Novato—Spring has sprung, which means sunnier skies, warmer weather, and the return of the ever-popular annual College of Marin (COM) Spring Plant Sale.
COM’s Spring Plant Sale is currently being held at Indian Valley Campus (IVC) in Novato on Fridays and Saturdays from April 16 through May 1. Indian Valley Organic Farm and Garden (IVOFG) plant sales have historically been incredibly successful, but its popularity exploded during 2020, as more people turned to at-home gardening during the lockdown measures to curb the spread of COVID-19.
Plants from the sale can be ordered and paid for online. Plant availability is listed on the website, according to Johnny Campbell, IVOFG’s farm manager. The plant sale will be held in accordance with all local, state, and federal COVID-19 guidelines to ensure the safety of students, staff, and customers.
Everything at the Indian Valley Organic Farm and Garden is grown organically by work-study students and COM staff. Campbell said the sale will see a wide variety of berries, vegetable plants, succulents, California native plants, and flowers of both the annual and perennial variety. He recommends people who are interested in purchasing plants to order sooner than later, as many plants go out of stock quickly. Last spring’s event tripled the sales of previous years, so the farm has increased supply for this year to stay ahead of the anticipated demand.
Campbell said he is excited for this year’s event, as he is hopeful for a successful sale. He hopes these plants can help provide some much-needed calm for a stressed-out and anxious public.
“It is fulfilling to see the work of the students be so meaningful and tangible for the public,” Campbell said. “I’m also excited for students to get a sense of accomplishment from all of their hard work, as the excited public clamors to get the plants that students have been growing for months.”
Plant purchasers will be able to reserve one-hour time slots for curbside pickup from 10 a.m.- 2 p.m. each day. Campbell said the sale is now live on the website. Proceeds from the sale go back toward the farm and support educational activities for the students.
Those who do not get a chance to take advantage of the plant sale are still in luck: IVC will also offer its farm stand starting on Saturdays in June, where a variety of delicious fruits and vegetables will be for sale, along with IVC’s small-batch organic extra-virgin olive oil.
Indian Valley Organic Farm and Garden (IVOFG) Website
We are now accepting orders! Curbside pickup, from 10 am to 2 pm, will be available on the following dates:
- Friday, April 16
- Saturday, April 17
- Friday, April 23
- Saturday, April 24
- Friday, April 30
- Saturday, May 1
To stay informed about this and future plant sales with the most up-to-date information of when plants go on sale, email organicfarm@marin.edu to get on the email list.
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