Sage Hill Ranch Gardens in Escondido employs sustainable farming without pesticides, using chickens and local wildlife for natural soil and pest control.
ESCONDIDO, Calif. — When you think of Southern California, the first thing that comes to mind is our beautiful beaches and probably one of the last things is our beautiful farms.
Sage Hill Ranch Gardens, an ecological market garden in Escondido, California, is demonstrating innovative farming techniques that prioritize sustainability and environmental stewardship. The farm, established by Spencer Rudolph in 2017, is one of over 5,000 farms in San Diego County, which boasts the largest per capita number of farms in the country.
"We're a no-till ecological market garden in Escondido. We farm about 8 acres of mixed veggies... we also do poultry," said Rudolph.
The farm employs a no-till approach, which Rudolph explains is crucial for soil health. "We're keeping our soil intact by never inverting it, never doing a deep tillage. Everything is right on the surface, which keeps our soil's life intact and healthier," said Rudolph.
Rudolph shared another planting tip: "A great way to keep moisture in the soil is to add mulch, plant early in the morning or plant late in the evening. If you plant in the middle of the day, the plants are going to melt. And for the plant that keeps producing, summer squash, it will give forever."
Sage Hill Ranch Garden utilizes cover crops and a rotational bird pasture system to maintain soil fertility naturally. The farm houses 250 chickens that serve multiple purposes, including weed control, fertilization, and egg production.
Rudolph emphasizes the farm's commitment to quality and natural practices. "I like to say we go beyond what organic certification requires... as natural as possible. We don't use pesticides or herbicides on our farm. We're not using tractors, the ground is being kept intact and as natural as possible," said Rudolph."So, we're using a lot of cover crops, we even have a bird pasture system where they're moving through the pastures where their fecal matter is fertilizing us for the winter, which is great."
To control insects, Sage Hill taps on the locals, "So, you see around the farm we invite lots of wildlife."
The farm employs unique pest control methods, including the use of bird and bat houses to attract natural predators. "What their great at is nighttime pollinators, they also eat tons of insects. We want to invite these Bats at night to do the work for us," said Rudolph.
Sage Hill Ranch Garden grows a variety of produce, including heirloom tomatoes, and sells its products at local farmers' markets in Leucadia, Poway, and Vista. The farm is also open to the public on Saturdays from 8 am to 12 pm.
For those interested in experiencing the farm's bounty firsthand, Sage Hill Ranch Garden offers monthly farm-to-table dinners. "We partner with Chef, we serve a 5-course meal to 70 to 80 guests and there's a tour of the farm. It's a wonderful evening," said Rudolph.
San Diego is lucky to have so many independent farms, and now, more than ever, is the time to support them. We've shown you the farm at Sage Hill Ranch Garden, given you tips on how to grow like this and I'm going to tell you where to buy this produce at famers markets but if none of that appeals to you and you want it cooked for you well they do a Moonlight dinner the 3rd Saturday of the month through October.