home of peas & harmony

Gearing up for 2009 at Otow Orchard

As we put our gardens to rest for the brief winter, an exciting new growing season awaits us.
Thank you for all of the wonderful suggestions for class offerings. We are making a list and checking it twice with special guests to keep us all growing. We are also planning some major projects including cob buildings and a new kitchen garden space.

We would love to hear about which class topics interest you. If you have a suggestion to add to our list, email us. We will announce the class series in the new year.

Suggested Class topics include:
Garden structures and supports
Biointensive Beds
Setting up irrigation systems
Growing a more complete diet
Seed Saving
Harvest Keeping
Backyard Orchards
Berries and Fruits
Food Preserving
Bees and Pollination
Natural Building

Gifts and produce available at the farm stand:

Hoshigaki (dried persimmons)

Huell Howser really put Otow Orchard on the map this season with an entire episode dedicated to this beautiful Slow Food. The real star of the show is this fabulous treat which makes a pefect gift for the foodie!
Various grades for sale at a range of prices per pound.

Wonderful, fresh produce for the holidays:

Fresh Persimmons--Hachiya (soft and hard), Fuyu, Maru and vodka-treated Hyakume
Apples--Koyama's Granny Smith
Mandarins--Nodahara's satsuma
Quince
Pomegranate--Red
Walnuts & Pecans
Vegetables--Peppers (hot and sweet),
Swiss Chard, Kale
Salad Greens
Stir Fry Greens
Basil
Gourds--for decorations and crafting
Gift certificates are available for both Otow Orchard and Peas and Harmony.

Planning Tips for December

Plant cover crop seed and let it grow all winter to keep the soil happy
Plant strawberry crowns, asparagus and cane berries. We are ordering organic strawberry crowns this week, so call us with your order. 916-247-5775 Alison
Tidy up your garden by cleaning up old plants, leaf piles and places where garden pests can overwinter.
Gather the leaves from your yard, chop them up for a layer of mulch. You can weigh them down with compost spread over the top. We have bagged, organic compost available at Otow Orchard.
Prepare for the first frost. Order Agribon frost cover from Peas and Harmony.

Peas & Harmony is an all-organic nursery and garden design center that is dedicated to sharing the pleasure of growing great food. Demonstration gardens, food tasting and other fun events and classes are available year round. Visit us Tuesday- Sunday at the Otow Orchard in Granite Bay. Sign up for our newsletter to get updates on plants and produce that are available at our gardens, class notifications, gardening advice and more!

We strive to support organic growing in home, school and community gardens by providing quality supplies and service that make it fun, exciting and easy. Designs and consultations are available for any size garden, home orchard, community or school garden program.

We aim to grow the community’s understanding of how to support sustainable agriculture and biodiversity with simple practices. Become a part of our growing network and let us show you how fun and enjoyable it is to eat from your yard, shop with local farmers, and get outdoors with like-minded people who want to eat healthy food.