Farmers Elizabeth Kaiser and her husband Paul pose with their three-year-old daughter Annali and their five-year-old son Lucas at Singing Frogs Farm in Sebastopol. (Conner Jay / The Press Democrat)

By ANDREA GRANAHAN / West County Correspondent

When you first drive up to Singing Frogs Farm and are greeted by Wenge the dog, you feel as if you have stepped into an Eden. A small valley fans out below the 9-acre Sebastopol farm that is filled with flowers, animals and abundant, healthy looking crops.

Farmer Paul Kaiser, 38, and his wife Elizabeth, 35, have managed to create all this fertility without a plow. They are adamant that tearing open the earth to cultivate it is not only unnecessary but also causes ecological problems that include global warming.

What’s more, their composting and transplanting methods have proven over the past six years to be more productive and profitable than even growing grapes.

The Kaisers have three full time, year round employees and feed between 115 and 120 families each week with Community Supported Agriculture boxes of their farm goods.

They also market their food at local farmers markets and supply two restaurants: Peter Lowell in Sebastopol and Backyard Restaurant in Forestville.

“Farmers usually have one or two crops a year,” Paul Kaiser said. “We have between three and seven per unit of land. This is a Mediterranean climate.

carrots for sale at Singing Frogs Farm.

“The average earning is about $3,700 per acre wholesale. Direct marketing farms do about $9,000 per acre per year. We are doing $65,000 to $75,000. That is three times what a vineyard does around here.”

How do the Kaisers do it? According to him, they produce about seven times the amount of food. The have many crops in one bed.

“See the lettuce growing with the broccoli? The broccoli shades the lettuce, keeps it cool and tender. The lettuce crowds out intrusive weeds,” he said.

They use compost. “We provide half of our own compost and buy the other half from Sonoma Compost. It’s organically approved.”

And they plant hedgerows, 3,000 in the past five years.

“That is critical,” he said. “We use native plants mostly for our hedgerows. They are woody perennials with high pollen and nectar for pollinators which need them year round. They provide a windbreak and habitat for birds and snakes, and moderate temperatures. Tractors have killed the old hedgerow tradition.”

Singing Frogs Farm won the 2010 North American Farmer Rancher Award for pollinator conservation. Bees are everywhere, with six busy hives working the Kaisers’ land.

They also irrigate using their own pond rather than ground water, kept clean by a crop of domestic ducks as well as few wild ducks. A flock of hens they call “girlie-girls” live in movable pastures and supply eggs, but they don’t slaughter hens who are past their prime. Other animals on the farm include seven sheep, a milk goat named Mocha and a guard llama named Charlie, who protects the smaller animals from predators.

While some of the land was first cleared with a tractor, Kaiser has since successfully experimented with laying down cardboard and planting in mulch piled right on it. He germinates seeds in a nursery rather than planting them directly into the mulch.

“Transplants mean the plants are stronger and more resistant to pests,” he said.

Where did he learn his farming skills? At American University in Washington, D.C., where he earned a Master’s degree in Sustainable Development and another in Natural Resources Management from the school’s United Nations University for Peace.

Elizabeth Kaiser also holds dual masters degrees, in nursing and public health. They met in college, served in the Peace Corps in The Gambia, West Africa and worked for a year in Costa Rica.

Kaiser is a proselyte for no-till agriculture. “The Department of Agriculture says 31 percent of greenhouse gases come from agriculture,” he said. “Tilling releases nitrogen and other things into the air. The organic compounds of the soil are destroyed by it.

“Before tilling, soil is 4-6 percent organic matter; after, it is as low as 1 percent. UC-Davis did a 10-year study and raised it to 1.2 percent. The Rodale Institute did a 23-year study and got soil to 2 percent. With what we are doing, we got ours from 2.4 percent to 6.6 percent.”

UC Davis was impressed enough to hire Kaiser to lead workshops. He speaks a lot, urging farmers to throw away the plow.

The message has taken hold with his children. Lucas, who is not yet 6, has his own garden and sells his produce at school. Now daughter Anna, at 3, is demanding a garden, too.

