We love native plants for their own sake, and because they are our partners in carbon farming. They help to build healthy soils and to build life and vitality on the farm. Our plants come mainly from these nurseries: Las Pilitas, Calflora, Mostly Natives, North Coast Natives, and Harmony Farm.
At Home
California plants are at home in our climate and soil conditions. Making a wise choice up front, before planting, means less water and less work is needed over the life of the plant. Because of their compatibility with the place, we hope that many of them will outlive us.
Native plants provide habitat and nourishment for birds, pollinators, butterflies, and insects. Many are “beneficials” (they hunt and control pests who destroy plants). Our native landscaping invites and encourages beneficials to come and do their thing here. Planting the wrong kind of plants in the wrong places is part of what attracts pests in the first place.
It took a switch in mindset to see and appreciate the beauty of native plants (we grew up with green, manicured, grass lawns). But once our eyes opened, we started to build a relationship with the land based in different perspectives from “standard” gardening.
- How can we think more like Nature thinks?
- What belongs in this place?
- Who does this habitat easily welcome and support?
Different Communities
We are working with different California native plant communities, especially Chaparral and Central Oak Woodland, and (where we irrigate) Closed Cone Pine Forest, Mixed Evergreen, Riparian, and Yellow Pine Forest. The area we live in is naturally Chaparral and Central Oak Woodland. But because we want to build biodiversity, we are experimenting with somewhat less local habitats. We’ll see how it goes.
Our current planting areas in and adjacent to our grazing zones, and their California plant communities, include:
- Front Orchard (irrigated)
- Chaparral, Oak Woodland, Riparian plants
- Oak Woodlands (not irrigated)
- Oak Woodland plants
- Hillock Pollinator Garden (not irrigated)
- Chaparral plants, focus on native buckwheats
- Foaling Pen (irrigated)
- Chaparral, Closed Cone Pine Forest, Riparian plants, focus on wax myrtle
- North Drive (irrigated)
- Chaparral, Closed Cone Pine Forest, Mixed Evergreen Forest, Oak Woodland, Riparian
- Healthy Soils Hedgerow (irrigated)
- Chaparral, Yellow Pine Forest plants
- Silvopasture Refugia (not irrigated)
- Chaparral, Oak Woodland plants are the main focus, anchor plant Quercus agrifolia; also trying out a Pinyon-Juniper habitat