ON THE FARM, OFF THE GRID
Live Power Farm, a 50-acre solar electric, horse powered, diversified, certified farm located 65 miles northeast of Ukiah in Round Valley, was founded by Stephen and Gloria Decater
“We began our farm in 1974, developing it for years, and in 1988 we learned about the concept of community-based agriculture,” says Stephen.
Initially marketing their produce at local farmers’ market, they realized they wanted a more direct relationship with those who were eating the food they were growing, to help them understand the kind of farming they were supporting, where their food was coming from and who was growing it.
They stopped market gardening and initiated a CSA—community supported agriculture—system with 15 households in San Francisco; it doubled every year for 3 or 4 years and, for 27 years, up to 4 years ago, they drove to the Bay Area every Friday night with a van full of produce, additionally providing their organic vegetables to Mendocino families.
Discontinuing their deliveries to the city, they continued locally, distributing to Covelo and Willits on Monday and to Ukiah on Thursday.
“The principles underlying the farm, from the beginning, have always been organic; we started
using biodynamic culture practices around ’86. One of the concepts of biodynamic agriculture is that you generate all you need for farming from the farm organism itself. The farm within its boundaries is considered to be a living organism; we have livestock to create manure; forage crops that get incorporated into compost generating all our needs for maintaining soil fertility for the vegetables we grow,” he says. “We also use sprays and preparations for creating the biodynamic culture.”
The farm generates 28 kilowatts of photovoltaic system, providing much of their electrical power and a percentage of their hot water, all generated by the sun.
“Without having to import compost, the carbon footprint on the farm is probably as low as you can find anywhere in the food production system,” he says.
For minor tillage and transportation, they have converted a small tractor to electricity but their main source of live power is from the six horses—four Belgian Draft and four Percherons—they use to plow, spread compost, harrow, plant, cultivate, mow, rake and use for transportation.
Prior to COVID-19, they brought their produce in bulk to the distribution sites in Ukiah and Willits where members would make up their own baskets.
“That has been a wonderful thing, very festive, a party atmosphere, a real social gathering,” says Gloria. “But due to COVID, we will make the baskets here at the farm and bring them into town. The handles will be sprayed. People can also transfer the produce to their own baskets, if they prefer,” she says.
Their harvest season runs May through the end of November and a membership share costs $29 per week; people can pay monthly, quarterly, whatever works best.
“The weekly fee is based on supporting the operating budget of the farm,” explains Stephen. “Our members are partnering with us as farmers so they enable the farm to exist and do its work and provide food. It’s not tied to so many pounds tied to so many dollars as it is in the stores; it’s support for the entire season.”
Seasonal baskets at this time of year include greens: lettuce, arugula, mizuna, baby mustard, spinach, tatsoi, komatsuna, pak choi and radishes.
With summer bounty growing more plentiful, peaking in August, the contents of the baskets become more abundant with peas, broccoli, cabbage, summer squash, cucumbers, tomatoes, melons, carrots, beets, potatoes, winter squash and later in the season, garlic and onions.
Two of their 50 acres are cultivated for vegetables providing weekly baskets for 100 shares.
“We have 70 shares holders now and room for another 30,” says Gloria.
Twenty- six acres are in hay and pasture; livestock includes thirty chickens whose eggs are used on the farm; 8 cows, beef and dairy; 8 sheep; and a couple of pigs.
Their great disappointment this year is that the SIP orders have prevented them from hosting students for their spring farm class visits.
For 30 years, they have been hosting school class visits, mostly from Waldorf schools, that come from the Bay Area and counties north and south, providing a significant portion of their income, one-third to one-half; with this loss in income, their budget has been considerably crimped.
“It’s been very difficult for us financially to not have these classes,” says Stephen. “Vegetable growing does not bring a high return; it takes a lot of work and we have four people on the farm whose needs we support.”
“And we miss the children,” adds Gloria.
In the spring they host 6 classes bringing about 150 students plus chaperones to spend 2 full days on the farm. The do a great deal of work and are incorporated into all the activities: feeding the animals, collecting manure, making compost, weeding, planting, scything grass, milking the cows, shearing the sheep and plowing with the horses.
“The students get into the rhythm and begin to understand how the farm works; it’s so valuable for them and their parents.
“It’s also a great deal of fun; they enjoy it and gain a sense of what it’s like to work together, seeing, as a community, what they can achieve. Everyone is doing a different task making the whole operation work well; they develop a sense of teamwork and community,” she says.
The Decaters are hoping to be able to run their regular farm class visits in the fall, hosting about 100 students, but the future at this point is uncertain.
In considering what individuals can do to aid in the healing of the environment, Stephen says, “If we could all create local agriculture that was truly sustainable, generating its needs out of its own organism, that would be a real contribution to reducing our carbon footprint on the planet. That’s one place where we have choices and, making that choice, to consider how our food is grown, effects the climate, care and overall health of the planet.”
If you are interested in becoming a share member of Live Power Community Farm CSA, go to their website at livepower.org. or call them at 707 983 8196. They are also open to those who would like to join for a week or two to see if it works for them.