Are you a fan of locally sourced organic food, urban farming and community connectivity?

After 40 years as an agricultural property and several years as a working farm offering organic heirloom-variety fruits, veggies and eggs, our neighborhood farm, Coral Tree Farm & Nursery in Encinitas, is now required by the City of Encinitas to obtain a minor use permit to stay in business. Not only does Coral Tree offer healthy, locally grown fruits, veggies and farm-grown eggs, it's a fun destination for families and also serves as an educational resource for children of the Village Farm School.

A local Encinitas resident, Tiffany Fox explains, "Spending some time at CTF feeding carrot tops to the goats or checking in on the chickens is one of my family's favorite activities, and coming home with a huge bag of produce that I know was grown steps away from my front door makes me feel I am doing my part to live as sustainably as possible."

Coral Tree Farm and Nursery in Encinitas is family owned and operated since 1958. The farm has also offered many classes in nutrition, healthy cooking, making fermented foods, using herbs to benefit health... the list goes on. As a nutritionist, I know the value of nutrient-rich food but Laurel Mehl goes a step above and beyond and opens up her farm (and home) to the community. In fact, I recently took a fermentation class at the farm and couldn’t have been more impressed with the hands-on experience I had learning and being with such a great group of folks.

To succeed in obtaining a permit, Coral Tree need to show it has the support of the community. If you enjoy the farm, support urban agriculture and think it's a good thing for our community, please email a letter of support (only needs to be a paragraph) to: coraltreefarm@gmail.com. I thank you and the farm thanks you, too!