In the past couple of weeks we have been developing a relationship with the Brookside Elementary School cafeteria staff. As you would guess, the kitchen staff is very excited to offer fresh, local produce to the students for a healthy snack and lunch. This Friday we did our second weekly harvest and delivered lettuce and spinach to the cafeteria and a local restaurant. Then around 9:30 AM we arrived in the cafeteria to introuduce the sweet peas as a snack option and pass samples around. Many of the kids were delighted that the peas were from the farm. Most of the kids had a positive response to the fresh veggies.

On Monday we will harvest lettuce in hopes of stocking the lunchroom for the last week of school.

We filmed a part of the action in the cafeteria. To see the sweet pea feeding frenzy click here.

13.5 Pounds of Peas harvested on Thursday

Handing over washed peas in the cafeteria a few hours later

Peas at snack time in Friday morning

We are beginning to plant out the first 330 Sq feet of spring annuals. After prepping annual beds, we began to get our first plants into the soil. When you look at the picture below and travel from left to right you will get a sense of our planting arrangement. There are about 66 Sq ft of pole peas, 33 Sq Ft of Turnips, 15 Sq Feet of Beets, 66 Sq Ft of Cabbage, 56 Sq Ft of Russian Red Kale, 60 Sq Ft of Swiss Chard, 10 Sq Feet of Spinach. These plants are all companions- and in the case of turnips and peas- there is evidence of a beneficial interaction. The beets and turnips were sown in one pass with the three-way Earthway seeder set to 4.5 inches width.

Our planting method incorporates aspects of Grow Biointensive ™ plant spacing and the idea that a polyculture system allows flexibility and provides a setting that may allow a crop to avoid disease. Moreover, it allows us to plant crops in easy to access places in the bed. Although omitted this time, I think it will be excellent to add other companion plants like marigolds, nasturtium, calendula, and chives into our next beds. These plants have been reported to improve flavor and lure beneficial pest predators. There is clearly a value added component to a farm or garden anywhere that pests can be minimized without sacrificing the health of the body and environment to the use of pesticides.

I would like to include plant spacing numbers to give you an idea of how intensely the bed is being planted:

• 66 Sq ft of Peas: (2 rows of peas 66 feet long at 3 inch spacing)
• 33 Sq Ft of Turnips: (2 rows of turnips 66 feet long with 5 inch spacing)
• 15 Sq Feet of Beets: (1 row of beets 66 feet long at 5 inch spacing)
• 66 Sq Ft of Cabbage: (1 row of cabbage at 66 long at 15 inch spacing)
• 56 Sq Ft of Russian Red Kale: (2 rows of Kale 28 feet long at 15 inch spacing)
• 60 Sq Ft of Swiss Chard: (3 rows of Chard 30 feet long at 8 inch spacing)
• 10 Sq Feet of Spinach: (3 rows of Spinach 5 feet long at 4 inch spacing)

This bed is 5 Ft wide and 66 Ft long

From Left to Right (Peas, Turnips, Beets, Cabbage Spinach/Chard/ Kale)

Tentative plans are being made at Brookside Elementary school to secure a long term source of worm bedding. Worm bedding can be manure, shredded cardboard or paper, straw, wood chips, grass clippings, sawdust, or peat moss. The bedding source that we will try to utilize is the shredded paper that is produced at the school. This paper is often sent to recycling, but it seems feasible to divert the flow to the vermicompost system. Although we will not be collecting food scraps from the cafeteria this year, it is still important to include the school in the waste management process as it seems like the most natural source of material.

The carbon-rich worm bedding provides the following functions for the worms:

• Moisture: Worms need a moist environment to exchange oxygen and carbon dioxide through their skin. Without moisture this transfer of gases will not occur.
• Oxygen-rich air: Loose bedding provides air pockets that promote respiration and prevent the worms from suffocating.
• Protection: Bedding covers the worms and hides them from predators. This provides the same function that leaf litter or soil provides in the natural environment.
• Food: Worms will eat the bedding along with the food scraps that are buried in it. It also gives them an alternative to eating their worm castings if there is not a significant amount of food scraps to consume.

The bedding is also used to knock down the potential for flies and odor. Once food scraps are put into the system they are covered with some bedding, (similar to using sawdust in a composting toilet). Regardless of the bedding source it has to be non-toxic.

Shredded Paper that Can Be Used for Worm Bedding Material

Today I finished creating a four-foot wide by eight-foot long vermicompost bin. I used 18 cinder blocks ($40) to line the top of the bin and to provide long-lasting structure. This bin is one foot deep and provides 32 cubic feet for composting with red worms. It is important not to make the bin deeper than one foot because increased depth leads to excessive compaction of damp bedding and food scraps. Since worms are strict aerobes, they cannot tolerate the reduced oxygen environment of an anaerobic composting bin.

The bin is located along the northern fence line and takes advantage of the afternoon shade. For optimal feeding, the worms prefer a temperature that ranges from 68°F-77°F. Since the bin is rather large it has a greater insulation capacity should not be difficult to maintain temperature in the mild Mendocino county winters. However, I am certain that some form of shading will be necessary to keep the worms happy in the hot summer. After the construction of this bin we have plenty of room on the Northern fence line to create 2-3 more bins.

