Orangewood Farm Tour
CUESA visits Orangewood Farm in Rumsey, California.
The Scotts sell navel oranges and organic plant starts at the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market from January to March or April.
Paul Muller of Full Belly Farm was our tour guide as we drove through the Capay Valley. He told us that sustainable family farms like his have a long history in the valley, and they market their products together under the Capay Valley Grown label.
Bonny Scott (foreground) and her sister Jessy welcomed us when we arrived. Bonny and her mother Jackie run the business, with the help of Jessy and a few others.
The Scotts have three greenhouses in which they raise vegetables, herbs, and native plants for home gardeners. The conditions inside the greenhouse are regulated by shade cloths and ventilation.
The seeds are germinated in this greenhouse. The Scotts have rigged up an old waterbed to provide the heat needed for germination.
Bonny and the rest of the crew transplant seedlings on this table. They use blood meal and rock phosphate for supplemental nutrients and minerals.
The Scotts find methods of controlling pests naturally, such as garlic tea, which they make at home and spray on the seedlings with this creatively reused detergent jug.
In addition to its human inhabitants, the farm has many happy animals. This is Jackie Scott and the goat Babe. Once the Orangewood van was beyond repair, it became a shelter for Babe.
Babe plays with one of the farm's five dogs.
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CUESA (Center for Urban Education about Sustainable Agriculture) is dedicated to cultivating a sustainable food system through the operation of farmers markets and educational programs. Learn More »