For Kyle and Mel Burns, growing nutritious, organic food for their community is a dream. But nobody says it’s been easy! The couple has experienced the highs and lows of farming for about a decade, including moving locations twice, growing through a pandemic with a toddler at home, and embarking on wonderfully ambitious farm projects. They admit there have been days when it would be easier to give up, but they can’t quit. Kyle and Mel love dirt. They’re passionate about nurturing the soil and their local communities of Chico, Northern Sacramento, and beyond. They’re determined to be good stewards of the land, creating a better future for their daughter and other children facing a growing climate crisis. They want to be part of the solution.
Kyle and Mel’s farming adventures began in 2015 when they moved to Nye Ranch on the Mendocino Coast in Fort Bragg, CA. The couple transformed a horse pasture into a biodiverse haven for growing food, experimented with various techniques, and learned from their mistakes. After getting married and having a baby, they moved closer to home and leased a farm in Nevada City before setting roots in Chico, CA, to start Burns Blossom Farm. Kyle and Mel grow at two central locations in town; the primary site is a ¾ of an acre market garden at The Barber Yard. Two miles down the road, they grow on a larger scale at their four-acre home farm.
Both Burns Blossom Farm properties are certified organic through CCOF. Soil health comes first; no pesticides, herbicides, or synthetic fertilizers. Kyle and Mel follow low-till practices, cover the soil with living plants, and grow many foods and flowers to feed the microbes and create pollinator habitats. They sell everything from scallions, garlic, and heirloom tomatoes to salad mixes, strawberries, and marigolds at the weekly farmer’s markets. The farm grows and ships organic seed garlic and is experimenting with fermented hot sauce, tomato sauce, and herbal medicine.
The Friend of the Farm card is an exciting twist on the traditional CSA box and offers customers the ultimate flexibility in weekly veg selections. People buy reloadable debit-like cards online and use them when they shop. Customers love the convenience, and Kyle and Mel appreciate the investment because it allows them to continue their incredible work.
Burns Blossom Farm donates fruits and veggies weekly to the 530 Food Rescue Coalition and welcomes local students to visit and learn about where their food comes from. Beyond giving back to the community, Kyle and Mel aim always to grow good, honest food, educate, and regenerate.
Gardens don’t grow without problems, but you can get a head start on battling pests and diseases! Catherine Sherriffs offers a list of preventative strategies.
When you think about it, gardening is not all that different from dating. In this article, Xavi Kief shares some tips on plant selection for a successful grow.
Kyle and Mel Burns love dirt! They’re committed to nurturing the soil and growing delicious, nutrient-dense food for the community of Chico, CA.
Fresh, pesticide-free strawberries year-round? Yes, please! GUSH is an indoor vertical farm offering Montrealers ‘clean’ strawberries grown in the city.
Strive for a self-sustaining ecosystem in the garden with cultural practices like crop rotation and interplanting. Haley Nagaski reveals her IPM toolkit.
How do professional growers keep their rooms free of pests and diseases? In our Professional POV series, Alexandre Gauthier of Origine Nature talks IPM.
Mushroom cultivation can be a very fruitful hobby – or even business, once the correct conditions are dialled in.
