Mother Farm Updates: Got Fruit?

Sure, it’s been below freezing the past few mornings in parts of the Bay, but that doesn’t stop the fruit, if you know which varieties to grow!

Those of us living in the San Francisco Bay Area are fortunate to have a mild, Mediterranean climate where we can grow fruit year round–and not just citrus! At our 4-acre Mother Farm propagation orchard, our Strawberry guava and Lemon (Yellow Strawberry) guava are still fruiting strong into February. Psidium cattleyanum, commonly known as Cattley guava, strawberry guava or cherry guava, is a small tree in the Myrtaceae family that can survive down to mid-20ºF temperatures, and makes a great addition to your garden–either in the ground around fruit trees or in patio containers. Tastes great when eaten fresh in the winter, or added to drinks, ice cream, or dessert. Savor the warmth of summer during the depths of winter!

2025 CRFG Scion Exchange

The Planting Justice Mother Farm team is excited to be tabling and volunteering at the 2025 California Rare Fruit Growers, Golden Gate Chapter Scion Exchange at Diablo Valley College in Pleasant Hill on Saturday, February, 8.

This is a plant nerd’s dream! There will be hundreds of varieties of fruit scions and berry / vine cutting available to share, along with rootstock and grafting equipment for sale, and workshops on how to graft and what to grow in the Bay Area.

The Scion Exchange is a wonderful opportunity to learn how to graft, have someone graft a tree for you, and talk to experts about rare varieties, Bay Area growing conditions, pests and diseases, and everything fruit.

Now’s the time to create those multi-graft trees in your yard that fruit all season long!

While there, stop by the Planting Justice table to say hi, and to see if we carry any scion wood you can’t find anywhere else. See you there!

Volunteers Welcome!

Volunteers are welcome to join us on the land for rewarding work weekly, on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Click here to sign up!

PLEASE NOTE: our Second Saturdays volunteer day is going on pause through February (mainly for the Winter weather, and also for the Winter rest). We will resume Second Saturday Volunteer Days on March 8, 2025. Have a wonderful Winter and hope to see you then!