Topics:

Sustainable Agriculture Practices, Compost Manure and Other Fertilizers and Post-Harvest Handling

Jim Flocchini shares the history of Two Ravens Herbals, LLC

Meryl Flocchini talks about how her experience at the 2008 Rural Roots’ Food Safety Workshop opened her eyes and led to improved practices on their farm.

The garden at Two Ravens Herbals, LLC

Participant looks over an example of Two Ravens’ organic recordkeeping.

The group heads down to the garden.

Meryl shows a crop of calendula and discusses its benefits and which of their products it is used for.

Jim explains the layout of the garden and discusses crop rotation.

Participants explore the garden and ask questions about the various crops.

Bounty inside the hoop house.

grapes

Participants sample the grapes growing overhead.

Hand-washing station in the field.

Plastic tote provides protection for paper towels.

Alena Flocchini demonstrates proper hand washing while singing Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star – the thirty second song provides the right amount of time it should take to wash your hands.

Alena shows the steps involved in proper hand washing starting with scrubbing the tops of your hands

The next step in proper hand washing: scrubbing between the fingers, then under the fingernails.

The final step in handwashing - a good rinse!

Jim shows scabs on an apple surface and discusses prevention methods

Calendula drying on racks covered with canvas

Garlic drying in the cellar is propped up on milk crates to keep the product off of the floor

Shelves of dried herbs

Jim shows some of their tinctures and discusses storage and labeling

Jim explains the process of extraction