Well I Have All This Kale...

At our farm we harvest some of the freshest ingredients we will ever be able to cook with. But what to do with bag of kale, beets, or wild arugula besides a simple salad? The sites Food52 and FoodRepublic are full of excellent recipes that will allow us to create amazing food from the ingredients we grow. Instead of kale chips, one could find a recipe for crispy coconut kale topped with salmon, or peanut kale udon noodles. Food52 also posts useful articles on specific food preparations and college-worthy articles such as “3 Ways to Make Toast Without a Toaster”.  Food Republic hosts articles on the progresses of noteworthy chefs, food trends across both the country and the world, including propagation of little known cultural dishes. So if its to complete a food and use project, or just interest in current food innovations, check out these websites for some insight.

-Gabe Gennarelli (6th)

Farm Update Post Storm

Over the last week the North Bay has experienced heavy rain storms paired with high winds. Both the wind and the rain caused for large pools of water to form all over the north bay, with winds blowing branches and debris all over the place. In the past, the RHS farm has turned into a mud bowl when faced with rain, as the pathways flooded and open areas became mush.      This time however, the farm held up very well with little to no damage to important areas of the farm. Preparing for the storm, Mr Stewart had his classes lay down organic matter in the trouble spots of the farm, to help soak up the rain water and eliminate flooding. This worked well and the paths proved to be in great condition after the storm, showing little signs of damage. The school side of the hoop house, which had been a problem area in the past, looked great after layers of carboard and wood chips were added. A culvert runs along the entire east side of the farm, it is designed to be the low point on the farm, so water will pool naturally and flow out. The culvert really helped drain water that could have pooled on various parts of the farm into one easy to control area. The only problem spot in the garden seemed to be the class gardens along the tennis court fence, which pathways between beds had not been forified well enough and tuned to mud. The plants in the class beds looked fine for the most part, except that some wind had tipped over some of the more tall Kale plants.      The farm actually looked pretty good after the rain fall, with all of the plants looking very green and healthy. With just a few improvements to the farm before the next rainstorm, we will be ready to handle anything! By: Stephen Nelson (6th)

Civil Eats: A Review

12/8/2014

Civil Eats: A Review

    Civil eats is an activism centric website devoted to the promotion of sustainable agriculture practices and exposing the injustices of the food world. With articles exposing ag-gag laws that unconstitutionally prevent journalists from documenting the inner workings of our food system, the problems of “food deserts” or areas without access to fresh foods, and innovative sustainable farm techniques to name a few.  The site is also devoted to building relationships between citizens and their local farmers, as well as promoting youth interest in sustainable agriculture systems. Back articles such as Freshly Squeezed: The Truth About Orange Juice in Boxes underline some of the unknown aspects of our food and agriculture system that show how consumers are misled by businesses. Articles such as “Pesticides taking toll on farm workers” both show the negative effects of pesticides on our food and health but also how dangerous they are to our agricultural workers when safety is not prioritized.

    Civil eats is an important site to educate us on aspects of the agricultural system that are purposely concealed from us. By better understanding these shady practices we can begin to take step to change our actions and show our dissatisfaction in the form of action or consumer-side activism “voting with our dollars”. If these topics interest you, or maybe you just want to see some cool interviews with chefs, then check out some of these links or go to civileats.com.

http://civileats.com/2009/05/06/freshly-squeezed-the-truth-about-orange-juice-in-boxes/

http://civileats.com/2014/09/12/can-you-trust-the-natural-label/

http://civileats.com/2013/08/09/pesticides-taking-toll-on-farmworkers/

-Gabe Gennarelli

Honey and Bees

Honey and Bees

Right now all I can think about is how much I want some honey.

Over the last few weeks we have been hearing a lot about honey, and the bees that make it. We have watched a movie (More than Honey) and had a number of people from the Planet Bee foundation and from UCSF come in to class to talk to us about bees, their honey, their pests, and how much we need them in our lives.

As much as I love honey, we could all probably live without it. However, bees are responsible for pollinating at least 30% of the worlds crops. Many delicious fruits (tangerines and apples), as well as a number of nuts (hazelnut and walnut), grains (buckwheat) and vegetables (avocado and broccoli) would all probably die out without bees to pollinate them. Beyond the vegetables, many of our cattle are also fed with plants or grains that are pollinated by bees, so they would also be affected. Clearly this is not a desirable outcome, but over the last decade or so, bee populations have been shrinking rapidly as a result of disease and the mysterious colony collapse disorder where many bees suddenly decide to leave the hive and queen.

Bee hives are populated by the queen bee and the worker bees, both of which are female, and drones, the males.

