No-till, on our farm means we are disturbing the soil as little as possible. Instead, we participate in biologically-intensive, tractor-free, human-scale techniques to manage our permanent raised beds. Benefits of this no-till system include:

      • Less dependence on expensive machinery

      • Reduced dependency on fossil fuels and runoff caused by tillage

      • Improved soil structure and reduced compaction

      • Biologically active soil and natural resistance to pests and disease

      • Increased water holding capacity and resistance to drought

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We do not use any pesticides. There are a number of pesticides approved for Organic use, but we feel that toxic substances, no matter their origins, should not be applied to food. Rather we work diligently to create a healthy soil ecosystem, create habitat for beneficial insects and our avian friends, strategically select crop varieties, and maintain small farm that is able to be managed on a human scale.  

 

Disturb the soil as little as possible:

We do not use any heavy implements on our farm. We occasionally use a broadfork to help loosen the soil without inverting its structure. We use surface cultivation hand tools to deal with weeds and a small tilther to help incorporate amendments and compost into the first 1-2 inches of the soil. When we harvest or remove old crops, we leave the roots in the ground to decompose and feed the soil life.

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Keep the soil covered:

We accomplish this in different ways on our farm.  We may cover the soil with a woven geotextile fabric, use of a silage tarp, applying a thick layer of compost mulch, or planting intensively to create a leaf canopy over the soil.

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Keep the soil planted as much as possible:

As much as we are able we keep the soil planted by planting fresh crops as soon as old crops come out. This keeps the soil biology happy and productive.  ​