ecologically-conscious farming and land management practices through education and demonstration
We are very grateful to everyone who helped GreenFriends Farm in June. It was a bustling month including classes and seva provided by several large groups. SewaUSA is one of the groups that gave us their helping hands and loving hearts. Groups from Hindu Swayamsevak […]
The ashvattha tree, Ficus religiosa, also known as the bodhi tree or peepal tree is a sacred tree in India. This is the tree species under which Gautama Buddha attained liberation while meditating. In the Bhagavad Gita the ashwattha tree symbolizes both the eternal Self […]
The next Nature Walk is on Saturday, June 24th, starting at 2:45 p.m. More information Do you wonder what happens on these walks? Anupama is the lead volunteer for the meditative nature walks. Yes, we have a lovely walk experiencing nature, and more happens. At […]
This past weekend we had the pleasure of hosting an organic vegetable gardening workshop at MA Center San Ramon called Planting Joy! We had a wonderful group of attendees from around the Bay Area, all sharing one thing in common: the desire to learn how […]
This past week was an opportunity to use the many lemons harvested to make a batch of marmalade. This time we decided on a ginger variant. The first step is to wash the lemons in cold or lukewarm water. The lemons are peeled, and the […]
On Saturday, April 22nd GreenFriends Farm (GFF) at MA Center in Castro Valley held an Earth ? Day celebration open to all. Educational booths included a slide presentation showing the history of the farm, water conservation practices used at the farm, permaculture, bee care, and […]
Last weekend we had a large volunteer group from Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh (HSS) visit GFF and spend a seva day. HSS is a non-profit organization founded in the 1940s, you can learn more about HSS at their website (https://www.hssus.org). The day started with an introduction […]
We have created a new thermal composting area specifically to compost the organic food waste and Orchard fruits such as apples and pears. One fruit we do not compost is peels from citrus fruits. There are a few reasons why we choose not to compost […]
What is a Bee Board? In the hive structures at GreenFriends we use a screened bottom “sticky board,” which is at the lower structure of the hive. In the pictures below you will notice where the board is relative to the structure. There is a […]
In recent weeks the Orchard has experienced a wide range of weather conditions. There has been snow, rain, wind, and sunshine. The changing weather has been a constant change of activities in and around the Orchard. The heavy rainfall and dampness have seen more green […]