On our farm, we grow with love and intention.
We demonstrate our love to our customers and our intention to care for the earth, by growing our vegetables, herbs, and flowers without the use of conventional, synthetic, or artificial fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides.
Love for the Soil
We view ourselves as stewards of the soil. We intentionally practice regenerative agriculture, a system of farming and practices that aim to rebuild and enhance the entire ecosystem of a farm.
Regenerative practices increase soil organic matter with the goal of creating resilient soils that can yield more nutrient-dense crops and better withstand impacts of flooding and drought, that have increased in frequency due to climate change.
The regenerative practices that exist on our farm include:
Minimal Tillage
Rather than turning over the first 6-10 inches of soil before planting in the spring, with our minimal tillage we only work over the first 1-3 inches of the soil on beds that we are planting.
This minimal disturbance keeps the soil structure intact, along with its microbes and nutrients. In turn this method of minimal, or no-tillage, sequesters carbon, rather than releasing it, which is common in conventional farming. The release of carbon into the atmosphere from soil tillage is a significant contributor to climate change.
By minimally tilling, we support a soil that is better able to absorb rainwater and increase irrigation efficiency. Less soil, and its nutrients, are washed away during large rain events, which grows more nutrient-dense vegetables. The soil microbiome remains healthy, the microorganisms, fungi, and bacteria feed off organic matter, and helps to suppress plant diseases.
Saying “No” to Pesticides
We protect the soil by excluding the use of chemical pesticides, herbicides, fungicides and fertilizers on our farm.
By saying “no” to pesticides we are saying “yes” to our pollinator and insect friends.
We provide our customers enjoy peace of mind, knowing what they eat will not harm them.
It’s just that simple.
Keeping the Soil Covered
Throughout the entire year you can expect to see our growing areas covered.
In fall we sow cover crops, like oats and winter peas, that are killed by frosts and left to decompose under the winter snow and the warmth of the early spring. Beds without cover crops are covered in hay or shredded leaves to protect the soil from eroding. Both methods provide food and protection for soil microbes.
In spring, we incorporate cover crops or mulch into the production beds, which adds organic matter. After planting our crop, we lay mulch to keep the soil cool, increase water retention, and smother weeds.
Crop Rotation
Each season we make a plan for our farm, being sure to rotate our crops to different beds on a yearly basis. Rotating crops keeps the soil healthy by mitigating pests and disease that thrive in environments where the same crop is planted in the same spot year after year.
Compost
We create compost from field debris, tree branches, and food scraps to use as an amendment to our permanent growing beds or as a compost tea extract to boost nutrients for vegetables during the growing season. Compost supports healthier plants, which in turn are more resistant to pests and diseases and are able to sequester more carbon into the soil.
Intentional with Seeds
The overwhelming majority of our seed is sourced from certified organic seed producers.
When aren’t able to purchase organic seeds for a particular variety, we purchase heirloom seed varieties.
Heirloom seeds are “open-pollinated” so the plant must be pollinated by insects, birds, wind, or by other natural means. These seed varieties are at least 50 years old and often hold the stories and traditions of communities or singular families held within their DNA.
By growing, harvesting, and eating heirloom vegetables our farm and customers work to ensure that unique varieties do not go extinct and preserve the world’s food culture.
Love for Pollinators
Pollinators are the life line of our farm. Without them we wouldn’t be able to enjoy vegetables, herbs, or flowers.
Surrounding our growing areas we have covered the ground in native perennial flowers, like goldenrod and milkweed, and cover crops, like hairy vetch, that attract and create a home for the life cycles of pollinators and beneficial insects. These perennials have long root systems that retain water, improve soil’s porosity, sequester and store more carbon, and improve soil health.
We include trees, shrubs, rocks, and a water source to create a welcoming environment for birds, bats, and snakes. We lure pollinators and beneficial insects to our production beds through the use of companion planting.
By enhancing the biodiversity of the farm, we are able to avoid the use of pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides.
Intention with What we Grow
Vegetables
Arugula // Beets // Bok Choy // Broccoli // Broccoli Raab // Carrots // Chard // Collards // Cucumber // Dandelion Greens // Eggplant // Fennel // Garlic // Ground Cherries // Green Beans // Kale // Kohlrabi // Leeks // Lettuce // Melon // Mustard Greens // New Zealand Spinach // Onions // Peas // Peppers // Pumpkins //Radishes // Rutabaga // Spinach // Summer Squash // Tomatillos // Tomatoes // Turnips // Watermelon // Winter Squash // Zucchini
Herbs
Basil // Bee Balm // Borage // Chives // Cilantro // Dill // Garlic Chives // Lemon Balm // Mint // Oregano // Parsley // Rosemary // Sage // Thyme // Tulsi
Flowers
Amaranth // Calendula // Celosia // Indigo // Lavender // Marigold // Milkweed // Nasturtium // Poppy // Scabiosa // Snapdragon // Strawflower // Sunflower // Yarrow // Zinnia
schulfarmstead.com 