Find early spring gardening activities at Soil Born Farms

With spring beginning today -- hurray! -- it's a good time to highlight some of the offerings coming up at Soil Born, starting with this Saturday, March 22. Descriptions are from the Soil Born website:

-- Regenerative Agriculture Farm Tour, 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., $13. Leader is Shawn Harrison, Soil Born Farms. "Take a tour of the farm while learning the principles of regenerative agriculture. See how our farmers implement regenerative practices that revitalize the land and restore the historic American River Ranch. Many of these principles can be applied to your home garden. Everyone can play a part in creating a climate-safe California."

-- Growing Medicinal and Culinary Herbs, 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m. $30.  Instructor is Daylin Wade of Taproot Botanicals. "Medicinal and culinary herbs in the home garden can add flavor to your meals, home remedies to your medicine cabinet, and beauty, diversity, and beneficial insect habitat to your landscape. This class offers classroom and hands-on instruction for growing an array of medicinal and culinary herbs, and an introduction to harvesting and using what you grow."

In the early evening on Wednesday, March 26, Soil Born offers:

-- What Should I Plant? Starting Your Summer Container Garden, 5:30 to 7 p.m. $15. Shannon Hardwicke is the instructor. "Are you looking for a hands-on learning opportunity? Join a work and learn session to gain valuable skills and knowledge while working with others on the farm. Classes are 90 minutes. Participants are encouraged to bring gloves and wear closed-toed shoes. Learn about the best plants for raised beds, containers and small spaces. Use trellises, companion planting and root vegetables to maximize your space. Walk away with a plan for your space."

Coming up in April:

-- Bird Walk, 8:30 to 10 a.m., Saturday, April 5, with naturalist Cliff Hawley. $15. "Ideal for beginner and intermediate bird watchers."

-- The Just for Kids program for ages 6 to 11 continues 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, April 5, with "Creek Critters and Creatures." $30.

-- An onoing series of garden activities for kids ages 3 to 5 with an adult chaperone, the Li'l Sprouts in the Garden program, continues Saturday, April 12, at 9 a.m. with a Planting Party.  Offerings are twice a month through May. (The session scheduled March 22 is sold out.) Cost is $15 per session.

Finally, starting April 5, Yoga on the Farm is offered every Saturday from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. $15 per session.

Registration for all these events is available online at soilborn.org.

Meanwhile, no registration is needed for the weekly Saturday at the Farm shopping event, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Soil Born features an open-air organic produce farmstand,  as well as Milly's Mercantile, Phoebe's Tea and Snack Bar,  and the Greenhouse Garden Shop & Fruit Tree Nursery.

Online shopping for produce, prepared foods, baked goods, seedlings and fruit trees is available from 5 p.m. Tuesdays through 9 a.m. on Thursdays, with pickups scheduled on Saturdays between 8 a.m. and 1 p.m.

Soil Born Farms' American River Ranch is at 2140 Chase Drive, Rancho Cordova.