Final Exam

This week, we have began our preparation for the final exam in Sustag. For many of us, finals are a very stressful time and it is very hard to fit in a solid time to study for all of our exams. In Sustag, Mr. Stewart was kind enough to give us a study guide that we can use in our journals. This is great because it takes away a lot of the stress that many students suffer during this time of the year. Especially for my fellow peers who are seniors, with finals next week and college responses coming in, there is a lot going on in people's minds. I think that is universally known that Sustag is a very enjoyable class, however, it definitely offers a challenge and this final is not to be taken lightly. Even though we have many resources to use on this test, students must prepare well and take their time to really solidify on all of the rules, procedures, facts of crops and pests, etc. Finally, this final will reflect how much we learned this semester. For someone like me, I had no knowledge of 99% of the things we have learned this year, however, I feel that Mr. Stewart did a very good job at teaching us and preparing us for this test! —Evan

Mid Year One Bed Reports

This week in sustainable agriculture was focused on every week to this point combined together in the form of group one bed presentations. These presentations focused on each groups specific one bed that they have been working on this year. Each groups job was to show their fellow students their procedures in the garden, as well as the success and challenges they have had. Most groups did a great job displaying all the work they have done as well as displaying actual calorie and composite harvest numbers taken from their bed. Every bed had some sort of calorie output with the total mean being 8.05lbs. Groups were definitely more successful in producing compost with the total mean being 41.08lbs. Overall this project helped students be able to look at all the work they have done with their own bed this past year as well as the work of others. —Talis

Irrigation

Here we see our student's fine craftsmanship with some innovative overhead irrigation systems for the plant starters we have in our greenhouse aka the Hoop house. Within our Redwood garden resides tons of irrigation systems ranging from overhead (shown in images above), to perhaps one of most efficient methods, Drip irrigation. The system allocates water directly to the roots of the plants, so none of the water is wasted. As time passes and we become less inept with our irrigation, our garden will be one of the most sustainable any High School has seen before.     

-Oliver Lewis

The Future of Food

  On Wednesday this week in class we watched a documentary called The Future of Food. The documentary focused on the agri-business and how they manipulate the agriculture business and force the usage of genetically modified seeds/food. The documentary showed the perspectives of several farmers throughout the U.S., Canada and Mexico and showed their experiences. The documentary also showed the process on how plants and seeds can be genetically modified. It also goes over the positive and negative aspects of pesticides and herbicides. Also, the documentary focuses on the monopoly on the agriculture business. The monopoly is controlled by a company called Monsanto that has brought up smaller companies. Monsanto has also brought lawsuits against farmers after making them use their products without the farmers knowledge. Last but not least the Future of Food shows how the EPA and big agriculture businesses are connected which shows that high ranking members in the EPA used to work for companies such as Monsanto which shows that they will not pass laws that will harm Monsanto or make them less successful. This relates to our SustAg class because it explains the facts about herbicides and pesticides and shows us why not to use them. It also shows us information about GMOs and why not to use them either. The video also shows the impact of agriculture and why we do it the way we do at the farm.

• John

One Bed Projects

Starting at the end of last week, us Sustainable Agriculture kids have been back to crunching numbers and analyzing data for our one beds. Although it's not the most exciting aspect of our one-bed project, it really allows us to view the development of our beds whether they are negative or positive. We calculated how much we harvested, calorie crops and compost crops, and compared those numbers to our predictions from the beginning of the year. We also calculated how much of each amendment we had used during the semester along with how much water as well as planned for the next growing season. Particularly in my bed after all of our data analysis, A10, we found out that we weren't quite tending to our bed in the most sustainable manner. We were using 2 gallons over the sustainable goal of 6 gallons each day. We also really needed to use our bed space more efficiently as well as plant more nitrogen-fixing plants to help replenish our soil naturally. In the next season, or semester, we plan to plant mostly light feeder vegetables, many more nitrogen-fixing plants, and more compost crops. We plan on specifically planting crops such as rye grass, beets, beans, and alfalfa, though according to Mr. Stewart, alfalfa has not done well on the farm. Still, we are going to give that crop a try. We also plan on reducing water usage next season. (here are some photos of our bed as of December 5th) -Sarah

Winter Planting

Throughout this first semester of sustainable agriculture with Mr. Stewart we have spent more than 50% of our class time on the sustag farm. We have become familiar with the tools we use, safety precautions, and how the farm runs on a daily basis. However out of all the information we have compiled over the months the most important is each groups one bed. Each one bed has about 4 people assigned to it for the entire year. The one beds are 3 by 20 feet (60 square feet) and have drip irrigation tubes in place. There are previous crops that we planted by past classes that we have maintained as well as new planting additions of our own.

