Join us  for the debut of Modern Cabana’s fabulous Urban Chicken Coop!  There will be free classes, chickens and live music in the nursery.  See the class page for a schedule of  events.  Here is a sneak peek of the coop!

Spencer green-roofing the coop!

Our friends at Baia Nicchia will be hosting an Outstanding in the Field Dinner this Thursday, July 1.  The dinner will be prepared by chef Guillaume Bienaime of Marche. Guillaume will feature Baia Nicchia’s  cherry tomatoes, including Blush. He will also be featuring the excellent fare of the King of Mushrooms (Todd Spanier), Barinaga Ranch (Marcia Barinaga) and Kashiwase Farms (Steven and Lisa Kashiwase). There will be wine pairings with each course, and a farm tour before dinner.

Tickets may still be available – visit www.outstandinginthefield.com for more information.

This week is the 4th Annual National Pollinators Week.  A whole week dedicated to the bees, butterflies, birds, insects, and other creatures that work with nature to pollinate flowers. About 75% of all flowering plants rely on insect or animal pollinators and over 200,000 different species act as pollinators.  Magic Gardens is working with a local bee keeper and the Yellow Dot Project to help support pollinators. Look for bee friendly plants marked with bumble bee stickers in the nursery and  later this summer, we will host a class on  our local bees (check back soon for date).

Colony Collapse Disorder continues to plague honey bees, stump researchers, and be a major concern to agricultural communities. And honey bees are not the only pollinators in peril; bumble bee species in the East and the West also are vanishing from their customary habitats. Loss of pollinator habitat was a major cause identified by the National Academy of Sciences-National Research Council’s study of pollinators. By planting for pollinators, we can rebuild pollinator habitat and make a significant, positive impact on the survival rates for honey bees and other pollinators. Whether urban or rural, pollinators obtain the vital nectar, pollen, and nesting resources they need to thrive from key plant species.

What can the general public do for pollinators?

Here are three simple things you can do to support the bees in your neighborhood:

1. Plant a garden.
2. Group bee friendly plants together.
3. Don’t use pesticides. If you must, avoid broad spectrum pesticides and spray them at dusk, when bees are least active.

To learn more visit these websites:

www.pollinator.org

http://nature.berkeley.edu/urbanbeegardens

A Certified Biodynamic liquid foliar (just add water!) chock full of microbial activity for all your flowers, veggies, shrubs, trees and grasses. Derived from the best recipe known to man to restore your plant’s vitality, this tea will make your plants go insane! They will LOVE it, and even better, love YOU for it! Contains all the preparations, plus some extra love! Demeter Certified. 4 single-use teabags; each teabag makes approximately 1-2 gallons of tea.

Locally crafted and hand-packed. Entire packaging fully compostable. Outer bag 40% recycled PCW; liner & stickers from EarthFirst® PLA, a compostable plant-based material.

It is always nice to be recognized by the local media.  The May edition of East Bay Monthly features Magic Gardens Nursery.  Here’s an excerpt -you can also pick up ‘The Monthly‘ at local newsstands:

...Looking for some Baker (Creek) Heirloom seeds, I head to Magic Gardens in southwest Berkeley. “Our focus is on the sustainable backyard,” explains landscape associate Stefani Bittner. “We can’t compete with the big box stores and their rows upon rows of pansies and impatiens. We focus on the idea of using your backyard as an extension of your home and making it a healthy, sustainable living space.” Magic Gardens’ consulting service, Co-Creations, offers an affordable option for those who crave hands-on participation in landscaping their own gardens. In addition to promoting plants that are drought-tolerant and attract beneficial insects, says Bittner, “We’re also encouraging people to think about incorporating edibles.” For example, she says, “If you’re looking for a colorful border, why not use peppers?” Magic Gardens relies on local, sustainable producers such as Fred Hempel and Jill Shepard of Baia Nicchia Farm & Nursery in Sunol, whose unique, organic varieties of tomatoes (Maglia Rosa, Spike, Blush, and Vesuvio) sell out at Bay Area farmers’ markets.

Scattered throughout the grounds are striking stepping stones that at first glance resemble redwood with their rings and grain. In fact, though, they are a mix of cement and other recycled materials, designed by Sebastopol-based Studio Replica to be more durable and sustainable than wood. Tucked away at the back of the nursery sits a tiny one-room building, a pre-fab structure by Modern Cabana, that serves as a backyard escape, art studio, or meditation room. Ranging from $12,000 to $70,000, the cabanas do not require a permit in most areas. I’m not in need of a cabana at the moment, but I head out with a seed packet of Baker Creek “Little Marvel Garden Peas” and an unusual red-and-yellow striped “Tigger Melon”—both for $2.50—as well as a yarrow plant that, Bittner advises, will offer lots of red color and attract beneficial bugs.

http://www.themonthly.com