Finch Frolic Garden Permaculture

Finch Frolic Garden Permaculture We are a 1.68 acre food forest and wildlife habitat, using only permaculture methods of natural soil Solutions come with a little patience and elbow grease.
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In February, 2011, our property began its permaculture make-over, converting it from an erosion-rich palm tree and w**d lot into a functioning, sculpted water-catching and food-growing landscape and habitat by fall. Diane Kennedy, P.D.C., is owner and idea-woman behind the property and the Finch Frolic Garden business. Home of the Kennedy family since 1999, this 1.68 acre watershed property had gr

eat potential -- it's what sold Diane on it. The beauty of the wild natural streambed at the bottom of the property was part of the inspiration for a garden that brought together the needs and passions central in Diane's life: habitat, food, and beauty. An intersection of permaculture discovery, the need to make something of the place, and the chance moment in which the doing was possible (time, funds, connections, etc.), brought Finch Frolic into existence. The garden is a dynamic place of work, wonder, bounty, and beauty. We are always fixing and making something, but the garden is always giving. For information about booking tours or consultations, please visit http://www.vegetariat.com/ .

[UNDER CONSTRUCTION :) ]

From our good friends Noel and Ann at Homestead Culture, a really thorough and inexpensive course on seed saving: https:...
10/07/2023

From our good friends Noel and Ann at Homestead Culture, a really thorough and inexpensive course on seed saving: https://homesteadculture.com/seed-processing/.

How to clean seeds easily & professionally at the homestead garden scale. Clean seeds for food or create a new revenue stream from your seeds.

10/05/2023

With mixed feelings I will be closing Finch Frolic Garden Permaculture after our last November tour this year. Since the food forest was created in 2011, my daughter Miranda and I have educated thousands of visitors on our tours, in our workshops, and in off-site lectures. My heartfelt thank you to everyone who has supported us, and who has taken permaculture to heart and to practice.

I will also be closing my consultation and design business. I have designed many, many landscapes and have had the satisfaction of project managing their installation. Hundreds of homeowners have invited me into their homes to see how they can save water, build habitat, grow food, go chemical-free, and have the landscape they want. Many of these wonderful people have become good friends. I couldn't have asked for a better career.

As I cannot retire and keep the property, I will most likely be selling Finch Frolic Garden in the near future. I will make that announcement when I get to that time.

Permaculture will always be something that I practice, I preach, and I beseech homeowners to follow. Regenerative practices are vital in our stressed world.

Thank you again, friends, followers, permaculturalists, and all who donated time and money to keep us going. It was worth it.

Diane

09/15/2023

Hi, if you are planning to attend the tour at Finch Frolic Garden Permaculture on Sunday, please be aware that, along with all of Southern California and beyond, we have an excess of mosquitoes this year. Surrounded by trees we don't have a breeze to blow them away. It is advised that you use some insect deterrent when you come.

Also, we have a lot of free gardening items left over from a garage sale, along with many, many books for sale along with a top bar hive. If you may be interested, please bring cash or checks. Thanks! Diane

09/07/2023

Lots of gardening items, bee hives, water barrels, etc. Gardening books too!

Huge garage sale at our home, 390 Vista del Indio, Fallbrook! This Sat. and Sun, Sept. 9 and 10, from 8 -1. CASH ONLY. We have over 800 books... 400+ are children's. We have toys, some vintage....

07/11/2023

Hi, sorry but due to the predicted heat we will not be having the July tour next Sunday. August may be out as well, but I'll keep you posted. We want everyone to be safe and comfortable here. Take good care! Thanks, Diane

What to give Dad for Father's Day? A permaculture talk at Finch Frolic Garden! Our third Sunday of the month tour of our...
06/12/2023

What to give Dad for Father's Day? A permaculture talk at Finch Frolic Garden! Our third Sunday of the month tour of our food forest is a mini class on permaculture. $20 per person cash or check. It begins at 10 am sharp. Email RSVP to [email protected], and I'll send directions (which can also be found on our website, www.vegetariat.com). It will be a gorgeous day and the garden is thriving!

