
		Toluma Farms	Issue No. 1 September 1, 2008

Current Happenings

In this issue:

1. Toluma staff enjoy a day volunteering at Slow Food Nation!

2. Our current Toluma Farms staff

3. All about the Goats!

Tomales Founders Day

Tomales Day Founders Parade: Every year we look forward to the Founders Day Parade. Please look for our table and a few cute goats this year (August 31st).

Educational School Trip

In June 2007 Toluma Farms had the 3rd grade class of The San Francisco School. The kids enjoyed the two night camp out, learning about how to weed and the variety of David Little's potatoes that are planted on the top of the hill and of course how goats are raised and milked. We welcome School tours so please call if interested.

Slow Food Nation

Toluma Farms had a nice blog write up (http://slowfoodnation.org/blog/category/farms/) by Curt Ellis who directed King Corn (a must see). Included in the blog were a couple of great kid goat pictures by Brian (our superb coffee barista at Piccino in San Francisco). Curt's blog is about how many applicants Toluma Farms had from one Craigslist posting.

It is encouraging to see so many people getting involved in agriculture (especially the younger folks). Speaking of jobs we are looking for a weekend feeder (2 hour shifts). If interested please call or email.

Toluma Farms staff (David, Tamara, Michele, Laura, Hanna and Audrey) also volunteered at the Slow Food Pavillion (hosted by Cowgirl Creamery). It was a great opportunity to talk with fellow farmers, cheese makers, milk producers and foodies from all over the country.

People

What has made Toluma Farms amazing have been two main ingredients: great people and great goats. Currently, we have the following people taking care of the goats and the land:

Laura Patterson (Herd Manager): Laura has been at Toluma Farms since November and has really done a phenomenal job in keeping the goats as healthy as possible.

Michele Guinn (Head Milker): Michele has been with with us since December and went from never milking to our Head Milker.

Hanna Hart (Resident Milker): Hanna moved onto the farm this summer. She has been raising chickens and we are looking forward to our first Toluma eggs.

Jamie Lummis (Milker): Jamie has two classes left to complete her Animal Science degree at UC Davis. She came to us after spending 6 months in New Zealand with cows and sheep.

Phoebe Vernier (Feeder): When Phoebe isn't teaching Flamenco dancing she is keeping our goats well fed.

Kelsey Parker (Feeder): Kelsey is in her senior year at Tomales High School.

Ken Garcia (Facilities Manager): Ken has been with Toluma Farms the longest (2005). He keeps all things running smoothly.

Bob Garcia (Maintenance Technician): Bob has joined Toluma Farms this year and has been a great addition. The property has never looked so good.

Emily Charles (Intern): Toluma Farms is able to take on one intern. We are thrilled to recently welcome Emily.

Josy Hicks Jablons (editor Toluma Farms newsletter)

Emmy Hicks Jablons (tour guide, 1st Sunday of the Month)

This summer we said goodbye to some wonderful staff: Scott Fillmore (moved back to his family farm); Laura Freeman (moved to New Mexico and is continuing to work with goats) and intern Audrey Synder who returned to her senior year at Urban High School in San Francisco.

Goats

We are now selling over 400 gallons of milk a week to Redwood Hill Farm and Creamery and have over 200 amazing goats of various breeds.

Breeding season has officially began. We will be breeding 200 goats this season which will make for a very busy kidding season in 5 months. We hope you visit us to see the cute kid goats and we are always looking for kidding season volunteers for feeding the kids (a very fun job). We have tours the first Sunday of the month. Please see our website for more info and to sign up (www.tolumafarms.com).

Looking Ahead

We are moving forward with plans for planting some crops as well as developing a plan for more field rotation for the goats.

Mailing Address: 5488 Middle Road, Petaluma, 94952