This summer, Solid Ground’s Giving Garden at Marra Farm is introducing its first drip irrigation system, which promises to enhance water efficiency and reduce weed growth. The farm is already growing a giant pumpkin weighing over 1,000 pounds, a project born from collaboration with a neighbor known for cultivating large pumpkins. This pumpkin is nurtured by a single plant and has surpassed previous records.

Additionally, the farm has doubled its wheat and corn production, aimed at making pizza dough and tortillas, providing an educational experience for visiting schoolchildren. Solid Ground’s ¾-acre garden serves to supply fresh produce to the community and educate local youth about farming, food systems, and food justice, with over 1,155 kids visiting last year.

The farm also benefits from a hoophouse, which enables the growth of warm-weather crops like cantaloupe, tomatoes, and peppers. Solid Ground’s initiatives not only focus on crop production but also engage volunteers in hands-on activities, fostering a deeper understanding of where food comes from. The new irrigation system is expected to show its full benefits in the upcoming growing season.

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Image Posts: New at the farm: drip irrigation, a giant pumpkin, and twice as much pizza dough 
Cherry tomatoes ripening on the vine
Cherry tomatoes ripening on the vine Posts: New at the farm: drip irrigation, a giant pumpkin, and twice as much pizza dough 
Lavender with a large bumblebee in the center
Lavender with a large bumblebee in the center Posts: New at the farm: drip irrigation, a giant pumpkin, and twice as much pizza dough 
Cherry tomatoes ripening on the vine
Cherry tomatoes ripening on the vine Posts: New at the farm: drip irrigation, a giant pumpkin, and twice as much pizza dough 
An enormous white pumpkin grows alone in a patch surrounded by black screening.
An enormous white pumpkin grows alone in a patch surrounded by black screening. Posts: New at the farm: drip irrigation, a giant pumpkin, and twice as much pizza dough 
A covered hoophouse to the left of a large tent of scarlet runner beans
A covered hoophouse to the left of a large tent of scarlet runner beans Posts: New at the farm: drip irrigation, a giant pumpkin, and twice as much pizza dough 
A sign on a stake in the middle of a farm field has an illustration of a beet with the words in several languages.
A sign on a stake in the middle of a farm field has an illustration of a beet with the words in several languages. Posts: New at the farm: drip irrigation, a giant pumpkin, and twice as much pizza dough 
A trellis with purple and red sweet peas climbing up it.
A trellis with purple and red sweet peas climbing up it. Posts: New at the farm: drip irrigation, a giant pumpkin, and twice as much pizza dough 
A sign on a stake amidst rows of lettuce with an illustration of lettuce with the words in several languages.
A sign on a stake amidst rows of lettuce with an illustration of lettuce with the words in several languages. Posts: New at the farm: drip irrigation, a giant pumpkin, and twice as much pizza dough 
A tall stand of corn growing
A tall stand of corn growing Posts: New at the farm: drip irrigation, a giant pumpkin, and twice as much pizza dough 
A stone painted with the Marra Farm logo, placed on the ground by a rock and some plants
A stone painted with the Marra Farm logo, placed on the ground by a rock and some plants Posts: New at the farm: drip irrigation, a giant pumpkin, and twice as much pizza dough 
A plant with green peppers growing out of black landscape fabric.
A plant with green peppers growing out of black landscape fabric. Posts: New at the farm: drip irrigation, a giant pumpkin, and twice as much pizza dough 
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