Located in Kfar Yehoshua, in the Jezre'el Valley, 5 minutes from the Tishbi junction. Kfar Yehoshua is a moshav - a farming village in Israel - and this is one of the 90 farms in the village. In 1983 we began using organic methods and turned it into an organic farm. This stemmed from a growing ecological awareness, from the need to do things differently and the idea that it is indeed possible to do things differently in our chosen field - agriculture.
differently in our chosen field - agriculture. The active organic area measures 30 dunam, about 7 acres, bordering the main road of the village and the old train station, which in old times was a part of the "Valley Train".

On the farm we raise mostly seasonal vegetables, but fruits are also grown - from citrus fruits to sabras (a national Israeli favorite that comes from a prickly cactus). The produce is sold to customers who make their orders over the phone and then come to the farm to pick them up.
Some of the produce is sold to retailers who specialize in organic products. (Mostly "Or-Gani, based in the Netania-Tel-Aviv area, and "HaGan HaOrgani" in the north).

Before you are a series of pictures of our organic farm.
To enlarge, please click the photo:

Spring planting - celery, lettuce and more.	Various winter vegetables - green onions, lettuce, beets and more.
Spring, large pumpkin - young plants.	A view of the farm from the window of the house. Empty fields at the end of the season, a field covered by polyethylene for solar disinfection.

On the farm                                                       15 December 2001 Winter. Rain has fallen during the night. On the farm this means a lot of mud. Going out to the fields requires rubber boots. The dirt road leading to the fields is less passable than usual, the tractor tracks are full of rainwater. Certainly less convenient, but a real treat for the crops. Since September we have sown and planted a large variety of vegetables, and now picking comprises most of the work, while weeding comes in second. During September and October seeding, planting and irrigation were mainly on the agenda. as November came around, the need for irrigation diminished to a minimum, and soon was no longer necessary. Work goes on, rain or shine, although on rainy days rain-suits are worn, so that we can continue to move around outdoors while remaining dry. Ripe for the Picking (or "what are we picking now?') Lettuce as usual (all year round), same as parsley. In addition, dill and coriander, aragula and garden cress, green onion and celery - all manner of greens, radish and cabbages are being picked now - red and white giant radish, small red radish and turnip. And those who resemble them slightly - kohlrabi and beets - nice and round. Many colors are in season now - from the light green kohlrabi through the white of the large, long radish known as "Chinese radish", to the reddish radishes, large and small, and the wine-colored beets. The first of the orange, sweet-smelling carrots have been gathered, and we will soon be collecting them daily. The new green and red cabbages will soon be joined by the first ripe cauliflower and broccoli. Awaiting their turn are the celery root and the parsley root, some of which are nearly ready for harvest. We are also picking fennel and leek. All these were planted in rows at different times in order to assure a continuous supply that will last until springtime. Lettuce is still planted every week, as are the late crops of cabbage, cauliflower, beets and kohlrabi. The rich variety of vegetables are joined by plenty of citrus fruits: oranges, tangerines, pomello, grapefruit. Part of the farm is left to rest in the winter. Hilbeh has been planted in several fields, it is a fine fertilizer and its job is to enrich the soil, thereby making it part of the crop rotation on the farm. One of the fields awaits the potatoes which will be planted in the spring. There are still a few pumpkins, squash and sweet-potatoes left over from the summer crops. The fresh vegetables and fruits are brought directly from the farm to the farmyard where the customers are waiting. Some of the crop is sold to retailers, but most will be sold directly to people who come to the yard regularly or incidentally. It is for these customers that we supplement the kinds of vegetables and fruits that we grow by purchasing additional varieties from other organic growers. The direct contact with the customers creates a junction of human relations which in its turn influences the nature of the work on the farm. On the Farm                                                           June 24, 2001 I'm writing on the last week of June. On the farm there are fewer vegetables and fruits available compared to the winter season, but still, there is quite a variety. The potato field has reached the end of the growing season and is near harvesting. The first spuds were planted at the beginning of March and we started to collect samples three months later. Onions are available, stored in the shed, of several spring varieties. This year there are white and red onions in addition to the usual sort. Summer onions are growing in the field, now turning into bulbs. There are still some green onions to be found - the same plant, but harvested at an earlier stage. Lettuce and parsley are available, as they are all year-round. Celery and celery root are still with us, but these vegetables suffer from the summer heat, and the picking is nearing its end. Leek is growing in beds of various ages and the crop will be planted periodically throughout the year. Zucchini, pepper and eggplant are in season. The zucchini were sown at the end of March and since then have been sown repeatedly every two weeks or so. The first harvest began about six weeks after sowing. Green pepper and eggplant - around two months after planting. The sweet red pepper, which was planted at the same time, will be ready to be picked very soon - about a month later. This week we will begin picking the first bed of corn which was sown in early April. Each plant carries one to three ears of corn which ripen within the same week. Various kinds of squash and pumpkin also at different stages of growth are also nearly ripe.

