5 acres in Muir Beach, about 16 miles from the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market

Sara Tashker and Qayyum Johnson with 4 staff members and 6 to 8 seasonal farm apprentices. Everyone who lives at Green Gulch participates in the daily meditation schedule, attends weekly classes on Zen Buddhism, and participates in meditation retreats.

California Certified Organic Farmer (CCOF) since 1985

Green Gulch Farm is a residential Buddhist practice place also known as Green Dragon Zen Temple. Green Gulch Farm was established by the San Francisco Zen Center in 1972 as a rural retreat center and organic farm. As part of the greater Redwood Creek Watershed, Green Gulch Farm is undertaking a major creek restoration project that aims to create a healthy environment for salmon within a dynamic riparian zone.

Green Gulch Farm encourages community interaction and education through school tours, organic gardening classes, volunteer days, Arbor Day and watershed activities, and a residential farm apprenticeship program that trains participants in meditation and hands-on organic farming. A member of Marin Organic, Green Gulch Farm regularly gleans leftover crops that would be ploughed-under and distributes them to public schools, shelters, and low-income communities.

Create habitats to attract beneficial insects and schedule planting to avoid times when certain insects are most prevalent.

Clay loam soil is built up by cover cropping, fertilizing with compost tea, and farm-made compost of horse manure, ground turkey feathers, and fish emulsion.

On-farm ponds collect water for sprinkler and drip irrigation.

Hand weeding, machine cultivation, crop rotations, and cover crops.