A Branch of the Center for Conservation and Education Strategies. Consultations, designs, food forest tours and more.

06/12/2023

Miranda will be giving a free in-depth presentation on our local pollinators this Friday at the Murrieta Library at 10 am. Her amazing photos of truly spectacular insects, and cool facts you won't learn anywhere else. Free natives to give away as well.

04/11/2023
Our first Open Tour of the year will be this Sunday, March 19th, at 10! With the long winter many of our trees and flowe...
03/17/2023

Our first Open Tour of the year will be this Sunday, March 19th, at 10! With the long winter many of our trees and flowers are just beginning to bloom, so there are flowers everywhere. Come learn how to manage water, not use chemicals, grow what you want, and understand how nature works. This 2 hour class is a basic introduction to permaculture, and you will take home many ideas you can work with right away. Adults are $20 apiece, cash or check please. No pets. There may be sprinkles on Sunday, so dress accordingly. RSVP at www.vegetariat.com, and I'll send directions, or find them on our website. See you then!

A Branch of the Center for Conservation and Education Strategies. Consultations, designs, food forest tours and more.

Come see us and many other speakers this Sunday at the San Diego  Bird Festival! Entrance is free. https://www.sandiegoa...
02/23/2023

Come see us and many other speakers this Sunday at the San Diego Bird Festival! Entrance is free. https://www.sandiegoaudubon.org/birding/san-diego-bird-festival/san-diego-bird-festival.html. We will be speaking at 9:30 on Planting and Maintaining a Bird-Friendly Garden.

Celebrate the wild birds and habitats of San Diego with us. The festivities will take place at Marina Village Conference Center. 1936 Quivira Way, San Diego, CA 92109. Our field trips reach every corner of the county. Festival registration is $35 per person, which gains you access to many included s...

11/17/2022

The last Open Tour of Finch Frolic Garden Permaculture will be this Sunday Nov. 20th from 10 to noon. We also have for sale our jars of homegrown and homemade plum jam, guava jam, plum BBQ sauce, dill pickles, and more. We will open the gates at 9:30. Quantity is limited, but all are fresh, yummy, and make excellent additions to Thanksgiving or for Christmas gifts. We also will have frozen fruit from our garden so that you can make your own pies and smoothies. The garden will reopen March 1. Thanks so much for your support!

Why you should cut down or get rid of your tropical milkw**d, if you love Monarchs!
10/19/2022

Why you should cut down or get rid of your tropical milkw**d, if you love Monarchs!

Monarchs are battling Ophryocystis elektroscirrha (OE), a parasite that creates sticky spots on the developing butterfly's abdomen and ruins their beautiful ...

10/19/2022

We're on a mission to deepen our connection to the seed that sustains us.

Our dear friend, Don Tipping of Siskiyou Seeds is leading us in an immersive workshop, "The Source of Seeds", on October 29th and 30th.

We utilize these workshops to train our staff on seed selection, seed culture and various other nuances of building a bioregional seed bank. We would love for you to join us for this epic experience. Click the link below to save your spot today!
https://www.theecologycenter.org/event/source-of-seeds/2022-10-29/

We will be at the Fall Garden Festival on Sat. Nov. 5th! We will speak at 12 on stopping erosion, but there are great wo...
10/19/2022

We will be at the Fall Garden Festival on Sat. Nov. 5th! We will speak at 12 on stopping erosion, but there are great workshops all day. The Water Conservation Garden
12122 Cuyamaca College Dr West
El Cajon, CA 92019https://thegarden.org/fall-garden-festival/

Fall Garden Festival

Come join me at Murrieta Library this Saturday at 1.
09/08/2022

Come join me at Murrieta Library this Saturday at 1.