“We include nature, not exclude her,” he said pointing to his private, fruitful Eden. “This is the web of life.”

Singing Frogs Farm is located at 1301 Ferguson Road, Sebastopol, 829-1389, singingfrogsfarm.com.

The guest will be a woman who survived a cardiac arrest at Oak Grove School. Bullard listed the steps that saved her life: an employee began CPR immediately; someone called 911 immediately; Graton Fire Chief, Terry Davis, arrived on scene within 3 minutes and used an Automatic External Defibrillator (AED) to shock her heart back to life; Graton Fire engine was on scene within 6 minutes and continued CPR and treatment; Sonoma Life Support ambulance arrived within 8 minutes at which point her heart was beating, but she still needed help breathing; ambulance paramedic and Graton firefighter continued her care in the back of the ambulance until arrival at the hospital; and Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital immediately treated her for an ST-elevated myocardial infarction (STEMI) heart attack.

Because every step in the survival chain of events went according to plan the lady will be able to eat her pancakes with her rescuers on Sunday.

“This is why we do what we do… to be a part of a life-saving process and say, “I was part of the team that saved a life,” said Bullard.

The Rotary has funded this program for 29 years, helping to drown proof children.

In the water scarce west county it’s not always easy to wash clothes. A laundromat in Occidental had to close years ago because of water problems. Bodega Bay’s Laundromat closed. But Sebastopol still has places where you can take the dirty laundry.

1. Boomer’s is an institution. Located at 286 S Main St, it is open Mon. – Fri. 8:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., Sat.9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Sun. noon to three. Top loaders are $2 a load. In addition to washing your own stuff, there is laundry service for $1 a pound for clothes, $1.90 lb. for household items. The counter is open Mon. – Fri. 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Next door there’s a deli next door where you can have lunch as your laundry gets clean, or you can cut across the parking lot and visit the art center galleries on High St. and take in an exhibit.

2. Super Suds in the Redwood Marketplace is open daily from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. There’s a bathroom. Very often you’ll find Brandon Kuntz on hand to help you out. The top loaders cost $2.50 a load. Dryers are a standard 25 cents for 7 minutes. While your clothes wash you can go enjoy an ice cream at Baskin Robbins a few doors down.

3. Wash Plus is at 7110 Bodega Ave. right next to City Hall. It’s open Mon. –Fri. 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sat. and Sun. 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. It has no bathroom (but there is public one in the library nearby). It has no top loaders, and all its machines are double or triple load size. You can pay for your wash with a credit card. The double loaders are $3.80, triple are $4.90 and the really huge washers are $6.95.

4. Fiesta Laundromat is open daily 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. It’s located in the Fiesta Shopping Center. It is next to Mambo’s Pizza so you can enjoy a slice while your laundry gets clean.

5. Hill Top Wash is on Pleasant Hill Ave. next to the 7-11 Store. It is open 24 hours a day in case you feel the urge to do laundry at midnight. There is no bathroom. Double loaders are $2.75. Giovanni’s Deli is in the same shopping center so you can snack in style before you go home with clean clothes.

Anything left out? Let us know your favorite place to keep it clean.

Project Grad is an elaborate, all-night celebration after graduation that is alcohol and drug free. Project Grad is a safe alternative to separate graduation night parties located around the community and helps to protect the new grads at the time they’re most at risk of becoming drunk driving victims. In 24 years, not a single Analy graduate has died from alcohol, drugs, or traffic accidents on graduation.

Project Grad starts on Thursday, May 30, 2013 at 9:30 pm and goes until 5:00 am on Friday, May 31 at the Sebastopol Community Cultural Center.

To obtain tickets, mail a check for $65 payable to Analy Project Grad to:

Analy Project Grad, 6950 Analy Ave., Sebastopol, CA 95472.

Scholarships are available. Call a counselor at 824-2316 or Nancy Siebert at 824-2305.

On Tuesday (5/14) the Rialto Theater is showing a free movie, “The Revolutionary Optimists” about India’s slum children at 7 p.m. The theater is at 6868 McKinley Ave. in Sebastopol.

