Our Farming Philosophy
We use organic methods to grow organic fruits and vegetables and we raise free range poultry for eggs year round. We do everything possible to enrich our soil and build fertility through the use of polyculture, use of the no-dig gardening method in an effort to protect and enrich our native soil. We utilize cover crops and organic mulching to build soil structure and companion planting to control pests naturally.
In addition to growing in accordance with organic principles, we do everything we can to further enrich our soil and build fertility through the use of cover cropping, crop rotation and supplemental application of organically approved amendments and fertilizers. Nutrient management is a key part of promoting healthy soil with good physical, biological and chemical properties on our farm.
There are many types of polyculture including annual polycultures such as intercropping and cover cropping, permaculture, and integrated aquaculture. Polyculture is advantageous because of its ability to control pests, weeds, and disease without major chemical inputs. As such, polyculture is considered a sustainable form of agriculture.
Our commitment to safe food starts with our choice to farm organically, which we have been doing since we started farming in 1996. It extends to the way we plant, grow, harvest, inspect, wash, handle, package and deliver our freshly-picked produce to you. We have taken the initiative to develop and implement a rigorous food safety system on our farm to ensure that we are providing the safest possible produce for our CSA members and customers at our farmers' markets. From planting to harvest, each stage is inspected to ensure it meets our strict food safety standards. Food safety begins in the field with attention to detail and maintaining a clean field environment. This includes scouting for any potential problems in the field (deer, birds) and noting their impact on the crops. During harvest it means scrubbing hands, harvest knives, and totes; sanitizing our Washing and Packing Rooms; quickly hydrating and cooling crops in clean water; and packing each item in clean, sanitized produce bins for storage at the proper temperature in our coolers.
We implement regenerative farming practices that include low-till farming to sequester carbon and nurture soil health. We increase our soil fertility through the use of cover crops, compost and crop rotations. And we restore microbial communities in soil through inoculation and cover crops.