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One of the humblest and most important of creatures!
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One thing tomatoes, squash, eggplants, cucumbers, pumpkins, blackberries, apples, strawberries, quince, pears, and raspberries growing on the farm all have in common is that they need pollinators to grow fruit. The much publicized decline of pollinators, especially honeybees, became apparent here on our farm one sunny day in late January; while out doing chores, when I was struck by how quiet it was among the flowering mustards and citrus trees. Also the rosemary and lavender bushes around the house, which are typically buzzing with bees, were rather quiet too.

It worried me, so I checked in with Anselmo Rivas, a local beekeeper who manages approximately 400 hives and who over the years has always left 8-10 of his hives stationed here on the farm to meet our pollination needs. He explained that he had lost a large percentage of his hives this winter due to Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD), that still-mysterious plague affecting bees all over the country. To meet his quota for an almond grower in the Central Valley, he had to take all of his hives, including the ones he typically leaves on the farm.  He assured me that they would be back in time for when our apricots, pears and plums started blooming in mid-February and early March.

This year, however, the hives arrived late due to bad weather and a delay in the almond bloom. Although Anselmo managed to get me a few hives locally, it was a scramble since everyone was short. Anselmo's primary income is not from the honey but from renting his hives, so he of course likes to rent as many hives as he can to maximize his income, especially during the almond bloom when growers pay a premium. On average, each acre of fruit trees needs 2-3 hives to set a good crop. With more than 700,000 acres in almond production here in California, this translates into a huge number of bees. Anselmo was telling me that the demand for bees in the Almond industry is so high that beekeepers from as far away as Florida will ship their bees to California, to take advantage of the $140-$200 per hive servicing fees.

The honeybee is truly one of nature's workhorses. What makes them so popular, besides the honey they share with us, is that they are able to pollinate a large number of different plant types. Due to their social nature, they tend to recruit other bees to visit the same plant several times during their blooming period, increasing the chances of higher yields of fruit or seeds produced per plant.  Honeybees are the most important pollinators for farmers (more than 90 fruits and vegetables depend on bee pollination) and nobody has yet been able to figure out what exactly has triggered their alarming decline. The consensus is that it is a number of stress factors are contributing to the problem.

Colony Collapse has been found to be most prevalent among larger and mobile beekeeping operations, where bees are stressed from being trucked around, and because of the large number of hives involved, they often cannot be cared for adequately. Another serious problem has been the Varroa mite, an external parasitic mite that attacks bees and is difficult to control. Many beekeepers use increasingly stronger miticides to combat these mites, especially in situations where they see a buildup in resistance. Unfortunately these more toxic products also end up being toxic to the bees. Furthermore, many of the bees used in conventional farming landscapes pickup pesticide residues which then end up in the honey they feed on.

Sadly, many of this country's yield- and profit-oriented farming practices eliminate the natural habitat; consequently the many beneficial ecological services of living organisms that have evolved in those habitats also go away. So not only have bees  been found to be at risk, but pollinators in general are at risk of decline.  Several species of bumblebees are nearly extinct, and many others are suffering severe declines. Other pollinating insects are similarly suffering from reduced habitat.

Here on the farm we are dedicated not only to growing food for you, but also to providing food and habitat for native pollinators. We have the land, tools, and know-how to create insectary plantings and wild areas where pollinators can take refuge. Pollinators in turn ensure we have a more abundant and reliable food system. In addition, those non-crop plantings attract other beneficial insects, which improves pest management. I believe farmers, if given the incentive and public recognition, can be instrumental players in the conservation and restoration of natural, non-cultivated environments, the ones which play such a key role in our efforts to balance the biotic relationship so important in maintaining a healthy food supply.

- Tom

Clockwise from top left: bumblebee in poppy; honeybee in quince; bumblebee on vetch, mason bee in blackberry; active honeybee hive in background

Temporary Strawberry Shortage
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As I mentioned a couple of weeks ago, the leanest period in the production cycle of the farm is right now, and deciding what to include in your weekly shares is one of the most challenging balancing acts of managing a CSA. The content of your shares is what drives our entire production system; it is the end result of a complex matrix and intricate web of interacting conditions. Last week I misjudged the harvestable quantity of ripe strawberries in the field and we ended up having to replace strawberries with apples and blueberries. But conditions are now favorable, and the plants are healthy and loaded with lots of green, soon-to-ripen strawberries. This means that production will rapidly increase. This week we'll have enough berries for all the Extra Fruit Options and Family Shares; next week the Small Shares should also see their first strawberry allotment.  Thank you for your patience and understanding!

