Durst Organic Growers

We often look to #nature for inspiration (and we love #insects), so we thought we'd share this just in case you need a little last minute inspiration for your Halloween costume...

Looking forward to trying out more cozy fall #recipes! Has anyone tried a #butternutsquash recipe like this?

"The web of life is held together by relationship." #Biodiversity, from the #soil to the skies, is one of the magic words when it comes to stewarding healthy lands. One of the main goals of our #farming practice is to mimc nature's processes and relationships as best we can; by encouraging natural #ecosystems on our farm (putting a focus on #soilhealth, habitat plantings, increasing beneficial predators) we are working WITH nature, rather than against it to produce an abundance of healthy food while working towards a healthier planet in the process. Check out this great Bioneers article that details how #regenerativeagriculture is challenging the, " notion that ecosystem degradation is inevitable on lands that produce food." (Thanks, EcoFarm for sharing!)

Happy (almost) Halloween! If you're local to Esparto, and want a chance to grab one of these #jackolantern #pumpkin then head over to the The Farm Stop for their #hallowsafternoon celebration this Saturday from 12-4. We hear they're planning a spooky specialty market complete with a Trunk or Treat and possibly another pumpkin giveaway... #spookyseason #durstorganicgrowers #happyhalloween

It's that time of year, again! Time to make all the #pumpkin things ( #PumpkinEverything)! Bread, cookies, sauce, drinks, pasta, casserole, pie....what else? No matter what your favorite #pumpkinrecipes are, there's a good chance they all feature a base of #pumpkinpuree. If you've never made your own from scratch (the cans are just so darn easy!), its high time you give it a try....it's *almost* as easy as opening up a can. What do you think? #durstorganicgrowers #recipes https://www.durstorganicgrowers.com//how-to-make-pumpkin-p

Have you subscribed to our #newsletter, yet? Every month, or so, we send out an update on what's going on around the farm, musings on our minds, and maybe a recipe here and there. Here is our most recent newsletter - check it out and let us know what you think! #durstorganicgrowers https://mailchi.mp/9a6b557fc/entering-the-persephone-period

We've got winter squash on the brain. Sugar pies, acorn, #butternut, #kabocha, #spaghettisquash - the gang's all here! Plus a few of their mini counter-parts (mini butternut, mini kabocha, mini spaghetti). Now, what to eat?! Have you been able to cook with any #wintersquash yet?

Have you been seeing any of these little guys around lately? Pictured here is a #ladybug larva AND, below it, a pupa! Since they look so much different than their adult counterparts, these #bugs often are mistaken for "bad" guys, but they're really quite #beneficial. Monitoring bugs, both good and bad, is a large component of our #pestmanagement strategy. Check out our Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/durstorganicgrowers/) post(s) for a little more info! What #insects have you been seeing? #organicfarming #organicagriculture #californiafarmers #durstorganicgrowers

Do you remember our post a while back about how we install our buried drip irrigation system? Well here's a snapshot of the flip side: the removal process! This week, we’ve been working on taking out spent drip tape in one of our fields that was most recently planted with barley. This really cool implement on the tractor lifts and spools the tape, 3 beds at a time, and when the spool is full it opens up, drops the giant spool, and we can tie up the bundle neatly. We keep the tape in the ground for 3-5 years, assessing for damage (leaks) as we go to determine when it needs replacing. We can fix small leaks but at a certain point it just needs to be replaced. Check out our website if you're interested in more information on how we irrigate! #californiafarming #irrigation #tractors #durstorganicgrowers

A sign near the entrance of our Farm Office reminds us, Sharing is Good Economics. While we don’t share meals and living quarters with our farm employees like Jim’s grandparents did when he was growing up, we do want to share the bounty of the farm with everyone, and make sure all our employees have the supplies and means to share meals with their families at home - especially during these trying times. This week, with help from Yolo Food Bank, we started a new program on the farm to help make that happen.

The bees, along with other pollinators and beneficial insects, have found the Blue Bells! We plant insectary rows among our tomato rows in an attempt to draw in all the good bugs that help us fight the pests. Typically these rows are filled with alyssum, but this year we tried adding in some CA natives such as the blue bells and poppies pictured here. Which flowers/herbs do you find the most beneficials on in your summer garden (or park, nature preserve, roadside...)? #beneficialinsects #pollinators #insectary #flowers #california #organic #durstorganicgrowers

We love playing with (cooking) our food as much as we love growing it. But, we want to know, how do YOU like to cook our produce? Any favorite cherry tomato recipes? Generally it seems hard to get around to trying cherry tomato recipes since they're so darn tempting to eat just straight out-of-the-box, but now that we're all finding ourselves with more time at home (and in the kitchen) than in summers past it seems like the perfect time to try out ALL the cherry tomato recipes. Here's an easy one to start with: a simple guide to roasting cherry tomatoes. The possibilities with what you could use them with are endless. Check it out and let us know what you think! #durstorganicgrowers #organic #cagrown #soilandsunshine #tomatoes #summercooking

We always like to try new things here - this year it's some new plants in our insectary rows. Pictured here are bluebells, dill, and sesame. #insectary #beneficialinsects #tomatoes #organic #cagrown #durstorganicgrowers