Community News

COMMUNITY NEWS Blossom’s Farm Needs A New Home

By Jondi Gumz

Blossom’s Biodynamic Herb Farm is looking for a new home, according to co-owner Carin Fortin, who has been growing crops with her partner Delmar McComb at 358 Merk Road in Corralitos.

“Our 5-year lease ends this February and has not been renewed,” she said. “We have to find a permanent home since we farm mainly perennial crops and starting all over again is very costly and draining.”

Those crops include biodynamically grown tinctures, bitters, skincare, hydrosols and herb powders, plus biodynamically grown foods, including vegetables, sauerkrauts, kimchi, kombuchas and kefirs, which are produced for the community with “lots of love.”

Her goal is buy a piece of land with 12 usable acres with a well and ample water and sun for the farm within an hour of their farmstore & coffee shop in Watsonville.

“Ideally we find a piece that is in the 20-40 acres range to have space for our animals which provide fertility for the land. And we need housing for ourselves,” Fortin said. “It has to be farmable Carin Fortin and Delmar McComb founders of land, at least 3-5 acres flat open land, the Blossom’s Farm rest can be trees and for animals/ grazing. land,” said Andrea Levy, senior associate Our animals: 5 cows, 4 pigs, 3 sheep, 26 with California FarmLink, which is based ducks and chickens and 3 rabbits and in Santa Cruz and serves farmers across the Popeye, our farm dog. And we need state. water to cultivate a farm/garden.” “We have a portal on our website

The couple draw inspiration from they can register,” she added. Rudolf Steiner Two Santa Cruz and have hosted meetings of the “Ideally we find a piece County properties are listed on California BioDynamic Asso- that is in the 20-40 acres Farm Link, but Fortin ciation of Northern range to have space for our is not sure they offer a California. animals which provide solution.

Blossom’s also is fertility for the land. The parcel on a regular at the Aptos Farmers’ Market And we need housing for Pleasant Valley is not for sale, only for lease, she Saturday morning at ourselves.” noted, with a limited Cabrillo College. — Carin Fortin amount of water, which

“We are looking an issue for growing. for a permanent home for both the farm An address was not provided for and ourselves, so purchasing land is our the second property, but Fortin said she preference,” Fortin said. “We are willing would will look into it. to make compromises if they make sense. Two weeks later, both listings were Leasing again is not one of the compro- gone. n mises we want to make — this is the third ••• time we have to move our farm, which is To see a 4-minute video about Blossom’s not only exhausting, but also costs a lot Farm go to https://vimeo.com/496078519 of money and keeps us from rooting and Send any options to info@blossomsfarm. becoming sustainable as a business.” com or call Delmar at 831-234-2965 or Carin

“We definitely help farmers look for at 831-246-1137

EMPOWERING STUDENTS TO SHAPE THEIR FUTURES WITH CONFIDENCE.

Kirby School is an independent college preparatory day school in Santa Cruz for grades 6-12.

Join us at an upcoming virtual Admissions event to learn more about our exceptional college prep program and online-only option for high school.