- Tom

Here's a good image of strawberries in different stages of ripeness, and above, a typical morning strawberry harvest.

Community Farm Day Strawberry U-pick update
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A little update on the upcoming Community Farm Day and Strawberry U-pick:

we changed the date.

Please join us from 10-2 on Saturday June 4, 2011 at the 1275 Green Valley Road entrance to Live Earth Farm. The day will center on our new barn and the production portion of Live Earth Farm at this location.  In addition to strawberry picking, we will also have tractor ride tours leaving from the strawberry field several times throughout the day. Wondering why we changed the date?  Do you remember those weeks of rain that lasted through part of April?  Those rains pushed our whole growing season about 2 weeks back, which means our strawberries are going to peak a little later than usual.  Mother Nature has given us another opportunity to learn flexibility in the face of natural forces we can only try to control.  Thank you for joining us on the roller coaster of seasonal food production and consumption.

- Jessica, LEFDP

New pick-up sites: 880/Stevens Creek, and Naglee Park
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For you commuters who pass through the 280/880(17) highway interchange on your way to or from work, we have established a new location that is very easy to get to. It is right off of Stevens Creek Blvd. (the other side of 880 from Valley Fair, kinda the northwest side of the Burbank neighborhood).

And due to popular demand, we have also finally established a new site in Naglee Park.

If one of these locations is closer or more convenient for you, you are welcome to switch there. You can do so by logging into your account and clicking on "Change Location." (Remember: subscription changes can only be made on a Sat/Sun/Mon)

- Debbie

Herbal Basics of Stress Management this Saturday
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by Darren Huckle

Stress is an amazing force in our lives.  It both generates us and breaks us down.  When we have just enough stress it catalyzes us to perform to a higher level in life.  If we had no stresses or challenges in our lives both our minds and bodies would atrophy and there would be no force inspiring us to adapt and perform to a higher level.  But as most of us experience, stress can have a very negative impact on our lives.  In the world of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) we say that stress stagnates and exhausts our life force.  Stagnation can be experienced through stress responses such as tight muscles, indigestion, constipation, tight chest, frustration, and headaches.  Exhaustion of the energy is just that.. fatigue, and a feeling of lack of vitality. 
 
Fortunately there are many ways to buffer the effects of negative stress on our bodies and minds.  Herbal remedies have a great role in stress management.  Some categories of herbs that are useful in buffering or decreasing the effects of stress include:

Calmatives - herbs that calm or sedate us such as chamomile, California poppy etc.
Adaptogens - these are herbs that buffer the effects of stress on our physiology and strengthen our life force such as Eleuthero, Ashwaganda, Holy Basil or Tulsi etc.
Nervine Tonics - herbs that soothe and nourish our stress frazzled nervous system such as Milky Oats, Saint John's Wort etc.
Aromatics - these are herbs that keep the energy flowing as a buffer to the constraint we can feel with stress, Mint, Lemon Verbena, Lavender etc.

Stress affects each of us in different ways, thus other herbal categories that may be employed include digestives and adrenal tonics to strengthen particular body systems being most affected. Of course keeping your body nourished through good nutrition like you get from your Live Earth Farm CSA shares is a must!

May the delight of fresh and vibrant foods in your CSA share lift the veil of stress off your shoulders.

Darren Huckle L.Ac., Herbalist
RootsofWellness.net

If you are interested in tools for dealing with stress in your life, come to the farm this Saturday from 10-3 for an empowering class on The Herbal Basics of Stress Management.
 
For more info or to register for this class, please call or email Darren at 831.334.5177 or rootsofwellness@gmail.com

Kids and Parents: check out Art at the Farm Summer Day Camp! And Teens: become a Counselor-in-Training!
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Live Earth Farm Discovery Program is excited to offer its second summer of Art at the Farm Summer Day Camp. Kids can come spend a week at the farm, learning about animals, getting their hands in the dirt and making nature based arts and crafts. We are also looking for participants ages 13 and above to be counselors-in-training for one or more of the week long sessions. This is a great opportunity to develop leadership skills and get involved with the community.

We are offering three one-week long sessions:
June 13-17
June 20-24
Jult 11-15

For more information, see description on our website (be sure to click on "Reveal/Hide the details), or, contact the Discovery Program:
Jessica Ridgeway
lefeducation@baymoon.com
831.728.2032

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(click here for cost and scheduling info)
We'll be engaging campers in creative expression among our 100 organic acres of fruits, vegetables, farm animals, and wild spaces. During the week campers will plant, harvest, and create in the kitchen and beyond; make cheese, make masks, print, paint, and sculpt with natural materials.