08/11/2022

We are cancelling the Sunday, August 21st Open Tour due to heat concerns. We plan on resuming our monthly tours on Sunday, September18th. Stay hydrated, safe, and be sure to care for your pets and wildlife! Thanks, Diane

This is what we need to do. These are water catchment basins planted with native grasses. The water is caught, sinks, ir...
05/08/2022

This is what we need to do. These are water catchment basins planted with native grasses. The water is caught, sinks, irrigates grasses, and spreads between to water native trees. The trees are protected from grazing animals. Soon it will be a forest, there will be water in the water table, stable soil, rich habitat and plenty of water for people to use responsibly. This doesn't mean lawns and thirsty ornamental landscapes. Here is the link to this video. Many more are posted on our Water Management playlist. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RPJ9T4yAEGs&ab_channel=DWNews

Parasites have been kept in check until 2000 when more people got involved: "From my view of the world, I see three anth...
02/28/2022

Parasites have been kept in check until 2000 when more people got involved: "From my view of the world, I see three anthropogenic practices that have all arisen during the save-the-monarchs movement, and each of these probably has some influence on this, because of what we know about its influence on OE numbers. They are, in no particular order: 1) commercial monarch breeding operations, where thousands of monarchs are raised, sold, and shipped around the country for release. These monarchs are often infected with OE (we've checked). And, these operations are always touting that their monarchs are helping to boost the population 2) homeowner rearing of monarchs for release. If people rear more than just a few monarchs, their kitchen-rearing operations have the potential to result in major OE spread. 3) planting of tropical milkw**d. In places where it doesn't freeze, this milkw**d has been proven to enhance local OE spread."
So plant native milkw**d, or cut down your tropical milkw**d every Fall, and don't take caterpillars into the house to raise!

Hello everyone, This might be the most sobering blog post I've ever written about monarchs, and so I hope you pay close attention. I also hope that after reading this, you share it with every single person you know who cares a whit about monarchs, because this information should be shouted from the....

07/05/2021

SDRVC's Next to Nature Program encourages creation of wildlife habitats in yards that border preserves, canyons, parks and other open spaces.

https://www.meetup.com/homesteaders-50/events/277890347/ A free cob building workshop in Lemon Grove!
04/30/2021

https://www.meetup.com/homesteaders-50/events/277890347/ A free cob building workshop in Lemon Grove!

Sat, May 8, 2021, 10:00 AM: This May, Autumn Randolph will be hosting this natural building workshop series, focused around the pallet-cob method, in which walls are built with reclaimed shipping pall

Finch Frolic Garden's monthly tours are on the third Sundays of the month at 10. Come learn about how you can use permac...
04/15/2021

Finch Frolic Garden's monthly tours are on the third Sundays of the month at 10. Come learn about how you can use permaculture in your yard. RSVP to [email protected]. More information is at www.vegetariat.com.

Sun, Apr 18, 2021, 10:00 AM: We are open with restrictions: All attendees MUST wear masks and keep appropriately distant from others. Miranda and I are taking the virus very seriously and still want t

Happy Tenth Anniversary! - *|www.vegetariat.com|*
03/11/2021

Happy Tenth Anniversary! - *|www.vegetariat.com|*

02/25/2021

Pruning: the basics Posted on February 25, 2021 by Diane A young peach tree volunteer, pruned its first year for height and health. Pruning is a point of contention with me. If you plant a plant in the right place, meaning that it has room enough to grow to its full potential without having to be co...

02/02/2021

Habits I’ll Keep Post COVID-19 Posted on February 2, 2021 by Diane At our house we already repurpose and recycle, and mend as much as we can. The COVID-19 pandemic made us wonder about supply availability, food security, and even more about our footprint on this planet. As we live in a fire zone, ...

So sorry to lose Farmer Bill. If you don't know about City Farmer's Nursery, or of its origins, read about Bill's guts a...
01/31/2021

So sorry to lose Farmer Bill. If you don't know about City Farmer's Nursery, or of its origins, read about Bill's guts and determination to change policy.

