FARMERS

Solana Center offers education, technical assistance, and innovative programming for sustainable agricultural management to farmers and ranchers throughout San Diego County. From manure management to midscale composting and soil regeneration our expert staff are supporting regenerative and circular initiatives.

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View our current events for no and low cost workshops on a variety of topics including manure management, aerated static pile composting, midscale composting, landscaping for watershed pollution prevention, food cycle on farmlands and more.

Resources

  • Hands holding dark soil with a small green seedlingplant

    Healthy Soils Program

    California Department of Food and Agriculture's (CDFA) Healthy Soils Program (HSP) provides financial assistance to California farmers, growers, and ranchers for implementation of one or more HSP agricultural management practices to improve soil health, including compost & mulch application, cover cropping, no-till methods, conservation planting, and more.

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  • A man wearing a yellow shirt and wide-brimmed straw hat standing in an orchard with blossoming trees, next to a green tractor filled with dark soil.

    Composting Consultation

    Are you a rancher or farmer residing in Unincorporated San Diego County? Did you know you can get a FREE 30-minute consultation from our education staff?

    Get your questions about composting, manure management, using the bokashi method, and food waste prevention answered. We offer personalized troubleshooting, location-based recommendations, and evaluating your needs to determine the best composting system for your unique situation. Generously funded by County of San Diego

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  • A young woman with braided hair and a striped shirt under a gray T-shirt standing outdoors, holding a transparent container with a lid, next to a green informational sign about aerated static piles, with a building and window in the background.

    Innovation

    Food Cycle on Farmlands got its start with a partnership between Solana Center, In-N-Out Burger Encinitas, and Coastal Roots Farms. Since its inception more than a decade ago this circular zero waste approach to organic waste and local agriculture has influenced ordinances and proven value to both commercial food waste generators and farmers. 

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  • Rows of apple trees in an orchard with fallen apples on the ground, some trees supported by stakes, overcast sky

    Case Studies

    For nearly a decade we have guided local farmers and growers through applying for funding and implementing farming practices over three-year award periods, as well as preparing reporting documentation over the grant cycle. Read on for success stories from HSP participants San Pasqual Valley Soils and a residential orchard revitalization project.

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