Schedule

Typically, March through June is very busy as the apprentices become familiar with the farm and one another, and learn how to work together to plant the spring crops, begin the CSA harvests, host school class visits and the Memorial Day CSA work weekend and potluck, and travel to attend BDANC training weekends and the CSA General Meeting and Potluck in San Francisco. A tremendous learning curve takes place during this time—the days are full.

During June through August we focus more on the garden, with summer crop succession plantings, weeding, vegetable harvesting, the grain harvest, and the fall plantings of winter vegetables. BDANC training continues, but there are no school class visits during the summer period.

During September through November we see the end of the garden plantings. Horse field work for planting the next year’s grain, hay, and pasture crops intensifies, and we host a few more class visits, as well as the fall CSA work weekend and potluck and the quarterly Biodynamic Association meeting. Fall is also the time of year when we try to free up time to hold organized training workshops during the workday. We can use this time as an opportunity to learn and practice harnessing, driving, and using the workhorses, if that is of general interest, or take up other subjects that are of particular interest.

During the growing season, the operation of the farm on its present scale requires the directed fulltime effort of about 5 people. If the apprentices gain skills and apply themselves as the season progresses, we will be able to accomplish the critical work of the farm and free up more time toward the end of the season to focus on training workshops or other areas of particular interest. It is well to take up this goal from the beginning, and at the same time realize that there can always be things beyond our control. When unplanned situations arise, we will have to deal with them, which can upset our plans to a greater or lesser degree.