We wish we were able to share this news personally with each of you, the way Bill would have: across the nursery's front counter - the place he was happiest - where you approach as a customer and leave as a friend.

On Tuesday, after a six year, extraordinary and uphill battle against cancer and liver failure, our founder, Bill Tall, passed away. He was at home, surrounded by the ever-present sounds of the nursery; the background music of a life well lived.

A true Individual - there was, and will only ever be, one Farmer Bill.

In 1972, at the age of 16, Bill came down to an undeveloped bit of land at the corner of Home & Euclid, putting in long days for nearly fifty years - days that he said never felt like work at all because he loved it so - Bill built a place unlike any other.

The youngest son of Nathan and Bertha Tall, from an early age Bill has been a tireless advocate for school and community gardens, children's access to nature, farm animals, and hands-on learning.

Bill was a multi-year president of CAN, the California of Nurserymen. He was a community business advocate, a small business proponent, and the founder of Nate's Deli (now Nate's Garden Grill). He did all this, and so much more, from his little bit of the country in the heart of the city.

Thank you for being with Bill and us through his journey. Our journey now, together, continues.

The nursery will pause business this week, reopening Thursday, February 4th, allowing our family and staff time together. Sunday curbside pickup will remain open. We thank you for your patience and grace as we mourn, gather ourselves, and prepare for a future guided by our founder's brilliance, heart, humor, and love for plants and people.

Services will be held on Friday, January 29th, at 1pm PST. Because of Covid precautions, we will be streaming the service - the link will be available at cityfarmersnursery.com

If you'd like to read more about Bill's journey and the folks who made it possible, please go to cityfarmersnursery.com/farmerbill

Visit CityFarmersNursery.com to view service recording and learn more about Bill's memorial scholarship.

Warmly,
The Tall & City Farmers Nursery family

We are excited to have scheduled an additional August Open tour, on Saturday August 15 at 10, because our regular Sunday...
08/06/2020

We are excited to have scheduled an additional August Open tour, on Saturday August 15 at 10, because our regular Sunday tour is full. Please RSVP to [email protected], and wear a mask. See more information at www.vegetariat.com. Thanks!

08/02/2020

August Permaculture Tips - *www.vegetariat.com*

Finch Frolic Garden Permaculture has reopened for tours as of July, 2020. Our monthly tour will be held on the third Sun...
06/19/2020

Finch Frolic Garden Permaculture has reopened for tours as of July, 2020. Our monthly tour will be held on the third Sunday of the month, and private tours can be arranged. We are capping our attendance to 10 people. ALL VISITORS MUST WEAR MASKS, and social distancing will be observed. Please respect the health of those around you; the COVID-19 virus is NOT gone, and we here at FFG Permaculture are taking all precautions to insure your health safety and our own. If you show up for a tour without a mask, you may not attend the tour. Please see our website at www.vegetariat.com for more information and directions. RSVP at [email protected]. Thanks, and be safe!

Slime molds identified at Finch Frolic Garden. ***WORK IN PROGRESS*** Not all species have been uploaded yet. :) Kingdom...
05/20/2020

Slime molds identified at Finch Frolic Garden. ***WORK IN PROGRESS*** Not all species have been uploaded yet. :) Kingdom (or unranked grouping) Protista

Protista is not a natural grouping like Animalia, Plantae and Fungi are, but instead is the mystery box of living things that don't fit into those other three kingdoms. There is debate even about whether Protista is a kingdom or not. But it's where we put the very diverse organisms we loosely refer to as "slime molds" for convenience.
(Some slime mold are in the unranked classification Amoebozoa, too, but it's all still very undecided, so we call them protists to save time).