Binet Payne recommends starting with one bin and building up, from there. In her system at Laytonville Middle School, Binet uses four, 32 cubic foot, bins to manage the flow of lunchroom wastes. These are large bins and each bin can hold a maximum capacity of 64 pounds of red worms! As a general rule, 2 pounds of worms can consume 1 pound of food scraps per day. As you can guess, a fully stocked bin is capable of processing a maximum of 32 pound of food scraps a day! I have yet to determine the weight of food scraps produced daily at the restaurant we are going to begin to collect scraps from. I want to be able to match the restaurant's production, but I also have to watch the budget as red worms cost around $30 a pound. At present I think I will not invest too much and let the population ramp up in the next few months. Who knows, there might even be someone in the community with extra worms to spare for the project.

Construction of vermicompost bin

Halfway Finished With Cinder Block Border

Cinder Block Border Completed

Months ago I wrote about creating a vermicomposting system
at Brookside Elementary that would be capable of collecting food scraps
generated from the school cafeteria and transform the “food
wastes” into nutrient-rich worm castings. Since then, I have picked up a book
titled The Worm Café which outlines how to establish a mid-scale
vermicompost system of lunchroom wastes. This book was written by a local
author, Binet Payne, who has successfully created such a system in a town 25
miles north of Willits. Binet is a middle school teacher who used her
enthusiasm to support her school garden program and educate children and staff
about the benefits of recycling lunchroom wastes with red worms. Her book
covers each aspect of readying a school for such a program including: a
School-Wide Waste Audit, Creating Understanding with Cafeteria Staff and
Parents, Establishing Bins, and Managing the School’s Food-Waste Flow. I have
found the material inspiring and it has grounded my expectations for creating a
system in this 2006-2007 school year.

The population at Brookside
Elementary School is 450 students; Kindergarten to Second Grade. Each student
spends an hour a week with a Garden Enhanced Nutrition Coordinator (GENC). This
is a special program that ties directly to the mini-farm that is being
developed at Brookside. Once the farm is set-up,
the GENC will have an ideal setting to anchor the context of classroom
discussions about food, nutrition, and environmental stewardship. If all
parties work together, (i.e. farm manager, GENC, school staff, and parents) then
there is real potential to establish a successful vermicomposting system at Brookside in the near future. It is important to begin the
school year with the “recycling” program in place so that new students can
adapt to the cafeteria’s expectations.

At present we are over halfway through the school year, and
it is a little late to work with and coordinate the staff and the kids.
Nevertheless, it does not mean that we shouldn’t move ahead with developing the
appropriate infrastructure. We have been talking with a couple of local
“organic” restaurants who are more than willing to separate their food wastes
and allow us to collect and covert it to worm castings. Furthermore, the school
has an abundant supply of shredded “waste paper” that can be converted into
carbon-rich worm bedding.

This project is exciting because it allows us to make a
strong effort to capture material that would otherwise be thrown out. Instead
of rotting in a landfill, the food scraps can be used to grow more food and add
nutrients to the soil. This project also connects other groups of the community
to the processes of local food and fuel production. In the long term, these
local organic restaurants may become supporting members of the CSA and we will
be able to close a portion of the waste loop and convert it into a form of
useful energy. The vermicomposting system is yet another way that the Willits Energy farm is Reducing Consumption/Waste and Producing Locally.

The
motto of Post Carbon Institute is “Reduce Consumption: Produce Locally”. We are
demonstrating that motto at the Willits Energy Farm located at Brookside
Elementary in a number of ways. For example, a mini-farm is being established
that can operate with intermediate
tools that do not consume petroleum. As a Community Supported Agriculture
project, the food is intended for local distribution within the community. Additionally,
rotations of compost
crops are being grown to cycle nutrients back to the soil in the form of aerobic
compost. Through this practice, we generate a form of fertilizer that is used
on-site (local production) and is capable of maintaining the long term
viability of the farm by securing healthy soil (reduced consumption).

The
plan for this summer is to grow a small area of biofuel crops at Brookside. The fuel can be used to cover our on-farm use.
However, since we do not rely heavily on petrol, we can potentially distribute
the ethanol to another local farm that intends to grow food for the town hospital.
I will speak more about the ethanol project as we near the time to plant the Dale Sorghum in
mid May. If you are interested in learning about how sorghum can be used for
ethanol and food check out the following links:

A Sweet Idea
Converting Sweet Sorghum into Ethanol

Sweet Sorghum
Culture and Syrup Production

Hi Folks! I want to encourage everyone to visit the photo gallery under the Willits Energy Farm Section. Thanks to the technical support of Post Carbon Institute's very own Mack Hardy, we can now show you pictures from the multiple projects occurring at the Willits Energy Farm! The Energy Farm is located at Brookside Elementary School in Willits, California. Once you visit the gallery you will be able to see pictures of the Farm Site and pictures related to the construction of the Toolbox and the Perimeter Fence. I'm very excited that these pictures are up, and we will soon be adding pictures related to the Weather Station Project that we completed in December.

