There is a lot of talk about sustainability these days.
So what does it mean, practically, for a small farm?

By definition, to be sustainable is to be able to last, to keep farming. In order to do so, an awareness of the environmental, social, and economic consequences of our actions is required.

Environmental sustainability: nourish the soil so it can feed the trees and plants.
Don't contaminate the aquifers.
Use water wisely and sparingly.
Work with nature rather than against it,
by enlisting the help of beneficial insects and animals, and companion plants whenever possible.
Learn everything you can about what you grow and how to care for it.
Use sprays only when absolutely needed to protect the crop, even when they are organic.
Take only what you need, and use all you take.

Social sustainability: nurture relationships with neighbors, community, suppliers, and customers.
Treat people with respect. Support locally owned businesses, share your knowledge, be an educator.
Reliably and consistently deliver the best product and service possible, and stand by it.

Economic sustainability: Develop a diversity of markets and products. Always give the customers
value for their purchase, while earning enough to keep the farm financially viable.

Honeybees are crucial to the pollination of most food crops. Without bees, flowers do not turn into fruits. Bees are severely threatened by environmental pollutants, diseases, and pests, so Jeff planted a wildflower patch and seeded the orchard floor in clover to give them something to eat year round. The orchard proudly hosts its own hive of wild honeybees, that find shelter in the decayed trunk of an old oak tree. We would love to taste the honey, but we don't want to bother the bees.

Since taking charge of the orchard in 2002, Jeff has worked hard to increase its population of beneficial insects: - Ladybugs and their larvae keep aphids in check. Soldier beetles eat a varied diet of many harmful bugs. Sightings of praying mantises, lacewings, beneficial wasps, and other good guys are now so common that we have observed another good sign of a healthy ecosystem: increased population of frogs, lizards, and birds. No sprays that harm beneficial insects are used, organic or not.

Grinding the prunings with a flail mower instead of burning them adds organic matter to the soil and helps keep the sky clear. New irrigation lines were dug to deliver the right amount of gravity-fed water to the trees based on daily monitoring of evapotranspiration rates following a scientific model provided by UC Davis, coupled with data from the local weather station.

Horse manure is composted over the winter before being spread out in the spring Steam rises from our giant pile of compost. Hot composting kills weed seeds and harmful bacteria. In the spring we spread this mulch thickly under the trees to help conserve water and suppress weed growth.

I manage the orchard using Integrated Pest Management techniques (IPM)
for more information on IPM methods, please visit
http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/crops-agriculture.html

California growers file a monthly report of pest control materials used with their County Agricultural Commissioner’s office.
For specific information about pest control materials,
please visit www.greenbook.net