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390 Vista Del Indio
Fallbrook, CA
92028

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NATIVE PLANT RESTORATION TEAM news!
The Mighty Oak Tree
The single most important plant in our native gallery is the oak tree, followed by willow. Oaks are habitat for over 300 species of animals and insects. They are long-lived, helping to shade the ground and nourish it with fallen leaves and sticks. Their canopy leaves help soften the impact of hard rain by shattering the drops into smaller and gentler droplets. Acorns have been a mainstay food for animals and humans for millennia. Oaks send out large side branches which become buttresses, helping to hold the heavy main oak in place even when heart rot, fire or insect damage may weaken the main trunk. Pruning an oak, sycamore or almost any long-lived tree into a lollipop form, such as in a park setting, will endanger and shorten the life of that tree as it ages. If you have the space for an oak, plant one, don't prune up the side branches and leave that thick oak duff. Your oak will survive storms for hundreds of years to come.
Photo and article by Diane Kennedy, Finch Frolic Garden Permaculture.
You can learn more from Diane by joining the Native Plant Restoration Team any Wednesday morning at 8:30am at Los Jilgueros Preserve! More info at https://www.fallbrooklandconservancy.org/volunteer
One of our favorite parts of Stagecoach Sunday is being able to introduce our members to some of our non-profit partners. Come out on Sunday and meet the permaculture experts of Finch Frolic Garden Permaculture, Project Wildlife's bat rescuer Cindy Myers, and the butterfly champions from Wings of Change!
Tickets for BBQ, drinks, and activities are on sale at FallbrookLandConservancy.org/stagecoachsunday
NATIVE PLANT RESTORATION TEAM news!
The Native Plant Restoration Team changed local temporarily to install a native plant landscape around the Palomares House. The landscape had become a collection of aging non-native bushes and trees which had been installed over time without a plan. Now thanks to a design by Diane Kennedy of Finch Frolic Garden Permaculture and the hard work of the NPRT, a selection of flowering native plants will act as a demonstration garden for those interested in native landscapes. It will also serve to reflect the purpose of the Fallbrook Land Conservancy at its headquarters. Much labor in the summer heat was necessary to remove stumps, pick-axe through hard soil, and make gopher baskets to line the holes. The NPRT volunteers outdid themselves in the heat. Special thanks to Ken Quigley to assist the team by reconfiguring the irrigation system to properly irrigate the less thirsty native plants and helping reset bender board. The native plants were purchased from Moosa Creek Nursery thanks to donations from FLC supporters, and are already putting on new growth and flowers. Our milkw**d even has some monarch caterpillars! Thanks to Wings of Change for delivering the milkw**d and donating wildflower seed!
Today at 4 p.m. don’t miss our YouTube livestream with Diane Kennedy of Finch Frolic Garden Permaculture.
I was reading about gardens, and I thought the Finch Frolic Garden would be a great place to visit. Are you guys open? Please let me know, I would love to stop by. Thank you
My video is online today! Please share to your timeline! https://youtu.be/X4EpVJMUkuw https://www.facebook.com/LateBloomerShow
Hey Everyone!
I want to share this informational photobook that details some great uses for end-of-life palm trees. Palm trees make up most of the organic matter found in landfills (aside from food) but using them in our gardens and elsewhere is extremely beneficial!
Tree San Diego CAL FIRE Finch Frolic Garden Permaculture

You can access it here:
Thank you for today!
Saw your photo and wanted share my Italian squash, trombochini (think) Grew one last season that was 5 feet long only because it grew up into my strawberry guava and then down. Picked it so it wouldn't fall on a small child and left it all winter on my front porch wall just because it was so interesting. Cut into it last spring and you're right. It was a perfect winter squash for 50.
Barbara Rowe This is Diane Kennedy's food forest we were talking about yesterday. Her tours are great and introduce Permaculture techniques. Ann Bellafaire if you haven't heard about Permaculture, this is the place to go. It is a smarter, more ecofriendly way to farm, save water, etc. You can farm the way we talked about. We are implementing these techniques for smarter, more efficient use of water. :-)
I can't thank you enough for all of your time today. You have helped us see the full potential of our space. We cant wait to get started! Bring on the rain!... After i dig the swails..... ❤🌳
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