On our farm we refrain from using any synthetic or chemical fertilizers of any kind. Instead, we rely on organic compost, natural fertilizers (such as composted fish and seaweed), minerals, and green manures. Cover cropping is our best tool to add organic matter and nutrients to our soil, protect against soil erosion, feed soil microbiology and build soil that holds valuable water (especially during drought times). We operate on a three year field rotation, which means that our garden beds are in veggie production less than 30 percent of the time. The rest of the time, the gardens are in a continual rotation of cover crops, intended to feed and build life in their soils, protect against pests and break disease cycles. During the growing season we try to work the soils as little as possible, and do much of our planting and cultivating by hand, in order to minimize soil compaction.

We see a lot of wildlife coming through this place! We have families of turkeys, foxes, flying squirrels, beavers, red squirrels, deer, coyotes, short tailed weasels, not to mention the insect and bird populations, living in the meadows and woods that surround this farm. Although some of these species can be considered pests to the veggie farmer, we try to farm in such a way that minimizes our impact on the animals that we share this land with. 65 percent of our property is mixed woods, with an additional several acres in young forest, bushlands, wild plants and brambles. These areas act as safe, protective homes, food sources and migration corridors for our local wildlife. Many of the cover crops that we use to fill our fields create habitat and food sources for insects, bees, butterflies and birds! The rootlets of cover crops also serve as food for underground biodiversity as part of the soil food web.   

As I said above, one of the ways that we help to conserve our water is through maintaining high levels of organic matter in our soils. This means that water is absorbed into the soils and held there to be sucked up by the roots of thirsty plants! We also try to use water saving irrigation methods (such as drip irrigation), and time our irrigation with the weather. When using overhead sprinklers, we try to only do so at opportune times of the day, and in weather that will maximize the water being put on the field (so, never in the middle of a sunny day or during a wind storm). All of our irrigation water comes from two spring-fed ponds that lie just above our garden fields, that we move through 2" water lines all around the property. The water that we use to water our seedlings and wash all of our veggies come from a UV filtered artisian well, which drains toward our drainage ditch and through our perennial fruits and medicinal plants patch.