transparent-background
DONATE TODAY!

Solstice Notes from Zenger Farm’s Fields

In December, when the rains come in, the farm pauses. In the quiet of winter, it can be hard to imagine the pace of spring and summer. Then, before we know it, we are pouring over seed catalogues, laying out crop plans, and filling seed trays with soil. It’s not long before we hang our jackets up in the warm afternoon and begin to lay irrigation lines into long rows. These are some of the predictable patterns we sink into as we reach the longest day of the year.

The comfort of familiarity underscores the new season and changes on the farm. This year, we welcome Mike, one of our Full Season Farm Interns. In a recent CSA newsletter, Mike wrote:

“I realized I wanted to know where my food came from and how it was grown. I changed my diet and found I had more sustained energy throughout the day. In addition to my everyday activities, I could run and bike longer distances. I now trail run regularly and commute by bike to Zenger Farm! My goal is to grow energy packed vegetables while caring for all macro and microscopic creatures. Watching the life cycle of one single crop is an amazing thing and I can’t wait to share the finished product with you, and your friends and family.”

We are excited to work with a wonderful crew of Full Season Farm Interns this year, Karrie, Michelle, Kayla and Mike! 80% of Zenger Farm’s graduates since 2010 are currently farming, so this is what our next generation of farmers looks like!

In other news . . .

We like to visit other farms in the Willamette Valley to see different environments and ways of farming. It helps us to remain curious and creative in our own practices as we learn how other operations handle challenges of varying climate, soil conditions, and water use. And, these visits renew our sense of community among the small farms of Oregon

In May, we visited Adelante Mujeresin Forest Grove, Oregon, an organization with many projects under their umbrella. We learned how they train and support new farmers with ongoing advice and guidance in sustainable agricultural practices, organization and distribution of a CSA membership farm, as well as how to acquire land and run a successful farm business.

Perhaps the most memorable part of the day was our visit with Javier Lara, a farmer who has benefitted from the support and training of Adelente Mujeres. Javier hosted us at his farm Anahuac Produce. Anahuac is the Nahuatl, or Aztec, phrase for “close to water,” as well as a geographic and cultural reference to the wide landscape south-central of Mexico City.

For years, Javier, a former migrant worker, followed seasonal work from California to Washington and back: pruning grapevines, harvesting asparagus, picking cherries before landing permanently in the Forest Grove area. He emphasized the importance of ecological practices, and his connection with Pineros y Campesinos Unidos del Noroeste, also known asPCUN, the largest farmworkers’ union in Oregon.

Javier grows various medicinal herbs, flowers, and nopale, a prickly pear cactus he brought back from Guerrero, Mexico. Of the many varieties of nopales he brought to Oregon over the years, only one acclimated to the cold, wet winters here. Javier gave us a few of his paddles to propagate. We’ve started growing it out at Zenger Farm. Next time you’re out, ask us about it!

Thanks for being part of our community and helping us grow. Check in again for the latest from our fields!

By June 21, 2018|UncategorizedComments Off