Click the link below to head for the Willits Energy Farm Photo Gallery:

http://www.energyfarms.net/fgallery/61

We spent the earlier part of this brisk day inside, selecting the specific varieties of annual plants that we will grow in the spring, summer, and fall. Our list has been created on an Excel file, so we will be able to share our estimates and data with you as soon as we feel it is ready to present. Jason has been working out the estimated yields and varieties and even calorie content over the last couple of weeks. Stay tuned for the data!

Later in the day, Jason and I headed down to the farm site to take measurements of each area that will be dedicated to both perennial and annual crops. While we made our measurements, we were particularly interested in the areas designated for the annual crop section. Will we have enough room for 100, 5ft x 20ft garden beds by the time we add access paths and walkways? Initial calculations say yes. There are approximately 15,900 Sq. Ft. to work with, which should be enough for a little over 100 beds and walkways. As of now, we plant to make the beds 5ft wide by 20ft long. Remember, this site is an unused baseball field and the soil in the infield is compacted. Consequently, we have omitted the infield section in our annual planning this season because we are unsure if it will produce enough to satisfy the demand of those who have pledged their support to this new CSA and Energy Farm Project. Check back because we will update the layout of the beds and post it on the blog as soon as it too is ready. Until then, here are today's sketches.

Taking Measurements

 Measurements of Annual Section

The list of community support for the Willits Energy Farm at Brookside Elementary keeps growing. A total of 13 people from the community have pitched-in to donate their time effort to the perimeter fencing project, and recently, five new founding members have pledged their support for the farm. Their support will enable us to move forward with the installation of an on-site well. I want to extend a sincere thank you to everyone who has helped with the project and care to see it completed to the higest standards possible.

Without a doubt, an on-site well is a large investment and a crucial step in ensuring the consistent, long term operation of the farm site. Although the farm is on school grounds, it will be able to fend for its water needs independently. Consequently, the Brookside Farm will not have to rely on the municipal water system nor the school's energy budget. This is a two-fold bonus. First, the municipal water supply contains chlorine and a well will not. Second, we can adapt a variety of renewable and alternative energy methods for to operate the well. Solar power will be one way to offset the energy costs as we look into other means of supporting the well in cloudier winter months.

Visit the Community Support page at:

http://energyfarms.net/node/598

The new weather station installed at the Willits Energy Farm is able to collect a variety of metrological variables. This blog will discuss the three main hardware components of the system, namely, the Integrated Sensor Suite, the Vantage Pro 2 Console, and the data logger. These three parts work together to gather, transmit, store, interpret, and present data related to our on-site weather conditions. The Energy Farm network currently has two sites capable of broadcasting weather data-the Energy Farm site in Willits, California and another at the Energy Farm site at the University of British Columbia.

Close Up of Integrated Sensor Suite (ISS) on Willits Energy Farm

The Integrated Sensor Suite (ISS) is mounted eleven feet in the air in the northwestern section of the Willits Energy Farm. Notice that the unit is equipped with an anemometer. As you might guess, this device is used to capture wind speed and wind direction data. The large black surface is a rain collection bucket. The bucket has a conical shape that channels water down into a spout. This spout pours water onto what looks like two cups situated on a teeter-totter. Situated at the fulcrum of this teeter-totter is a digital sensor used to measure the amount of hourly precipitation. On top of the unit and to each side of the rain bucket are two gauges which measure Ultra Violet Radiation and Solar Insulation. In the picture you can only see one gauge- the UV detector. Many people quickly notice the mini solar panel mounted on the front of the unit. This does not collect specific variables of data, and instead powers the sensors, assists the transmission of the wireless data, and recharges the battery. The ISS uses a Nickel Cadmium battery, which, no doubt, serves as a back-up and nighttime power source. Most of the other devices are housed inside the white portion of the unit, under the rain collection bucket. This is a radiation shield and is where measurements of temperature, humidity, and barometric pressure are derived. The radiation shield is designed to protect the sensors from interference from direct solar radiation that may confound the accurate measurement of data.

 Vantage Pro 2 Wireless Console

The second aspect of this system is the Vantage Pro 2 Console. The console is mounted on the wall inside the computer lab and receives data from the ISS via wireless transmission. The Vantage Pro 2 Console was bundled with the ISS and is used to present the data in a means in which we can read it. It is capable of producing graphs, making forecasts based on its data, and simply displaying the data in real-time. It runs on three “C” batteries or can be plugged into an AC power source.

There is a small section in the Vantage Pro 2 box to insert a data logger (not pictured). The device is sold separately. Without this it is impossible to connect the weather station to the computer and therefore impossible to store a large amount of meaningful data. The data link connects to the computer with a USB cable and is packaged with Davis Instrument’s Weatherlink software. Weatherlink is the windows-based interface and can make colorful graphs, adjust the Vantage Pro 2 console settings from the computer, and share the data on the internet.