Ever heard of Bakersfield? It is a big, hot, dry, low, boring 'city' that you pass when driving to LA. Most crops like nuts and peaches are grown here. We built a farm near the CCAG's backspace, which is the hottest non-enclosed space here. In August, we were dreaming of growing berries, nuts and exotic fruits just like farmers in Bakersfield, but sadly, we couldn't. Read on to find out why!
After the fail of the last onion crop, Mikey's farm's land is deemed "un-arable." In short terms, the pH is too high or small or the soil is not good. Starting in August, some green onion bottoms were planted on the CCAG's Backspace. The plants grew to about six inches in a month before halting all growth. I quickly when back there to investigate. I dug up all of the plants, but the soil was brick hard. When I watered the plants for the first time, the soil somehow hardened and prevented root growth. I then plowed up the ground and replanted the plants. For the next few months, the plants did not grow. I plowed and replanted several times. Today, we dug up the plants for the last time and planted them in a pot, where there is better soil from Home Depot. The farm is now retired for planting crops, and most of the plants will be grown on top of the two CCAG buildings.
The Backspace has had a history for not absorbing water properly. In August, we tore down some old bamboo there and the dust kicked up. When the bamboo was alive, the water from the soil somehow evaporated so quickly, the bamboo couldn't get water. The TMAD's soil actually came from the backspace. When it was finished on August 30, five 5 gallon buckets of Backspace soil were put in the TMAD. That's what gives the TMAD it's desert-y smell and it's dry and dustiness.
But what will happen to Mikey's Farm? The Atlas Nature Preserve was a long time project that the CCAG was waiting to do. We were going to turn the space behind the CCAG (where the backspace lies) into a wildlife preserve, but I decided to make Mikey's Farm instead. Since Mikey's farm has not been useful, we are going to turn it into an Atlas preserve.
Coastal Bluff is not quite the plants near the ocean, but surrounding it. Think Pacifica, CA. There is a lot of Coastal Bluff plants here, including Seaside Buckwheat and the California Poppy. Coastal Bluff makes a good habitat for Coyotes, Bobcats, Mountain Lions, Turkeys and Rabbits. Smaller or less known animals that live here include Banana Slugs, Frogs, Snakes and Lizards.
Coastal Dunes are the plants that live on the beach, literally. That place at the Beach above the high tide lives plants including the Beach Strawberry (pictured) that is related to the strawberries we eat and Sand Verbena. Animals that live in the Coastal Dune include the Snowy Plover, Lizards, snakes and amphipods. If you've been to a beach near Half Moon Bay, CA, you might notice a small pond on the beach that leads from a mountain out to the sea. The ponds are the biggest after it rained. These ponds are rarely from creeks, but mostly from rainwater collecting at the top of a mountain. Because of this, Frogs and Salamanders might live near the beach, but not on the sand,
What do you want the old Mikey's Farm land to be modeled after?
Coastal Bluff (like hiking near the coast in Marin, CA
Coastal Dunes (like hiking in Montara, CA)
Please vote. Majority Wins. The result will be released in a blog post. No matter your choice, a plant that will be planted is the coyote brush. Yeah, you've seen that name everywhere on our blog, but seriously! This plant is a VIP (very important plant)
Where do coyote brush seeds come from? They come from a type of seed pod called a catkin. The catkins can be planted and can become plants. The new plants take root in the spring when the ground is warm, but can be planted anytime else with the proper conditions. Coyote brush will be planted in front of the CCAG and in the backspace. Their root can withstand acid soil and also is able to push through the dirt effortlessly. So remember to Vote!
Comments