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May Farm Tour Photos / Farm Work Day Info

Nov 1 , 2006

Canal Dries Up - Thaddeus

The irrigation district has closed the canals. All the water that was being stored in Clear Lake and the Indian Valley Reservoir, diverted through Cache Creek and into the canal for Yolo County farmers to use, has stopped. From a practical point of view we are now getting ready to move our tractor pump down to the creek while we wait for the showers from Mother Nature to take over our crops water needs. Chris and I joke that we would like to order one inch of rain per week, in two shots – half inch on Thursday after 3 pm and the other half inch on Sunday morning. Actually we are quite serious and if a group dance would make that come true I would have the whole company dancing in the fields.

The canal has been a river flowing all through the summer. During that period of time some species of fish turned the river into their home. Now, with the water out there a few deep puddles in the bottom of the canal that are packed with thousands of fish. The puddles are alive with all the little creatures trying to move around, running into each other, beaching themselves then flopping back into the drink. Already there are a few locations where the sun has evaporated all the water leaving the lifeless fish huddled together in the bottom of an empty hole.

There was a time when the irrigation districts would put chemicals into the water to prevent any form of life from existing. The aquatic plants were a problem because they slowed down the flow of the water. The animals were a problem because they got sucked up into the pumps that were taking water out of the canal. The desire to keep chemicals out of the water has stopped all of that. The result is that everything still dies, but not until the end of the summer.

Life goes on. Next summer the demand for water to grow food in Yolo County will return. With that water the population of animals and plants will return.

Thaddeus

Special Date! Sunday October 29

Capay Organic, our store in the S.F. Ferry Building, will be hosting free pumpkin decorating for any
children (or adults too). Pumpkin decorating will start at 3pm and we will be serving hot apple cider. We will be giving a talk on
how pumpkins grow and will have recipe cards for great things to cook with pumpkins.
Event will be from 3pm - 5pm

Farm Tour Update
Fall 2006
Get ready! We'll be hosting a work party on the farm in the fall. We
hope to see new faces along with familiar folks getting their hands
mucky in Capay dirt. Stay tuned...

We look forward to seeing you!

Please contact: Georgette at Georgette@farmfreshtoyou.com or call 800.796.6009 to
reserve space for you, family and friends.

Plan on arriving at the farm early in the morning, as close to 8am as possible. There will be actvities and walks planned for the whole family.

Farm News

April 16, 2008
Spring Heat

April 9, 2008
Farming Weeds

April 2, 2008
The Canal Season

March 26, 2008
Spring Overload

March 19, 2008
The Spring Rush

March 12, 2008
The Frog Hole

March 5, 2008
Light Brown Apple Moth

February 27, 2008
Herb Garden

February 20, 2008
Cental Valley Agriculture

February 13, 2008
Greenhouse Time

February 6, 2008
The Science of Farming