Happy Holidays Farming Friends!
Well, it's finally feeling a lot like winter. Leaves are turning and falling, zinnias are finally at an end. It's double layers of clothing for me at my place and we lit the first fire in the long unused fireplace this past week. In case you were wondering, it is now officially too late to put in a winter garden. Best now to hunker down, take a break and wait til February. December and January it’s time to party! Coming up this month our fab and fun Winter Open House PLEASE COME! You do not have to shop, you are welcome to stop in, say hi, meet some interesting folks, taste some interesting goodies and steal my ideas for crafty gifts. If you happen to find a goodie or two to take with you--all the better. Your dollars give the homesteading elves a well deserved winter break!

WINTER OPEN HOUSE
Social, Tasting & Shopping

Saturday & Sunday, December 12 & 13
12 Noon to 4pm each day
Straggler Sale by appointment
Monday or Tuesday evening following,email to arrange

use our contact form for address

FREE to attend. Tasting donations gratefully accepted.

Join the party! Our year end event is a celebration of the bounty.
There will be tasting (jam, honey, mead, cheese, butter mustard, cordials and more), convivial people and shopping!
Lots of cool handmade goodies and treats starting as low as $1.
Come grab your stocking stuffers, Secret Santas and private stash.
Enjoy the cheer and support the local economy. Win-win happy joy!

This year's event will feature party favors for good shoppers and a raffle.

Partial list of goodies: Seeds, herbs, books, tinctures, soap, candles, honey, jam, mustard,
cordials, smoking mixture, mead, chili peppers, photo art cards, cups, bowls, art tiles, tooth powder,
feed sack bags, etched water bottles, butcher block conditioner, beeswax candles, salve, lip balm, catnip toys & other critter treats.
All handmade, small batch, below market price and available only once a year here.

Coming Up ~ Winter Classes
The winter schedule of classes is up online and open for registration!
Our winter break begins directly following the open house—December 15-January 29. There will be no public classes during this time, though consultations, private lessons and privately arranged small classes are available, provided by our staff and teachers. We do much needed maintenance and planning during this time. Winter session runs January 30- March 26
Spring classes & 2016 Farm Tour dates will be posted February 15th!

Gifting Classes This Holiday Season
Are you interested in gifting 2016 classes to friends or family?
Unfortunately our 2016 main season will not be posted until February 15, 2016 and we cannot sell classes that are not yet posted on our calendar. You may however, purchase any of our Winter Season classes using our regular registration system. For other classes we encourage you to purchase a gift certificate. Gift certificates allow the recipient to choose the class of their choice (or you can specify a class of your choice if you wish--include this in special instructions from the buyer) and are redeemed at the top of our sliding scale to allow for the extra work it takes us to issue and administer the certificate. This little extra is a boon to our organization and we thank you for choosing this option. More details and buy it now button for gift certificates can be found HERE.

the end of zinnias

Winter In the Garden
Winter in the garden is all about preparing for Spring…clearing out the old, making compost piles and opening the way for Spring growth. Rose and perennial pruning can start now. Flowering perennials can be cut back hard to promote vigorous spring growth. Fruit trees are generally pruned late winter, shortly before they bud out in the spring and never when it is raining--these two things will prevent spread of disease. Winter time is also great for layering mulch or manures on top of annual and perennial beds, for building compost piles of fallen leaves and planting cover crops of favas, winter rye or vetch.

Affordable Winter Fruit Tree & Rose Care
Do you need help with fruit tree pruning and/or rose pruning this winter? Excellent agriculturalist Jordan Reed is available in the East Bay to help!
15 years agricultural experience with a focus on fruit tree pruning and restoration for fruit production with a side interest in roses. Roses can be pruned starting now and fruit trees as soon as the leaves drop. Introuctory offer for first time clients $35 hour with a two hour minimum (Usual price is $40/hr),
Book now for December, January & February. Use our contact form to inquire put “East Bay Pruning” or similar in the subject line.

Urban Garden & Mini-Farm Consultations & Private Lessons
Want some help to jump start your 2016 gardening efforts? Consultations available in the months of January and February. We'll help you think about what to take out and what to leave, what to put where and how to supercharge your east bay clay. Support and information for the integration of urban livestock (chickens, rabbits, goats), compost and worm bins, greywater & rainwater and other nifty sustainability features. You can purchase a standard consultation via our website or use our contact form to inquire.

Participate!
~ Seeking Teachers & Accepting Proposals for New Classes through December 31. Please have a look at Teaching at IUH for details on how to make your class proposal.
~ Accepting Application for 2016 Internships ~ We are accepting applications for our annual 9 month internship program for 2016. Deadline to apply is February 15. See Volunteering at IUH.
~ Accepting Proposals & Leads for 2016 Urban Farm Tours. We are considering homescale sites in Berkeley, Vallejo & Benecia, community type farms in Berkeley and Oakland. Please include full name & contact info, a description of the site and features and photos if possible. Use our contact form to inquire.

winter in the vineyard