Three weeks ago me and two others within the Sustainable Agriculture class of Redwood visited Star Rout Farms. Star Rout Farms is located within Bolinas and was founded in 1974. From the beggining, it was Organic and is actually California's oldest continual organic farm. Originally the farm began on five acres and depended on horse drawn plows but has since upgraded to 38 acres of farmable land using precision planters and hydrocooling equipment.
Since Bolinas is cool weathered with consistent fog Star Rout Farms grows cool weather crops. Crops such as lettuce and winter squash. From observing their farm I also noticed fields of bell beans and purple artichoke. The farm uses organic techniques such as natural fertilizer and cover cropping for desirable crop production. They also grow alyssum the flower to attract beneficial animals to consume pest. Their water source derives from a reservoir at a higher elevation then the farm. The higher elevation is used to water their plants through low impact sprinklers.
Star Rout Farms in the 70's sold primarily to growing number of natural food stores within the Bay Area. In the 80's they supplied chiefs with produce who were innovating California Cuisine such as Paul Bertolli and Joyce Goldstein. Throughout the 80's and 90's Star Rout Farm's production grew to feed the growing organic movement, but when large organic growers entered the market in the late 90's they were forced to cut back. Presently they focus on supplying eighty restaurants and three farmers markets.
Mateo Vega
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