*Read part 1 of Michael Foley’s post on Micro-Agriculture here * Making Micro-Agriculture Work I recently made the economic case for micro-agriculture, farming on three acres or less. A handful of farmers in Mendocino County are showing that very small-scale farming can produce a respectable income; and farmers around the country, including some well-known farmer-authors,…
If you’re in the gift-giving mode this holiday season, or just looking for something to read, here’s a list of suggestions for the gardener or farmer in your life, from inspiration to reference book. Inspiring Reads My latest favorite comes from France, where many of the intensive, organic gardening technique we’ve learned originated. Miraculous Abundance…
The School of Adaptive Agriculture does not advocate any one farming philosophy or style, unless it be sustainability in all its senses. But we do entertain a variety of strong voices on behalf of all sorts of approaches to the farming of the future. As a friend’s father says, “You’ll never get to the middle…
It can be so hard sometimes to truly reflect on an experience as you’re experiencing it. At least that is how I felt throughout my summer at the Grange School. The days were so filled and fulfilling that just now, over a month after the program, do I feel like I can take a moment…
What’s “Alternative Agriculture”? The Grange School is unique among farmer training programs in providing intensive introductions to livestock as part of its regular curriculum. The current generation of alternative agriculture programs started out with Alan Chadwick’s intensive vegetable production program at the University of California Santa Cruz. The apprenticeship program there at the re-named Center…
Hi! I’m Lyndsey. For the duration of my 20s, I worked as in Concert and Festival Production. It was a very exciting and fun time of my life, and it gave me the chance to travel all over the country and see places I would have never gone to on my own. In 2012, I…
James came to the Grange School of Adaptive Agriculture passionate about growing food and educating the next generation of Agricultural Stewards. James studied Sociology at UC Santa Cruz focusing on Environmental Sociology. Upon graduation, he worked as Solar Engineer in Silicon Valley, helping build and design a thin film Solar Fabrication system. James then left…
A lovely Summer brunch at the Ridgewood Ranch started long before the Sunday morning our guests arrived. We began working with local farmers and caterers Black Dog Farm to source ingredients long before the family style platters were placed onto tables! 13 farms and ranches grew the abundant food served to supporters of the Grange…
Surrounded by rustling, rolling grasslands, an irrigated pasture, vegetable, grain, and fruit production dotted throughout this agrarian valley, the Summer Practicum Students found themselves at the end of their first week with a visitor at our Friday dinner potluck. Colin Seis hails from Australia, where he manages Winona, a 2,000 acre property producing merino wool,…
With the hot season of Mendocino County rearing its dry golden head, we here in the little hilltop village of the Grange School are defying the stagnancy of summer days as we enter week four of our fast-paced, intensive student practicum program. So heat be damned! We’re rolling strong through days of hearty field work,…
