2013 Verde Valley Farm Tour:
Besides satisfying my personal curiosity for healthy farming methods, there are some perks to this endeavor – socializing and eating!
Between sinking my teeth into a freshly picked apple and picking raspberries, I learned about natural methods of pest management like companion planting and crop rotation, discussed water use in drip irrigation and flood irrigation, water quality, and saw how fields are laid out to minimize water needs. I noted solar powered wells, hand-made solar ovens and green houses, soil regeneration and a water conservation compost project through “Huegli Kultur”. Of course, the GMO subject came up, in particular very hard to find and expensive GMO-free livestock feed.
More to see next year: an heirloom tomato farm, a biodynamic vegetable garden, a biodynamic vineyard, a healthy bee operation and 2 organic fruit and nut orchards!
With gratitude, Katrin Themlitz
El Portal Garden near Schnebly Hill Road
El Portal Garden with Vernon Armpriester
Dahlia at El Portal Garden
Protected by the Buddha – Sprouts and Wheatgrass by Jaka’s Sky Hi! Sprouts
Jaka, owner of Sky Hi! Sprouts, at the green house growing healthful wheatgrass
Amaranth at El Portal Garden near Schnebly Hill Road
Ryan Schumacher and Andrew Crafter preparing winter garden
Ryan Schumacher and Andrew Crafter at Spring Creek Ranch with heirloom lavender and watermelon
Raised Beds at Spring Creek Ranch
Ryan Schumacher with heirloom melon at Spring Creek Ranch
Gourd at El Portal Garden
Freddy Munoz, owner of Da’Nede Farm, in 8 foot organic corn grown for making popcorn