This is the week Sebastopol gets invaded by belly dancers from all over the world. It is Tribal Fest time and it runs from Tuesday ( 5/14) through Sunday (5/19). It features 88 workshops for dance, henna, music, costumes and more. There are 45 vendors. There is a show that runs from Friday through Sunday from 1 to 9 p.m. on Friday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $20 each day. Go to seb.org to purchase tickets and to tribalfest.com for more information or call 978-8116.

Sahar begins a “drumming for Community” six week class at 164 Florence Ave., Sebastopol. Cost is $108. Call 824-1796 for times and more information.

Help determine the future layout of Sebastopol. On Wednesday  (5/15) there will be two workshops during the day and a Town Hall meeting in the evening. The first workshop is from 1 to 2:15 p.m., the second one is 2:30 to 3:45 p.m. The Town Hall is at 7 p.m. It all happens at the Sebastopol Community Church at 1000 Gravenstein Hwy. N. Go to the-core-project.org for more information.

Physics teacher Sky Nelson will talk about the Higgs Particle at Science Buzz Café Thursday (5/16) at 7 p.m. at the French Garden Restaurant. Get educated for just $5. The French Garden is at 8050 Bodega Ave. in Sebastopol.  Go to sciencebuzzcafe.org for more information.

Come here the “Complete Works of William Shakespeare” performed in 90 minutes at El Molino High School on Thursday (5/16) from 7:30 to 9 p.m. Must be very fast talkers! It happens in the high school Café Theater at 7050 Covey Rd. in Forestville. Call 824-6550 for more information.

A fashion show and tea with an exotic dessert bar is on tap at the Sebastopol Senior Center Thursday (5/17) at 1 p.m.  Locals will model  clothes from Drapers and Damons. It is free but RSVP by May 15. The center is at 167 N High ST. in Sebastopol. Call 829-2440 to reserve and for information.

Friday (5/17) from 7:30 to 10 p.m. you can “Sweat Your Prayers” with Leslie King at the Sebastopol Community Cultural Center Youth Annex at 425 Morris St., Sebastopol Cost is . $10-15 at the door. Call 328 5692 for more information or email trancdancr@aol.com.

There will be a free Flash Thunder Chamber Music Concert at Sebastopol Gallery on Saturday (5/18) at 7 p.m. The gallery is at 150 N Main St. in Sebastopol. Call 829-7200 for more information.

Sturgeon’s Steam Sawmill holds its Open House and celebrates its 100^th birthday on  Saturday and Sunday (5/18 and 5/19) each day from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. See the giant blades slice redwoods, hear the steam whistle. There will be music and barbecue goodies for sale. The mill is between Graton and Occidental at 2150 Green Hill Rd.  Take Occidental Rd. or Graton Rd. to Green Hill Rd. Go to sturgeonsmill.com for more information.

Bodega Land Trust is holding another walk. This one is through the coastal prairie at Bodega Pastures with Kristine Kraft and offers great views and lots of wildflowers. It happens Sunday (5/19) from 10 a.m. to noon and costs $10 adults, $5 children 12 and under. Space is limited so email ellie805@hotmail.com  to reserve a spot or for more information and learn where the gathering spot is.

Choose your firefighters and eat some flapjacks. Two volunteer fire departments are holding their annual pancake breakfast fundraisers on Sunday (5/19). The brave first responders will show off their culinary skills as they dish up a breakfast worthy of a logger. Bodega VFD is celebrating all the work done on the new firehouse. The breakfast is in McCaughey Hall from 7:30 to noon. Graton VFD is serving breakfast in its new fire house for the first time. All kinds of first response people will have their gear there to show the kids – helicopters, ambulances, and of course, fire engines. The breakfast is served 7 a.m. to noon.

