On The Farm

We have 3 bee hives so far, which are lovingly watched over by a team of 5 dedicated devotees.  During the fire season of 2020, many of them perished from the heavy toxic smoke that drifted into the Bay Area.  Today 2 hives have come […]

At one point wild pigs started tearing up the entire orchard, damaging irrigation lines, etc.  Even after the fence line was mended, evidence of pig activity was still found inside the Maha orchard.  It was a mystery that lasted some days.  Finally they were discovered […]

Devotee families were invited to build bird houses to attract more song birds to the ashram grounds.  They let loose their creative talents.  Beautiful to our eyes, we await the first signs of nesting and the flitter flutter of new birdies. 

The drought forced us to seek water saving ways to irrigate the 1000 trees. We experimented with Hugelkultur, olla pots, and deep stake watering. The Hugelkultur will take some time to know if it is a way to go. It involves burying dead oak limbs […]

24-inch  and 36-inch long stakes were first installed around a few trees, depending upon whether it is a semi-dwarf tree or a standard size tree.  The stakes are hollow with holes all along the length.  A devotee uses an auger to drill 2 deep holes […]

MULCHING To ensure that the moisture level is maintained in the soil during the intense heat of summer, a thick layer of bark chips is being placed around each tree.  Along with keeping moisture in, bark helps to keep the fungal matter in the soil, […]

EASY COMPOSTING With only a couple of on-site devotee volunteers to oversee the farm, we have had to look for labor-saving composting techniques. We are currently experimenting with bioreactor compost using wire mesh, landscape fabric, and 6-inch perforated drain pipe.

2021 brings big changes for the MA Center Vegetable Gardens, with the addition of organic heirloom seedlings available for sale to the community!   Amma advised the garden team to let the gardens rest this year due to the impending water crisis and drought, so the […]

Amma constantly emphasizes the importance of planting trees and helping to restore the balance of Mother Nature. She says, “Each family should grow trees and plants in their yard. Planting a tree is selfless service to society. Just as we enjoy the presence of trees […]

“It is such a pleasure to work with Greenfriends Farm. Without any previous farming experience I sincerely feel useful with all the support and direction provided by the team. There is a variety of projects one can become a part of, whether making sure trees […]