During the fall season we have worked on our one beds by composting dead plants, weeding, and harvesting for the first Friday monthly market. We have additionally adequately watered and maintained healthy soil composition. More specifically, we tested the soil chemical makeup of N-P-K (nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium) plus the ph level of the soil. Some other soil tests we performed were breaking up the soil elements in a cylinder with water, rolling the soil to see if it made a ball, and squeezing the soil to make ribbons.

For the Winter season we will continue to test the soil levels for all its components. Based on our findings and whether or not we need to amend our one bed because of any deficiencies or surpluses. It is also important that for the new season we plant appropriate crops for the one of year. The winter season can be a dangerous time for plant growth with the harsh conditions. It is beneficial to plant a number of companion plants throughout the one bed to keep in check nitrogen status and to be helpful towards other plants thriving.

by Andrew R

Working on Our Final Presentations

by Bryce Jehling

This week we spent most of our time inside the classroom due to the rainy weather. While we were inside, we started preparing our final group bed presentations for the end of the semester. There are three to four people in each group. The groups have been working together since the beginning of the school year. Each group has a plot of land in the garden where they planted and maintained different crops throughout the semester. For the final presentation we will share out to the class information about our one beds. We will discuss our bed growth and the amount of pounds of yield that we have harvested in both calorie and compost crops. We will share the different procedures and materials that we have used throughout the semester such as double digging. Our groups will also discuss the type of soil that we have in our bed as they relate to the soil tests that we took. We will show a diagram of our bed and describe the different plants we have. Finally, we will share the actual sustainability of our one beds. Our time inside the classroom this week gave us a great opportunity to work with our groups to plan and prepare for our final presentation.  

This week

     This Friday was our last market day of this year, and we had a large yield considering the surprising approach of colder weather. We didn't sell any strawberries or raspberries because they were not in season but we had an abundant amount of kale and greens. Some garlic and potatoes were sold as well, although there are still many that have not yet matured. We were lucky to harvest some flowers that are still growing at this time of year.

     Today was also a work day where we did a lot of weeding, planting, and harvesting. The recent rainfall has caused bean plants throughout the farm to thrive, which will provide a lot of beans to be sold on future market days. Leeks and beets were planted today as well, which will be a nice addition to the farm. —Alex F

In class video

This week in SustAg, we were in the classroom during block period due to the weather conditions. As we are entering the winter it is more typical for rain and because of this our time on the farm could potentially be limited. While we were in the classroom, we watched a documentary titled The Future of Food which talked about the causes and effects of using chemicals such as pesticides and fertilizers to help groom farm land. One of the main companies that was brought up in the video that works in designing chemicals to use on farms was Monsanto. Monsanto located in St. Louis, Missouri. They are known to be one of the largest pesticide companies in the world. One invention that gave them a lot of attention is RoundUp- a weed killer. Monsanto is also known for a specific type of canola seed they modified to withstand the effects RoundUp and other chemicals. People were ultimately affected by this seed because Monsanto put a patient on it. Farmers like Percy Schmeiser were unknowingly harvesting this patented seed and were sued by Monsanto. —Wes

Organic Iron chef

This week in Class we all participated in a competition called the iron chef where there is a theme ingredient from the garden which was herbs. All four groups had two days to plan a herb based meal and 10 minutes on the farm to harvest things that they and their peers grew. There are four different groups and each group has a place to prep and cook their meals. Our group chose to make a mixed herb sauteed potato dish with rosemary, cilantro, and oregano. First, we washed and cut all our potatoes into halves and quarters. Next, we chopped all of our herbs, peeled the garlic, and diced an onion. Next, we put the potatoes into a pan with peanut oil on medium high for roughly 15 to 20 minutes, seasoning in the beginning and stirring occasionally. We ended up winning by majority vote because the texture of our potatoes was "perfect" in Mr. Stewart's words. Each group's dish was very different from the other with creative ideas like pancakes and soup. The only thing in common between all dishes was herbs. What I liked about the Iron Chef competition was being able to harvest crops our own beds and prepare them until a meal, especially when you start growing them from seed like the cilantro.

