It's not
the first sustainable community farm, but in Blue Lake it's Astarte
Story and Photo
by Matt Kapko
Eye Reporter
The Arcata Eye
May 06, 2003
The skies
became darker – taking on a new shape and color – making way
for the sporadic hailstorms that followed. Soon after the tiny ice pellets
came sailing in with the wind, there were rays of sunshine penetrating
the dispersing clouds.
Blue skies then became dominant, as the farmers at Astarte Community Farm
returned to the fields. This was the first of a series of such storms
that pelted through Blue Lake recently.
Surprised by the unexpected weather changes, Patrick Oliver seized the
opportunity to survey his crops in the fields along Hatchery Road, across
the Mad River.
Oliver started the Astarte Community Farm last January. He graduated from
Humboldt State University in 1993, and for the last three years, he managed
the Arcata Educational Farm.
“I’m now striking out on my own,” Oliver said, reflecting
on his previous experiences in farming.
He’s trying to get things started at the farm, but the weather’s
been a continuing nuisance. When hail storms come pelting through his
fields in late April, it’s much harder to reap the benefits of the
earth.
More than 100 varieties of vegetables, cut flowers, culinary herbs, and
strawberries are being grown on five acres of open land. Many starter
plants remain in the greenhouse, anxiously awaiting the change in weather.
The garlic was planted first, as can be seen by the rows of garlic lining
one field. This is followed by a colorful orgy of tulips. Reds, pinks,
yellows and purples are just a few of the colors that come to life in
dozens of rows.
The tulips are an experiment for Oliver – his first time growing
them. Most have already bloomed and been cut, he said, but many still
remain.
This project is being largely supported as a Community Supported Agriculture
(CSA) farm. Shareholders in the farm receive a weekly harvest of crops.
Aside from the CSA, Oliver will be selling his crops at the local farmers
markets in the coming weeks.
The CSA shares should be available by mid-May to June since the weather
has proven too difficult for an earlier harvest season.
The farm is currently accepting payments for different share options.
A “farm share,” which feeds two or three people, is being
sold at $15 a week ($420 for the entire 28-week season). The “house
share,” which feeds two to five people, is being offered for $25
a week ($700 for the full 28 weeks).
Other options include: a “low-income share” for $10 a week
($280 for the entire season), or an internship at the farm.
Oliver is also trying some unique approaches to the CSA. Rather than distributing
to the shareholders directly, he is hoping to recruit some shareholders
to participate as CSA drop off points, where shareholders can pick up
their shares.
“It’s amazing. This is a chance for us to make it in the long
run. We need the CSA shares to make the business work,” Oliver said.
To avoid giving the shareholders too much food that could go to waste,
Oliver plans to compensate for that by including more flowers in the shares.
Being a shareholder in the CSA allows people to eat in season, Oliver
said. He talked about eating the first summer sweet corn and how symbolic
that is to letting him know the summer season has arrived.
“It helps us understand where we are as farmers,” he added.
Everything being grown on the farm is organic, Oliver said, but the produce
is not certified organic. Oliver hopes to receive organic certification
within a year.
The farm is operated on a sustainable basis. Oliver’s pickup truck
is run completely on biodiesel made from used oil that he picks up at
Samraat Cuisine of India, a restaurant in Eureka.
He also collects waste from Muddy Waters, Coffee Break and HSU (all in
Arcata) for compost. With the aid of the campus recycling program at HSU,
mountains of compost are made available for his farm’s benefit.
Oliver said he named the farm Astarte in honor of the ancient goddess
of fertility.
Crops from the Astarte Community Farm will be available at most local
farmers markets in the coming weeks.