Know the orchard
Inventory fruit trees, photograph existing conditions, record care and track harvests.
SEEDS FARM LAB / PILOT IN DEVELOPMENT
Start with
what grows.
From Yard to Microfarm is a real-world case study: learning how an existing residential micro-orchard can become a productive, resilient teaching resource.
THE FIRST CASE STUDY
The orchard
was already here.
The starting point is a Southern California yard with approximately 6,500 square feet of usable growing space and mature fig, avocado, grapefruit, Lisbon lemon and pomegranate trees.
Before expanding, we are building a baseline: what grows, how it is cared for, what it produces, and what we can learn from it.
This is a developing learning site. Public visits and workshop bookings are not currently offered.
FIELD NOTE 001 / THE STARTING POINT
Observe.
Document.
Grow.
A tree inventory. A harvest log. A record of the work. The first educational resource is an honest account of the process.
THE LEARNING PATH
Real questions.
Practical lessons.
Improve with intention
Explore soil health, water efficiency, pollinator habitat and climate resilience.
Test the next layer
Research vegetable beds, indoor growing and aquaponics as possible future demonstrations.
Share what we learn
Translate documented results into guides, workshops and educational media.
From a local lesson to a shared resource.
Each question follows a simple practice: research, implement, measure, reflect, then teach. Proposed improvements remain experiments until we have documented what works.
Help shape the Farm Lab