POZO FARMDana and I grew up in farming families. Her grandfather was Director of the University of Minnesota experimental farm. My grandparents owned Buak Fruit Co. in Watsonville, where I picked ollalieberries, packed plums and apples and occasionally got to drive a forklift. In 2002 we purchased 81 acres in Los Osos and developed Clark Valley Organic Farm & Horseboarding. We decided to downsize a bit and incorporate more sustainable farming practices and purchased 10 acres near Pozo highlighting off-the-grid, solar-powered living and farming. Over the years we've enjoyed sharing the fun and experience of farming with the community.
We've raised Heritage Chanticler chickens, planted wine and table grapes, blackberries, fruit trees, watermelons and more, But, we've had the greatest success growing basil, peppers, onions, garlic, tomatoes, and various greens. j This year we are greatly reducing our row crops and are adding more permanent pasture so we can begin to raise Heritage Navajo-Churro Sheep and add meat chickens to our flock. Our biggest exciting news, however, is that we plan to include more opportunities to share the farm experience with others via farm tours, harvesting fresh crops, transplanting veggie starts, taking home fresh produce, potted plants and fresh products like pesto and salsa. And sometimes you'll be able to make your own lunch using fresh farm products. |
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PESTO--Make yours fresh at the FarmPesto really is fun and easy to make....you need some fresh Italian Basil and garlic which we grow at the farm. Instead of pinon nuts we use are own walnuts and we source fresh olive oil we source at local farms.
We have all the materials at the farm including a wonderful blender to create the freshest, fragrant Pesto you can take home and enjoy with your favorite pasta or homemade pizza. |
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Navajo-Churro SheepAmerica’s first domestic sheep were small, rugged Churro sheep from Spain, brought by Francisco Coronado in 1540 and Don Juan de Onate in 1598. Sheep were used as a source of meat for the explorers and for the missionaries who followed and established a chain of missions throughout the region that is now Mexico and the southwestern United States. During the "Golden Age" of the southwestern sheep industry (1788–1846), master weavers from Mexico promoted their skills, and the trade in textiles and livestock was significant. In 1807, Zebulon Pike reported that a single flock of Spanish sheep could number 20,000.
Southwestern Churros went down the Chihuahua and the Santa Fe trails and eventually all the way to California. Churro sheep found their way into the hands of Native Americans who used the sheep for meat but especially came to value the wool, a wonderful new material that was quickly adopted for production of textiles. Sheep soon became the basis for subsistence and trade in Hispanic and Native American economies. During this time selection for fleece character, coupled with the natural -selection of the challenging environment of the arid Southwest, forged the Navajo-Churro breed. |
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