Organic Gardening Info from Peaceful Valley

Early this Fall we planted a couple of Improved Meyer Lemon Trees in front of our Grass Valley Location and now they are bristling with citrus goodness.

Of course we had to cover these babies with Agribon during our recent snow storm, but besides this little “Inuit-interlude” they have produced a copious yield. The attractive harvester shown in this picture is our very own Pattie Boudier V.P. getting her hands dirty while wearing a beautiful blue ensemble.

Here is a image of our harvest basket filled with small tasty Meyer Lemons. Pattie said something about making lemon-aid. Lemon-aid in December! Gotta love that!

Concerning Agribon take a Look at Autumn’s Posting here about her Agribon covered garden during the last snow storm here.

I had the opportunity to represent Peaceful Valley at the 2009 PlacerGrown Conference (Feb. 7 in Lincoln, CA). It was a great event attended by the “who’s who” of small scale agriculture in Placer and Nevada Counties. There were many workshops focused on the following “Strands”, or topics: Community, Getting Started in Farming, Miscellaneous (included workshops on honeybees, producing firewood, and carbon sequestration in agriculture), Farming & Ranching as a Business, Marketing, Interns, and Livestock. Workshop facilitators included Dan Macon, Roger Ingram, Keith Crabtree, Cindy Fake, and Carol Arnold, all very reputable and knowledgeable people involved in agriculture.

Jim Gates (“Meat Jim”), High Sierra Grass Fed Beef

I was especially excited by the Keynote speaker, Micheal Dimock of “Roots of Change” (ROC), a collaborative of people intent on establishing a sustainable food system in California by the year 2030. ROC has a strategy to get critical people and groups working together to establish political momentum, informational links, cohesive vision, and needed grant money. His talk was both intellectual and inspiring; I walked out with a larger view of the complexities involved but hope of the real possibility of a sustainable food system. Check out the website http://www.rocfund.org/, and be sure to endorse the “Declaration For Healthy Food and Agriculture”.

I’d encourage anyone in the Placer/Nevada County area interested in local agriculture to attend next years’ conference!

We are very excited to announce that applications for next year’s Freshman Farmer program are now available here. (more…)

Driving to work at Peaceful Valley Farm and Garden Supply, my shoulders tighten, my stomach churns, my stress level seems to rise.  I am listening to the news and, like many others, wondering about my children’s tomorrow.

I walk into work – in my case, the Peaceful Valley retail store.  I am soon decompressing the news with my co-worker, Kathleen, and just talking about it as we count our register drawers makes me realize I’m not so alone in this economic/political/social dilemma.  Before long, we have the lights on, the curtains up, the fountain flowing and the customers to consult and serve.

Within a very brief time, my shoulders are dropping, my stomach is hungry (if anything),  my stress level is nowhere worth measuring (well, unless we experience a customer rush and everyone is paying in large bills).  PVFS is about the here and now.  Today we need to stock up on BT – the catepillars are running rampant.  Omega is flying off the shelves (when doesn’t it?) – everyone wants blooms, or growth, or vigor!  Shade cloth, bamboo stakes, garlic…my cash register sales are testimony to what we gardeners need in the present.  Today there are actions and products that will create tangible results tomorrow or next week.  Today, the incredibly beautiful bulbs on the PVFS shelves are the promise for my kids’ tomorrow – next Spring.

Working at Peaceful Valley helps me attain what we are so often advised for our well-being – living in the moment.  Soon enough, I’ll be driving home, with the news on and tomorrow’s bigger problems will creep back into my reality  If I’m lucky, tomorrow I’ll be back at my register at PVFS, concentrating on what is actually important and gaining a healthier perspective.