Farm safety guidelines
We do everything we can to make sure the farm is a safe place for you and your family. But it is important to keep in mind this is a working farm. Below are safety guidelines that members must agree to observe.
Children: Members agree to supervise their children at all times while on the farm. The farm is home to all of the equipment (tools, saws, knives, tractors, tractor implements, pitchforks, electric fences, barbed wire, livestock, gizmos, etc.) that help us grow food. Children are not to play with the tractors, tractor implements, or farm tools, or farm work sheds and zones. The farm is also next the Laguna de Santa Rosa and its vernal pools.
Food Safety: Members should wash all produce at home before consuming. We wash all vegetables with sanitized water immediately after harvesting. We do not wash crops like garlic, melons, cucumbers, tomatoes. All u-pick crops are, of course, unwashed.
Fire: The farm is a part of a very flammable ecosystem. No smoking, or flames of any kind, are allowed on the property.
Poisonous plants: Whenever you are picking food for yourself on the land, be sure that you can positively identify what you are picking. The herb and flower garden includes lots of edible plants, but also some that should not be eaten. If you’re ever confused about what you’re picking, stop! Check in with one of the farmers, or wait until you have a positive ID. U-pick crops will always be clearly signed to avoid confusion.
Gopher traps: At orientation we will show you what a gopher trap looks like. Please be aware of what our gopher trap looks like and how we mark their location. Please be mindful of where you’re picking and be careful not to touch a trap.
Sorry. There are no dogs allowed on the farm.
Ticks: Ticks are common on the farm in the spring and early summer. Check yourself and your children thoroughly after leaving the farm, especially after walking through tall grass or wild zones. To decrease your chances of encountering ticks, keep to the mown areas when walking around the farm.
Poison Oak: Leaves of three, let them be!
Water Quality: Do not drink out of any irrigation hoses, pipes, or spigots. Potable water is available in the barn.