Queen bees lay approximately 1,500 eggs a day and can store multiple types of sperm in their abdomens, ensuring diversity within the hive. Drones don’t do any of the work in the hive and only live for the chance to mate with queen bees from other hives. Once the drones mate, they die, and any remaining drones will be killed off by the worker bees before winter. Although the worker bees do all the work and the drones are necessary for mating, the queen is clearly the most important part of the hive, which is what makes colony collapse disorder so strange. Normally the worker bees would never leave a queen behind because they would have no one to lay fertile eggs, but this phenomenon is becoming more and more common.

Another reason for decreasing bee populations is pests and disease. The most prevalent and dangerous pest for honey bees is the varroa mite which bites bees on their necks and feed on their blood. However, foulbrood, when bacterial spores infect larvae, and deformed wing virus are also serious issues.

One speaker from UCSF came in to tell us all about zombie bees which are bees that have fly eggs hatching inside of them and eating their way out. These flies cause the bees to fly out at night, gather around lights, and wander around in circles, much like the zombies they are named after. Many beekeepers are forced to feed the bees antibiotics to ward off these pests and diseases, and now most bees in America can’t survive without antibiotics.

Clearly the falling bee population is a problem, but sustainable small scale beekeeping may be the answer. Regardless, if something isn’t done soon, we will end up like the people in China who have to hand pollinate all of their fruit trees.

Lets hope that we can get a beehive for our farm!

New Green house/Hoop house Installment!

Through the last month or so, our class has been constructing a ShelterLogic greenhouse.  This has been a pretty big undertaking, and there have been many changes in the course of actions we have decided to take.  We have had many volunteers helping us with the putting up of the hoop house outside of class, however the putting together of the structure has been an in class effort as well, with our building group providing help to those who volunteered.  The house will offer a good, safe place for the plants to grow in the winter.

ShelterLogic greenhouses are  very sturdy with steel stabilizers designed to give solid  anchoring for the frame.  With dimensions of 10 x 19 x 8, the ShelterLogic is known for being relatively easy to erect, as it comes with step-by-step instructions.  Coming with a cover that, has zipper flaps for adjustable temperatures, and protects the plants from harmful UV/UVB rays. Although the cover has not yet been added, this will surely be a helpful asset on the farm.

-Julien Almond

Farm Work Day

Last Saturday's work day was a huge success. Over 70 volunteers came to contribute to the construction of our sustainable farm. During the two hours we spent together, we continued to maintain and plant more fall crops in the beds such as spinach. The framework of the hoop house was also established through the hard work of our many volunteers. The pieces of the house were connected one by one to form a sturdy structure that will soon be added on top of a smooth cement foundation.
A salad of mixed greens was also produced and distributed around the farm. Containing a mixture a fava leaves, lettuce, chard, and mustard greens, it was a great way to get a taste of the rich flavored crops being produced at the farm.


-Morgan Yee

Planet Bee Foundation In-Class Presentation

Last Friday our class received an engaging presentation from Planet Bee Foundation, a nonprofit educational program that aims to increase awareness about the worldwide decline of honey bees.  The presenters brought in various posters of subjects regarding honey bees and an observation hive to get a close up look at live bees.  The class learned that this keystone species pollinates two-thirds of the world's crops, and without them the availability of produce would significantly drop.


The presenters addressed various factors for the decline of bees, including the use of pesticides, monoculture, prevalence of diseases, and Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD).  Colony Collapse Disorder is the unexplainable massive disappearance of honey bees, a phenomenon threatening the health of this vital species and the economic stability of beekeeping and pollination operations.




Thank you to Planet Bee Foundation for spreading awareness about such a vital species to humans and the entire ecosystem!

- Ruby Lucas

Update of Farm Work- Winter Planning

Cereal Rye
Grow Veg.com. N.p., n.d. Web.

This last stretch of the semester holds some big changes!As we ring in the holiday season we are also ringing in the new seedlings we've been planting to ready ourselves for winter. The cereal rye in our group beds are starting to grow and cover our farm with green. Rye is an excellent winter cover crop because it's deep roots provide support for our soil during some heavy rains and winds expected to come this season. In addition cereal rye can produce 10,000 pounds of dry crop in a single acre! Thats a whole lot'a nitrogen to add to our compost piles. Get ready compost groups! 

Inside a Hoop House
"NSAC's Blog." National Sustainable Agriculture
Coalition Hoophouse Comments. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Nov. 2014.

In addition to planting winter crops we are starting the process of building our very own hoop house! During the winter the green house type of structure will provide a sanctuary for seeds and seedlings throughout the storms. When springtime rolls around we'll be ready to plant the first seedlings from our house! 

An Example of Hoop House
"The Door Garden." The Door Garden RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Nov. 2014.

 We're excited to welcome Mr. Stewart back to the classroom 

 and we hope for a speed recovery! 

