Events: Farm Tours

Farm tours are a wonderful way to celebrate the spring!

This month, we had the pleasure to host two farm tours. These fun events provided us a welcome break from our normal day to day activities and give us the opportunity to make new friends.

We picked the perfect April mornings for both tours, blue skies and about 75 degrees. The tours started off by providing guests with a little ‘insider information’ on our farm and what we’re up to this time of the year. Then off to the greenhouse and nursery they went to see where everything begins, sprouts and develops its roots here on the farm. Next stop, the packing area for a quick peek inside the cooler and to watch our crew create bouquets and wreaths.

UCCE Master Gardeners of Riverside County - April 2nd

Public Farm Tour - April 13th

From sharing protea inspiration to shopping for plants for the garden, the tours served up the very best of the season, and here are a few of the highlights.

Designing with the Fallbrook Garden Club

“I must have flowers, always and always,” said Claude Monet.

We couldn’t agree with him more! But in January, for many gardeners it’s easier said than done. The garden is relatively sparse and those bare-root plants are just starting to get their feet wet. Attempting to create your own winter floral display can feel a bit like decorating Charlie Brown’s Christmas tree.

But that’s not to say the gardeners or ‘Monets’ among us are out of luck. On Saturday morning we teamed up with several members of the Fallbrook Garden Club (and a lot of protea), and created winter arrangements that would warm up any home or office.

Our guests toured the greenhouse, nursery and packing house, and learned about propagating and growing protea. We even shared tips about what’s currently blooming in our fields and how to arrange them in a handy ‘re-useable’ container… something they’ll use again when their gardens are back in bloom.

Discovering the Wonderful World of Proteaceae

As SoCal dried out over the weekend, 'Impressive' rainfall totals were tallied and the mountains are covered with snow, making it a perfect time to chat about ‘Horticulture’. It’s always a privilege to share our passion for Protea farming and that’s exactly what we did. With over 40 members of the MiraCosta Horticulture Club - The January meeting topic: Discovering the Wonderful World of Proteaceae.

The MiraCosta Horticulture Club was organized in 1988 and draws its members mostly from the Oceanside and Vista area, but they also have members from the surrounding areas, including Carlsbad, Encinitas, San Marcos, and Escondido. Though not directly affiliated with MiraCosta College in Oceanside, the majority of their fundraising efforts go to benefit the Horticulture program at the college, primarily as scholarships for the Horticulture students.

The presentation began by discussing the history of Proteaceae from the days of Gondwanaland to its introduction to California soil in the early 70's. The unique and interesting variations between the South African and Australian genera, as well as the differences between a protea cultivar and a hybrid were also highlighted.

Then, on to the growing aspects of Proteaceae from propagation techniques, to soil requirements, watering, fertilizing and pruning as well as how they can be incorporated into home gardens or planted in pots were also covered. Finally, we wrapped up the presentation by sharing pictures of our favorite protea arrangements, bouquets and of course a wreath!