Questions that are in fact asked quite frequently.
When I purchased the farm I was told that “there are at least 17 different varieties” but no one knows for sure what they are. There are no records of what was originally planted, but the varieties almost certainly include Bluecrop, Elliot, and Patriot. I have since added (and carefully documented) Duke, Draper, Calypso, Top Shelf, more Elliot, and Aurora.
No one knows.
No.
The house and property was originally part of the farm but was parceled off in the 1980’s. It is now occupied by a lovely family who are dear friends of the farm.
No. European honeybees are…. European. Not native.
Though I love honey, my priority is to support the health of native bees, particularly bumblebees. Bumblebees are the primary pollinator for blueberries, and in Del Norte we have over 19 native bumblebee species. In 2026, 5,400 square feet of bee alleys were installed in the field closest to the barn to provide year round forage and habitat for bees of all kinds. The bee alleys are planted with a Xerxes Society mix of native California wildflowers and are never mowed or irrigated.