-Dana Brooks

Iron Chef Challenge!

On November 3rd our sustainable agriculture class took part in one of the most challenging, yet incredibly fun activities we have had the opportunity to do this year. With the help of chef John, we were able to create delicious tasting (and looking) meals! 

The meals we created were scored by three different categories: Presentation, Taste and how sustainable the meal was. For example, we were provided with a wide variety of fruits and vegetables from our very own sustag farm, but we were also allowed to bring in any other ingredients we needed. The goal for these ingredients was for them to be sustainable, or in other words, local or organic materials.

We were given a limited amount of time to prepare the meals, and we were also penalized if our workstations weren’t cleaned up. During the preparation process we were given access to a stove, oven and basic materials like knives and cutting boards.

The first group presented delicious scrambled eggs with quinoa, tomatoes, onion, kale, basil, and cilantro. They also had a tasty side salad with strawberries, carrots, cucumbers and a light lemon dressing. Their presentation was simple and eye catching with lemons lined around the outer edge of the plate.

The second group made a simple, yet scrumptious batch of kale chips with sea salt with the choice of lemon. John admittedly said that he preferred his kale chips “without lemon” but also acknowledged the fact that kale chips were a crowd favorite and were yummy.

The third group created a kale burrito filled with veggies and a side kale salad. This was the most unique presentation of the day, especially with the fact that the burrito was fastened with a carrot slice.

The fourth group made a yummy kale omelet filled with kale, various veggies and goat cheese from Sonoma, which caught the judge’s attention and added a nice touch to their dish.

After much debate and deep thinking about the delicious dishes, the judges came to the final conclusion that the kale burrito won the iron chef challenge! What was the prize? Why, the leftover goat cheese!

-Jamie Ball

The Real MVP

While the students in Sustainable Agriculture contribute loads of hands on work on the farm, the guidance is all contributed by Mr. Stewart, and the guests he finds to come help out. This year, Johnathan, a leader in Redwood's agriculture studies abroad, has been there helping out every week. Not only is he extremely helpful on the farm, but the students enjoy working with him too.

Pictured above are students on the farm with Mallory (far right) who works with the same program as Johnathan. Mallory was here helping and teaching on the farm last week.

Much of what the Redwood Sustainable Agriculture Program has accomplished already would be near impossible without the assistance of our guests that come and help. Not only are they there during school hours, but on work days too. We, as students, owe them a huge thank you and are excited to continue working with them out on the farm.

-Nate Flax

The students in the 6th period sustainable agriculture class prepare for the upcoming farmer's market by harvesting their plants. A major priority during the fall season is to harvest, since many of the plants grown in the Redwood sustainable farm will be incapable of surviving during the winter. In order to provide at least a modicum of growth in the winter, students have prioritized planting cold-resistant plants such as radishes and cover crops. These plants are expected to produce relatively decent yields during the winter season, in addition to preparing the soil for further cycles of growth during the spring. Specifically, cover crops will recycle and replenish nutrients in the soil which are vital for future plant growth. Radishes are resilient vegetables that grow quickly (see image below)

 Radishes that were planted at the beginning of the season are already fully grown and ready for harvest.

Furthermore, in order to compensate for the unfavorable growing conditions that are likely to occur during the winter, Mr. Stewart has taken the initiative to construct a green/hoop house. Ideally, this house will be designed to protect plants from cold temperature, heavy rain and birds, but allow the plants access to sunlight and thermal energy. Hopefully, this addition to the farm will create additional plant growth during the winter. This house will be set up in the southeast corner of the farm.

-Joe Kasselik

A Sustainable Garden is A Healthy Garden

The Redwood farm is a sustainable farm, which means it is not only good for the environment, but also helps the plants and vegetables we are growing, be healthier too. There are many ways that a sustainable garden can help the environment.   The less green waste that goes into a landfill the better.  Using green waste to make compost will make a nutrient rich soil that will add to the health of the plants and vegetables being grown.  We prepared our planting beds with cardboard, straw, manure, compost, and recycled soil. It is important that we can reuse, recycle, and renew.  Weeding is an important part of keeping the garden healthy too.   Part of the maintenance of our farm is regular weeding and those weeds get put into our compost bins.   We never use any chemicals on our plants to keep pests away, as chemicals can be harmful to the health of our plants.  Conserving water is an important part of a sustainable garden and important for our environment too. Our class installed a drip irrigation system in the farm, which helps reduce water waste, and gets the right amount of water to the plants roots.  And last, we selected the plants that would grow well for the season and climate we are in. All our activities on the farm are meant to preserve and protect resources so we can help the environment grow healthy plants.

