The Santa Cruz Permaculture Farm is new to this beautiful 26 acres as of 2022, and our growing methods will evolve as we transition soil that was cultivated organically, but traditionally, to a no-till, biologically complex ecosystem. We use regenerative organic methods of pest control, while continuing to integrate compost, worm castings, cover crops, and beneficials to regenerate the soil, increase resilience, and build biodiversity. We are CCOF certified organic. We welcome CSA members for a farm tour to learn more!

Santa Cruz Permaculture prevents pests and diseases by selecting regionally adapted varieties suited to our climate, following a carefully planned crop rotation, practicing good hygiene and proactive behavior, and using row covers and physical barriers. We grow a large diversity of crops and create tons of natural habitat on all sides of our fields to regenerate the native beneficial insect and bird populations. 

We are soil regenerators. We feed soil microbes and improve soil organic matter by growing a lush cover crop each winter and applying 3-5 tons of compost per acre annually. We are also members of the growing community of practitioners transitioning to no-till agriculture, methods that reduce disturbance while dramatically improving soil health. We grow on two soil types. 15 of our acres are rich, fertile alluvial soils from the Ano Nuevo Creek floodplain, deposited over thousands of years. This is an improved clay soil that has been farmed organically for 100 years, having many tons of compost added annually. We also grow on 9 acres of colluvium, a sandy clay loam that is a newer soil created from the eroding hillside above. 

We have extreme reverence for water – water is life – and are aware that we are living in the coming age of permanent drought in California. Our irrigation water comes from surface water, not wells, derived from Elliot Creek and Ano Nuevo Creek. The reservoirs provide a rich habitat for bald eagles, great blue heron, bass, tule, cattail and more. To conserve we utilize drip irrigation, to prevent erosion we make sure the soil is covered through cover crops and mulches, and we utilize settlement basins and other permaculture best practices to “slow it, spread it, sink it” and prevent soils from eroding away in winter rains.

We control weeds through timely irrigation and planting techniques as well as mechanical and hand cultivation and the use of mulches. We don’t love weeding so we do our best to keep them from growing in the first place.

That said, what is a “weed”? A weed is often referred to as a “plant out of place”. Out of place to whom? Weeds are indicators and learning to read the landscape requires understanding what messages plants convey in their growth habits. For example, plantain grows in compacted soils, and horsetail grows in ground with a high water table. Ultimately our approach to “weed management” is to align our practices with nature so that plant communities thrive with less management and disturbance from us.