—Cooper

Iron Chef 2

Coming back from Thanksgiving break, students coming back from either the beautiful Tahoe's landscape or from the smoky Marin County. The students will visit the farm after more than week without getting close to school.

Also the Sustag class had an unusual schedule this week. The second Iron Chef of the semester took place on Thursday morning by using herbs as the special ingredient this time. There was a huge variation of dishes between all the groups. There were many creative ideas using Rosemary such as lemonade, pastas and more.

There were also a few presentations by second-year students to show their projects in their own beds and their experience in their own beds and in the farm overall.

Due to the busy week, the students were only working Friday on the farm this week and our main job was to maintain and take care of our bed by weeding them because there was no school due to the Thanksgiving break. Although, some students only took care of their beds, some groups were able to work on their management jobs and some groups also had the opportunity to see if their could plant new crops on their beds that could grow during the winter or that could help to improve their soil quality (such as light or heavy feeders). -Diego C.

Farm to Fork Blog

Twice a semester us students get the opportunity to turn what we have grown, into a delicious meal cooked at home known as the farm to fork assignment. Different from the iron chef as we get to individually cook our meals at our convenience. The second time around in this semester I decided to cook one of my favorite meals that my mom makes. I took on the challenge of cooking potato soup from scratch. I was planning on cooking it over the weekend, however I waited til' the last day to cook this meal which was on my birthday. The assignment requires we use an ingredient straight from the farm so I chose to use rosemary due there not being enough potatoes available to use as my main ingredient. I started out by placing my large pot over medium high heat and rinsed off my veggies. I cut up three large leeks and 10 Yukon gold potatoes, and threw them into the pot. I added 8 cups of water and three chicken bullion cubes to let boil until the potatoes were cooked. 15 minutes later I took the pot off the heat and used whats known as an immersion blender to mix together the ingredients. I added rosemary, garlic powder, salt, pepper and some milk to give it its flavor. Before serving, I added some Frank's Red Hot Sauce to give it some heat.

Bees

Bees, perhaps are one of the most underrated and beneficial insects that we have recently gone over, and seen on our local farm. One of the main influences for understanding Bees was a documentary that we watched in class. In that we learned about the various crops and species that depend on Bees for their very own existence. That includes us, Bees are responsible for pollinating nearly 85% of all food crops for humans. On the other hand some examples of Bee dependent crops include beans, tomatoes, onions and carrots, not to mention the hundreds of other vegetables, oilseeds and fruits that are dependent upon bees for pollination. To United States Agriculture alone, the yearly Honey Bee pollination value can be counted up in the billions. It goes to show the importance of maintaining certain species in order to have a sustainable ecosystem. In this specific case such a small insect which has such a vital role in many ecosystems. There have been efforts recently within the SustAg crew to plant new flowers and other supporting companion crops to incentivize more Bees to come and pollinate throughout our farm. We recognize their significance and are doing what we can to support their population locally.

—Lucas

Iron Chef- The Battle Of The Cooks

This week the SustAg Classes had the second iron chef Wednesday the 28, 2018. This time we had to use herbs from the farm to make our dish. The group with the best dish would get the iron chef victory. In the competition you are allowed to bring other items that are not from the farm but the more you bring the less sustainable it is. And all that is provided by Mr.Stewart is the mini stove top and 2 cutting boards and 2 knifes. we got the first 15 mins out in the farm to collect ingredients we need for the dish. Once we are in the classroom the rules are explained and Mr.Stewart says "let the Iron Chef begin!". We only have about 50 mins to cook the dish and give it to Mr.Stewart to try. Once everything is cleaned up and he has finished eating he talks about each plate then declares a winner. For this weeks Iron Chef my group and I made rosemary biscuits. Unfortunately my group lost the iron chef but Alex's group won the iron chef. Congrats on wining the iron chef. 

-Eduardo Diaz