Pat Quinn

Harvesting

Near the end of each month, the students in the Sustainable Agriculture class start to harvest the plants that have been growing around the farm. Some of the plants that were  harvested before this 
monthly farmer's market were tomatoes, pop corn, corn stalks, indian corn, squash, radishes, kale, chard, seeds, seedlings, and some flowers. Harvesting consists of picking the produce from its plant and washing them. Once they are harvested, they are then weighed on a scale and documented. After this process, they are put in baskets and put out for people to buy. While most of the plants harvested are from class beds, one main plant harvested from the group beds were radishes. A few groups planted radishes at the beginning of the school year and were ready to be harvested and sold at the market. Another plant that got harvested a lot was the different types of corn. The daily care that we give to the plants (watering, weeding, pest control, etc.) allow the produce to be ripe and ready for harvest. Another thing that allows the harvesting to be considered sustainable, and or organic, is the way that the produce it handled between picking and being sold at the market!

 - Nic G.

Cold Weather Crops

Summer Squash

As the colder weather approaches, we are starting to take out the summer crops (squash, corn, cucumber, eggplant, melons, gourd, pumpkins, tomatoes, etc.) which need temperatures from 65-90 degrees F to grow and are killed by frost. Marin is generally pretty cold from October to March and gets some light frosts during the colder seasons so we need some semi-hardy crops that can sustain temperatures as low as 35 degrees F (like beets, broccoli, Swiss chard, lettuce, carrots, celery, etc.) These crops are normally grown from the late fall and through the winter in mild climates, good for any small Bay Area farms. It should be interesting to see how these crops react to the cold weather, my question is whether or not the the frost will stunt the growth at all. Our summer crops turned out great and I'm sure our winter crops will too!

Collard with frost on leaves

October's Farmers Market

Last Friday was Redwood Sustainable Agriculture's 2nd farmers market of the year, and we had a great turnout! There was a great showing of teachers, students, and parents making there way through the market and deciding what produce to buy. The fruits and vegetables featured at this Fridays market includes squash, kale, radishes, chard, basil, tomatoes, pop corn, corn stalk, indian corn, seeds, seedlings, flowers, and a couple water melons. While everyone was bustling their way to get to the market and select the best produce (basically everything) I went around asking people questions about how they heard about the market and what produce they would like to see in the near future. I had one parent say "Anything, it all looks great!", but the parent finally narrowed the many choices into one, "If you could I'd love to see bell peppers." Although bell peppers are a summer time fruit, I wouldn't be surprised if you see them next year. Another item that a student hoped to see were some baby carrots. This type of vegetable will hopefully make an appearance next early spring. An additional question that I asked was: How did you hear about RHS Sust Ags Farmers Market? The majority of the answers were that people heard about it from the students who were in the class. So to the students who are spreading the word of our farmers markets, nice job! 

Harry Schmidt

Fall Preperations

This past week, our class has been working on our soil reports, adding onto our compost pile, working on our management jobs, and continuing to stay up to date on our One Bed Projects. The soil report showed our class how to properly identify whether or not that soil was ready to be used for planting by using a series of calculations based off of our results from putting the soil into a cylinder with water and letting it sit for a few days. With the results, we were able to determine what materials we had to add to the soil to make it ideal planting soil. For some, staying up to date on our beds meant re-planting in the areas of our beds that were having problems growing, while others may have just had to water and make sure that everything was looking good. Our pile of compost continues to grow, therefore, we have been organizing it into individual piles as it waits to be put into use. As a new month is upon us, our new water group continues to build irrigation systems for the farm as all of our other management groups continue to do their part to ensure that the farm continues to improve.
-Lars H.

By Nedda

      Sustainable Agriculture is Redwood's newest and most talked about class. Many of the students, including myself, decided to take Sustainable Agriculture for the alternative classroom experience. Splitting our time 60-40 between classroom and farm time, Sustainable Agriculture is the only class at Redwood, besides PE, that allows students to spend the majority of their instructional class time outside.
        Being able to get out of the stiff classroom setting and being able to spend time outside can be extremely beneficial to students mental health. One student, Parker Berman says, "I decided to take Sustainable Agriculture mainly because I like the outdoors and being outside a lot. The earth and sun is calming and helps to take the stress away after a whole day of writing, listening, and sitting." While some students aim for the outdoorsy experience, other students enjoy Sustainable Agriculture for the life experience, and being able to make a difference. Sust. Ag. student Rory Baker says, "I took this class so I could learn the basic skill of knowing how to grow food for yourself. I also think it's pretty cool how we make reuse and recycle almost everything on the farm, and don't need to waste anything."
        Sustainable Agriculture is a very good option to consider when deciding which classes to take, not only is it applicable to real life, but it is an excellent alternative to the classic, in door, classroom setting.