Vegetable patch in the spring, between the vines and the peach trees	Butterfly cocoon, on celery leaves
Unusual eggplant fruit.	Spring. The road leading to the vine-covered. Artichokes on the left. In the background the eucalyptus trees of the old train station.

There are still some cabbages left in refrigeration and also a few carrots though these are winter vegetables by nature. Soon the grapes, figs and sabras, summer fruits raised here on the farm, will be ripe. There are also some herbs, which complete the picture: basil, lemon verbena, sage, rosemary, oregano and chives. The work crew is in the process of changing - this goes for the people working in the yard, who sell the crops directly to the customers, as well as the field-workers. Usually, workers can find a place to live here on the farm (in caravans). Recently we've changed our work habits and it is possible to come and buy organic products without having to place an order ahead of time. Crops not grown on the farm are brought in from other organic growers who are licensed by the same organization which supervises the crops grown on my farm.   On the farm                                                     August 18, 2001 The middle of August, occasionally, a whiff of autumn is in the air, at noon everyone is dripping sweat. The first autumn flowers are already in bloom by the wayside. We have already prepared a new patch for planting, the fields have been fertilized with compost, the vegetable beds plowed, and undergone thermal, or solar, sterilization. The field was first irrigated to a depth of 70 cm and then the beds were covered with transparent polyethylene, so that the area is entirely under plastic. The sun heats the covered ground, and the moisture causes the heat to penetrate deeply into the earth. The weeds, whose seeds have just begun to swell and grow, due to the irrigation, now wither away and die from the excess heat under the plastic cover. The heat also destroys various disease carriers. After four weeks the plastic is removed, and the field is allowed another ten days to cool down to its regular temperature. Now planting and sowing can begin, and one can expect to have a field reasonably clear of weeds for the rest of the winter season.

Preparation of compost - manure pile, organic matter, the bulldozer beginning to mix them.	Large pumpkin, various stages of growth.
Thermal sterilization - the field is covered by transparent plastic to conserve the solar heat.	Thermal sterilization of fields, irrigated by sprinklers, photographed in the early morning. Later in the day, when it's hot, the water is turned off, and then opened again at night. It took five days to get the water down to the correct depth.

The season of the grapes, figs, sabras and corn has ended. There is still a supply of peaches, and soon the pomegranate season is just around the corner. The citrus fruits are looking considerably larger, although it is still too early for them to ripen. This is the time to gather the sweet potato crop. Lettuce, parsley, leek, green pepper and eggplants are collected daily. Most of the pumpkin crop has been gathered, but there are still a few new ones growing here and there. Basil, chives, lemon verbena and sage add color and fragrance.

The prickly Sabra plant with ripe fruits.	Sweet potatoes (close-up)
Dark colored zucchini.	Light colored zucchini - on the same plant several stages of development can be seen. The flower is found at the tip of the fruit.

Those who are interested may visit the farm, with or without a guide. It is also possible to experience work on the farm by arrangement. Visitors may come to buy vegetables in the yard during working hours: Weekdays from 8:00 AM to 7:00 PM (19:00). Fridays and holiday evenings from 8:00 AM to 12:30 (noon).