On May 1 at 6:47 a.m. they arrested someone on an outstanding warrant at Belle View Ave. who happened to be sleeping in someone’s garage. At 10:52 a.m. someone reported a man moaning along the Joe Rodota Trail but all was well. At 2:34 p.m. cops raced to the Community Skate Park because someone reported a bike in the park (can’t have that!) but it was gone already. At 2:57 p.m. someone called to complain that the neighbor’s newly acquired goats had been crying for 24 hours and their dog was barking on Wallace St. At 3:03 p.m. a trespasser at Baskin Robbins Ice Cream Store was warned. At 3:57 p.m. a probation violator was arrested outside Safeway Market. At 10:11 p.m. people were again having problems with a traffic light at N. Main St. and Healdsburg Ave. The night crew left a message for the day crew to call CalTrans again. At 11:05 p.m. someone violating probation got a ticket at Bodega Ave. and Main St.

On May 2 at 4:21 a.m. a number of callers let police know there was a woman screaming and yelling for 9-1-1 on Golden Ridge Ave. Police arrested someone for probation violation when they arrived. At 9:18 a.m. someone found a cat on Virginia Ave. At 12:05 p.m. a woman was back at Golden Ridge Ave. and creating a disturbance. At 1”34 p.m. someone reported finding a wallet on McKinley St. At 3:55 p.m. someone called to report a suspected embezzlement at Round Table Pizza so police met with them and gave advice. At 9:43 p.m. a woman was screaming at Golden Ridge Ave. again. At 10:43 p.m. someone reported losing a red dachshund named Sophie at Safeway. At 11 p.m. someone violating probation was ticketed. On Gravenstein Hwy. S.

On May 3 at 1:01 p.m. kids got a stern admonishment after they were caught hitching rides on cars in the Safeway parking lot while riding their skateboards. At 2:46 p.m. police made a warrant arrest outside Whole Foods Market. At 3:17 p.m. someone reported a grand theft at the Sebastopol Post Office after they were short changed $650. Police will follow through. At 3:29 p.m. someone was arrested at Lucky’s Market after shoplifting alcohol. At 4:32 p.m. someone got a ticket on High School Rd. At 6:01 p.m. police checked things out after a woman reported being followed on S Main ST. At 6:14 p.m. cops couldn’t find a large stray dog reported on S. Main St. At 6:20 p.m. a drunk driver was arrested on Gravenstein Hwy. N. At 6:45 p.m. officers assisted medical personnel when someone had a heart attack on Bodega Ave. At 11:21 p.m. police arrested someone for violating probation on Gravenstein Hwy. S.

On May 4 at 1:24 a.m. someone was arrested for driving with a suspended license on Gravenstein Hwy. S. At 10:33 a.m. officers dealt with an angry man threatening his parents on First St. At 11:31 a.m. someone lost their dog on Litchfield Ave. At 1:02 p.m. someone found a different dog, a female terrier at Brook Haven School. At 4:23 p.m. someone was arrested on Wallace St. for violating probation. AT 7:02 p.m. people reported a man yelling on Frankel Lane but he could not be found. AT 7:23 p.m. police took care of a stray dog found on S. Main St. At 7:36 p.m. officers assisted at an accident scene involving minor injuries at the corner of Bodega Ave. and Ragle Rd. At 9:17 p.m. someone got a traffic ticket on Healdsburg Ave. At 9:52 p.m. alarmed residents on Valentine Ave. reported someone tried to get in their locked door. They were concerned because they had been receiving threats from a defendant they said had killed their son. At 11:07 p.m. the bouncer at Hopmonk Tavern was concerned because he had pictures of what might be a sexual assault. At 11:38 p.m. cats and people were yelling on Bately Court according to neighbors so police went to check it out.

On May 5 at 12:06 a.m. officers assisted an ambulance crew on a medical alert call on Bodega Ave. At 1:05 a.m. police hauled a drunk driver off the road to the pokey from High ST. At 8:08 a.m. police made a warrant arrest on Burnside Rd. AT 9:24 a.m. they made another warrant arrest on Montecito Blvd. At 12:04 p.m. officers found a stray female pit bull at the downtown plaza. At 12:08 p.m. someone found a stray Australian shepherd (canine kind) wearing a flea collar on Sebastopol Ave. Off to the doggie jail at the Humane Society to await bail out by its human. At 5:28 p.m. someone called in a noise complaint at Aubergine.