Casitas Valley Farm
Southern California, USA
Introducing bees for pollination
Overseeing water well installation
Native and pollinator plants for
Integrated Pest Management and bee forage
Cover cropping with new apple trees
Home kitchen garden design & install
Heritage pig breeds feed on
whey and brewery mash
Using Canna as living fences
to hold soil in avocado orchard
Solar panel installation
Earthworks agroforestry system
Earthworks filled with rain just
after installing
Earthworks filled with rain just
after install
Interplanting avocados with nitrogen
fixing shrubs
Interplanting stumped avocados with
summer squash
Diversification with Tequila Agave
Using Opuntia cactus as erosion
control
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Challenge:
Convert a Commercial Organic Orchard to Diversified Permaculture Farm
Solutions:
PDI team members assisted with the design and implementation of diversified systems on an existing organic farm selling avocados, persimmons, and apples. Soils were treated with microbiological inoculants from compost teas to restore soil health. Overall plant diversity was increased with cover cropping, pollinator plants, and erosion control plantings. An existing creamery and farm stand were reopened, and small livestock (hogs) were brought in.
Project Lead:
Loren Luyendyk