I spent a fabulous morning touring Oak Hill Farm in Sonoma County. About 15 of us gathered at the Red Barn off Sonoma Highway at 10:00 a.m., then David Cooper, the farm manager, lead us on a tour of the historic farm’s barn, greenhouse, orchard, and fields. Cooper has degrees in chemical engineering, but decided being stuck in an office was not for him. He's been a farm manager for about four years now.
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| David Cooper leads the tour |
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| Beehives on the hill |
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| Basil, melon, sweet potato, squash |
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| The barn |
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The farm is beautifully situated – surrounded with oak and mixed evergreen forest. We learned about the farm’s organic and sustainable farming methods, which have been in place since the 1950s when the owners purchased the farm. They grow a whole array of fruits and vegetables, rather than planting a single crop. They practice crop rotation, plant cover crops to enrich and protect the soil between plantings, and allow a beekeeper to keep beehives on the property (honey for him, pollinators for Oak Hill Farm). The property is alive with bees and birds (and gets its share of pests in the form of deer, crows, squirrels, and gophers).
The produce is sold directly to several restaurants in San Francisco, at Farmers’ Markets (Ferry Terminal and Jack London Village), through CSA subscriptions, and at the Red Barn on the property. The tour is offered the first Saturday of the month. It is a great opportunity to see a farm in operation, and spend some time surrounded by beauty, growing things, and the natural world. To learn more: http://www.oakhillfarm.net/.
1 comment:
I've never heard of this place. It looks beautiful! And like a great way to spend a day. :-)
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