Blackberries are sweet, tart and peak of season

Can you say pie? There's nothing like homemade.  So yum with ice cream or freeze them up for smoothies. These are a variety called Kiowa that is very early and long fruiting with giant berries often over an inch long.  U-pick with the family it'll be a great day for the family in the sun

Update to 350 Garden Challenge on the 15th

It seems that projects just naturally grow. This one is no exception. In addition to building our new adobe earth pizza oven we've added an opportunity to pitch in and plant a salsa garden. We think 15 to 20 families can join in this coop effort with over a hundred tomatoe and peppers plants, maybe do some weeding from time to time and come back in 80 days for a canning party and take home a supply of personalized salsa. We supply the land and water, you supply the love.

In addition the our scare crow workshop, we have added fanciful face painting by visiting artist Natalie Dale. Lest we forget little educational walking tours of the orchard and discussion about our fruit production.

This is a small little farm but still big enough for lots of friends and family. Although we will start with chicken eggs for only about 10 or 12 families, we expect that within 4 years as our fruit trees mature and we add livestock and a hot house, that we will supply 40 families with 30 tons of fruit and fruit products, 100 families with eggs, 20 or 30 with vegetables and10 with milk and a little cheese.

I warn you, our place is a little rough around the edges, a bit like frontier, but that makes it a ground floor opportunity.

Wayne

Oasis Farm joins 350 Garden Challenge
Oasis Community Farm invites families to build
Living Earth Oven and Scarecrows May 15-16th
On May 15th and 16th, 10am-5pm, friends and budding veggie farmers will meet at 350 sites around Sonoma County – including at the new Oasis Farm, 280 Skillman Lane - for a day of sustainable fun as part of the 350 Garden Challenge launched by Daily Acts, iGrowSonoma, GoLocal Sonoma Coop and Petaluma Bounty to honor Bill McKibben’s call to reduce greenhouse gases below the 350 parts per million level required for a healthy planetary climate.
At 280 Skillman Lane, Wayne and partner, Connie Madden, are inviting interested families and friends to join them in building a Living Earth adobe oven and benches with Miguel Elliot - and scarecrows to take to their own gardens. Scarecrow building is great for kids and free if you bring materials; $10 for materials otherwise.
“We’re expecting Miguel’s Living Earth Oven to be a centerpiece of our fruit farm,” said Morgenthaler.” “We’ll build in the courtyard between a planned fruit packing/dance hall and our new home-to-be on the hill.” There will be an open-air folk music and pizza party Sunday, June 13th to dedicate the new oven. Parking is limited and Petaluma families are asked to RSVP for both events to ConnieMadden@yahoo or Wayne at 364-9769.
Morgenthaler has transformed bare land into a budding orchard with 188 fruit and nut trees and berries, Rhode Island Red chicks and Nubian Goats on the way. The couple is seeking families to join in planning a food coop along the lines of a community-supported agriculture (CSA) with many possible variations.
350 Garden Challenge includes GoLocal Sonoma County as business liaision, Petaluma Bounty and Daily Acts building new gardens or revitalizing existing gardens wherever plants will grow. Inspired in part by the 350.org international campaign to address climate change, the 350 Garden Challenge is a partnership between Daily Acts, iGROW Sonoma, GoLocal & Living Mandala, Sonoma County Water Agency and dozens of community groups and companies (including Petaluma Bounty). Goals of the program are to create a healthy homegrown food supply, save water and cut greenhouse gas emissions, support local businesses, build community and beautify our neighborhoods.
To help build an adobe oven, build scarecrows and consider future involvement with Oasis Farm, email ConnieMadden@yahoo.com or call 364-7627 or 364-9769. To register your garden as a project of 350 Garden Challenge, go to the 350 Garden Challenge page on the iGROW Sonoma website