Charlotte's Web is a small permaculture farm that prioritizes growing healthy food in rich soil, managing water to nourish all the farm’s living creatures, and building multi-generational communities that exchange life-giving skills and experiences. Seasonal changes direct our work while we cater to community interests; relationships blossom here.

 

Who is Charlotte?

A retired lifelong educator, Charlotte taught first and second grade in Oakland for a decade. She then became a literacy trainer and school improvement consultant for another 25 years. After a career in education reform and K-12 school improvement, small-scale rural agriculture is her next adventure. Charlotte Knox began her journey as a farmer in 2021; she completed her first PINA-certified course in Permaculture Design from Occidental Arts & Ecology Center in Spring 2023 and is excited to apply her learnings to projects on the farm. A heart-driven activist and community networker, Charlotte is also a neighborhood pod leader for Fire Safe Occidental and a frequent volunteer at West County festivals and events.

 

The vision

Here are a few excerpts from Charlotte’s letter of interest to the previous owners, when she was first looking at the property:

 

“I have always been an avid gardener… especially with edibles of all kinds—fruit trees, vegetables, and herbs. What I love about your place on Harrison Grade is the long sweeping sunny slope ending gently against gorgeous big trees. It has a big sky feel to it, and plenty of room for me to pursue my food growing passions. …I love the placement of the house at the top of the rise and was thinking a colorful curve of roses might be nice along the top of the bluff near the peaches. I’m also a very avid canner and appreciate the good sized kitchen with a wonderful view. …I would love to meet you at some point to learn about the history as well as the apple and pear species in the orchard. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions, I am, for once in life, not very busy at all.”

 

The evolution of the farm

The sale moved forward and once Charlotte settled into the homestead, she dove headfirst into the restoration of its orchards, soil quality, and water management systems. The construction of earthworks in the form of berms, swales, and basins has slowed the run-off allowing for spreading and sinking rainwater. Cover cropping, sheet mulching, and compost application restored the hillside to a luscious green. The orchard is now diversified with varieties of stone fruit, citrus, and even avocados which should thrive with enhanced conditions. Hugelkultur beds and raised gardens filled with a variety of vegetables provide harvest for events or fill the farm stand out on Harrison Grade road.

 

The story behind the name

In Charlotte’s Web, a children’s book by E.B. White, Wilber the Pig was facing his end and Charlotte The Spider saved the day by sending messages of praise woven in her web. Pretty soon, the whole world knew things about relationships that they hadn’t thought about before. Many years later, Charlotte’s namesake thrives in webbing relations across people, plants, and the wider ecosystem. Relationships are at the core of sustainable agriculture; Charlotte’s Web embodies that value through educational homesteading, community events and the integrative practice of permaculture.

 

Be a part of our story

Charlotte’s Web Farm thrives in community. Attend an event, enjoy the bounties of the farm stand or volunteer your time and energy to advancing farm projects.