Last month we were overjoyed(it’s nice to get out of the dispensary) to go on a socially distanced farm tour with Bird Valley Organics located right in our Pajaro Valley backyard.

Co-founders Terry Sardinas & Manny Alvarez (a first-generation Cuban-American power couple and third-generation farmers) moved out to California to start a medical marijuana business back in 2011. Today, they operate a 20-acre Envirocann certified cannabis farm. After spending the morning getting to know the brains behind the brand and how they’re using sustainable farming practices, we can’t wait to continue to celebrate their start-to-finish high-quality flower.

During our tour, we were given the chance to walk around the entire acreage and observe Bird Valley Organic’s unique Hugelkultur (German for "hill culture"). Hugelkultur is a farming practice that utilizes large hill beds laid down in rows. From the bottom up, logs, branches, grass climbings, straw, compost, and soil are layered like a dirt lasagna. This method neutralizes waste and provides an organic biome for plants to root themselves in. Additionally, Hugels(farmer lingo for Hugelkultur) are able to last a long time and endure significant amounts of weathering. Because they are committed to growing cannabis outdoors in natural sunlight, Bird Valley Organic’s uses vegetable and herb plants as cover crops.

The farm tour ended with our trucks filled with freshly harvested vegetables and herbs grown on the farm and an expanded appreciation of how lucky we are to call Bird Valley Organic’s part of the Santa Cruz Naturals family.