Archive for Events
Fresh Strawberries at Blue House Farm
By Kelsey Grousbeck, Intern
Recently a handful of Skyline donors and their kids bundled up to pick strawberries at Blue House Farm on the Coastside. Ned Conwell, one of the farm’s co-founders, taught us about the history of Blue House Farm, which began as a plot of land on Cloverdale Coastal Ranches and developed into a three-acre farm with over 100 varieties of produce.
Blue House Farms (c) Ann Duwe
Ned also showed us some of the techniques certified organic farmers use for eco-friendly pest control and to maintain soil fertility. Some of these techniques, such as using the parasitoid wasp that lays its eggs inside some agricultural pests, were a bit more creepy crawly than others. To finish the tour, Ned showed us the old-growth lumber barn containing the creative produce washing bathtub and lettuce-drying Maytag dryer, then let us run wild with their flock of chickens to warm up a little.
In the chicken pen with Ned (c) Kelsey Grousbeck
After Ned’s tour, POST donors eagerly made their way to the strawberry patch, where they got to work picking that week’s strawberry crop, each taking home enough strawberries to be used for everything from preserves to a tasty summer salad.
POST donors picking and enjoying strawberries! (c) Kelsey Grousbeck
Ned and his business partner Ryan Casey have been leasing the land for Blue House Farm from POST for the past five years. In that time, their success has come from operating as a CSA, or Community Supported Agriculture farm. With this program, members pay an annual fee to have a weekly box delivered with a selection of that season’s produce, as well as flowers and eggs if requested. POST’s office in Palo Alto is one of the drop-off sites for these boxes, and many POST donors and staff have participated in the CSA program at Blue House Farm over the years.
Strawberry Bounty (c) Kelsey Grousbeck
In addition to informing people about the CSA program, they have been running Blue House Farm as an educational farm, offering tours to school groups and explaining how to operate an organic and sustainability-oriented farm. Part of the reason they founded Blue House Farm together was, as Ned said, because he and Ryan “share a similar dream of combining farming with environmental education” (Landscapes Fall 2008). For more information about Blue House Farm and their CSA program, please visit http://www.bluehousefarm.org
Sunday Hike: Almaden Valley Kiwanis at Rancho San Vicente
By Daphne Muehle, Senior Major Gifts Officer
Recently I met up with Martha Kelley and the Almaden Valley Kiwanis on POST-protected Rancho San Vicente. It was such a beautiful day—warm with a cool, light breeze.
After introductions and a preview of the day’s hike, we set off for the high-point on RSV. Along the way, we saw over a dozen varieties of wildflowers in full spring bloom, including: California poppy, morning glory, owl’s clover, blue dicks and cream cup. The colors were fantastic—bright oranges, hearty blues and brilliant yellows—all mixed together on a background of greens from the native grasses (although the grasses had that hint of gold, letting us all know that summer colors and heat were not far away).
Blue Dicks (c) Bill Buckley
Everyone from the Kiwanis group and their family and friends were gracious and interested in the natural surroundings. With the help of Todd and Cindy, and Bill and Gail, we spotted yellow and brown spiders, a four-foot gopher snake, and holes in the ground where we imagined many of these creatures lived. I’m just glad more of them didn’t make an appearance! I would rather look up and see the birds to tell you the truth, and we did see five American white pelicans flying in formation!
Todd and Cindy (c) Bill Buckley
Every time I asked our group to listen to nature, we were interrupted by the sounds of man. First it was an ambulance siren in the Valley, then a helicopter flying overhead. These sounds emphasized how close we were to urban development. RSV is on the edge of the city, and now that it’s protected it will offer recreational opportunities close to home. Luckily, we were met with pure silence when we reached the top of the hill, about a mile and a half from where we started. Plus we saw the breathtaking views of Calero reservoir from the top. Nothing beats this view in my opinion.
As we hiked down from the hill, we looked toward Almaden Valley and were reminded what a treat it is to have this open space. I hope these folks I met and others in Almaden Valley will become POST donors (and you too, if you haven’t already) as it takes a community to save a world-class resource like Rancho San Vicente.
View of Almaden Valley (c) Bill Buckley
And if you’re interested in getting a group together and going on a hike, just send me an email: dmuehle at openspacetrust.org
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