer's thoughts start to turn dark green, like kale.  Often people that grow food in Southern California just plant a summer garden of corn, tomatoes, peppers, squash, beans and cucumbers, and maybe a few other things. The garden patch is left to go fallow until the first warm days of spring when thoughts of a summer harvest starts to stir.

One beauty of living in Southern California is our mild winters; this type of climate allows us to plant things all through the winter months.

It's actually very simple in Southern California.  We have a "warm season" and a "cool season."  Most gardeners are familiar as to what to grow during the warm season, ut when it comes to the cool season, I find enthusiastic gardeners have a lot of questions like, "Is it really worth growing food in the winter?" or "I can only think of a few things, are there any others?" or "What's good to grow in the Fall and Winter?"

I love it when someone asks me that!  My first response is, "Well, that depends" and then I go into my rant.  It all depends on if you want to grow a whole lot of healthful super-foods with a lot less work.  Many of the most nutrient dense foods grow during the winter months, coincidentally during the time of year when we need more nutrient dense foods.  Nature makes so much sense!

It comes as a big surprise to most people that we can grow many more things in winter than we can in summer.  Because of the shorter days, the ground is cooler and there's less evaporation, so we end up watering a lot less even though cool season plants need more moisture.  The weather is cooler, so it's easier to work in the garden.  During the cool season, plants tend to take care of themselves.  On occasion, it even rains!  And if we have amended our soil properly with adequate composted organic matter and mulched around our plants, then we really save time and water.

I'm sure you are all on the edge of your seats, anxious to learn the diversity of amazing food plants that we can grow to bring delicious joy to our dull and dreary days of winter!

Ready for the list?

In no particular order:
Broccoli - look for re-sprouting varieties; you'll probably have to order seed.
Brussels sprouts - the key to great sprouts is to decapitate the plant at about 30 inches.
Beets - try Chioggia or Golden Beets, Oh so sweet!  (Beet-haters love these beets!)
Kohlrabi - the early purple ones are stunning and sweet
Arugula - try it instead of lettuce on a sandwich
Sugar Pod Peas - the more you pick, the more you get!
Shelling Peas
Fava Beans - amazingly delicious!  Excellent with a fine Chianti.
Broccoli-raab
Turnips
Radishes
Carrots - plant a riot of carrots; they come in yellow, white, red, purple and orange!
Spinach
Mizuna Greens
Collard Greens
Kale - try walking stick kale or tree kale; they are perennials
Parsnips
Parsley
Rutabaga - sounds yucky, tastes great!  Mash them like potatoes.
Artichokes - from seed, or later in the season, starts from the nursery
Sunchokes - get some at the Market and plant 'em!
Chicory
Radicchio
Mustard Greens
Chard
Rhubarb - available at nurseries as starts, or later in the season in bare root form.
Lettuces - so many to choose from!
Cabbage
Pac Choi
Corn Salad - great for small spaces
Onions - from seed now, and later from sets
Leeks - from seeds or starts
Garlic - find your favorite, break into cloves and plant 'em!
Chives
Shallots - buy them at the Farmer's Market and plant them in your garden; they multiply.
Potatoes - buy only organic ones (then they are non-GMO) and plant them.
Florence Fennel - a must-have in every garden!
Cauliflower
Strawberries
Horse Radish
Cilantro - that's right, Cilantro is a cool season plant!

It is also good to plan on planting fruit trees, berries, grapes and other dormant fruiting plants in the winter.

If I have missed any, I am sure someone will speak up.

Radio Silence

Pardon our silence!  We've been very busy and we've got some new posts and some design changes in the works, here at the Farm blog, so stay tuned!

Farmer Update: Ben's Report

Well, here we are again with another update from the Farm.  Now, while some of you may pass by and see us standing around and eating, we actually do get some work done.  No really, we do!  We don't always celebrate birthdays and eat cupcakes and cookies like on Tuesday.  (By the way, it was Adam's birthday, so you can wish him a happy late birthday and give him a present.)  Sometimes, we have delicious cinnamon rolls and bread with homemade fig preserves, like on Thursday.  But we do work hard and deserve to relax and have some good food...most of the time.

Alright, enough about food we ate--let's talk about the food we're growing.  We have made a few new pathways where the bush beans are growing and it has made it look so nice.  We also planted some cool season plants in with the beans, like beets and some more radishes and I believe, some onions, too.  This area is starting to take shape and look really nice.

There hasn't been a whole lot of planting this week, but the stage is being set for the cool season.  Thursday, Kim planted some seeds in starter trays so that we can plant those in our Farm when they're ready.  Once we get our greenhouse built, we will able to do some more prep like this.  Don't worry, our greenhouse is on its way; we should be starting in the next week or so.  Now that the cabinet's living roof is almost finished, we will start on the greenhouse.  I know Marley told you last week that the living roof was finished, but we have found a way to keep working on it.  Just a few more little touch-ups to make it look really nice.  Trust me, it will be worth the wait!

It's really wonderful to be able to be in this environment and watch nature grow and mature.  You get to see so many incredible things.  It seems like every time I show up after not being there for a day or two, I miss out because everything has grown another foot in the night.  The amaranth is taking over.  Literally, it is taking over.  Little did City College, as well as ourselves, know that this whole "Urban Farm" was just a way for Paul to further his "Amaranth Across America" campaign, but I have to hand it to him, it is very beautiful.

There are so many things I'm sure I miss out on seeing just because I don't watch the plants constantly.  It's interesting to think about how much nature changes from day to day and what we don't see either because we are too busy or just not paying attention.  I was lucky enough to capture some pretty cool pictures of some plants that have now changed and it makes me wonder what else I've missed.  Our sunflowers are starting to bloom and they look beautiful, of course, but I captured a few before they opened and thought I would share them with you.  I found this stage of the flower very interesting and quite stunning even though the flower has not yet emerged.

The other thing that caught my eye is that while most of the sunflowers we planted to seem to look the same right now, there are a few that look completely different.  When we started planting the sunflowers I wasn't that excited about them.  Although I do like sunflower seeds, I was more interested in planting food that I wanted to eat.  But now that they have started to grow, I am really excited to see them in the garden, especially when they are full grown.  This sunflower is probably one of my favorite plants in the whole garden.

I have learned a lot in these past few months working on this project, but the most important thing I am starting to learn is to enjoy the wonderful things nature can bring.  To really sit and watch plants mature and grow is something we should not take for granted.  I'm going to leave you with one more picture that while I was taking it, I thought was going to be a really cool photo for my entry.  It turned out great and I was really excited about it, and the next day I went back to look at the squash plant where the flower was and saw the flower had wilted.  Don't miss your chance to enjoy the beautiful things nature has to offer.