“Our tools are better than we are, and grow better faster than we do. They suffice to crack the atom, to command the tides, but they do not suffice for the oldest task in human history, to live on a piece of land without spoiling it.” - Aldo Leopold, a one-time Baraboo resident
As new farmers we are still trying to "find our groove." One thing that really excites us is that there are so many different ways to grow food. Farming (for us at least!) is a continuous learning process where we are trying to learn from other farmers, combine methods, innovate, and create systems that are tailored specifically to us--how we want to work, what our land is like, our ethics, and what our community needs. Whatever way the exact details of how we farm change, the core principle that guides us is to produce healthy food as ecologically responsibly as possible for the little society we are a part of. This means our methods differ from the accepted standards of chemical and organic agriculture in several big ways:
1. We avoid disturbing the soil as much as possible. We no longer till the ground at all. This keeps the carbon "locked" in the soil, prevents erosion, and keeps more of the soil life intact.
2. We avoid using plastic whenever possible. It has become incredibly common in organic farming to use disposable plastic mulch in large quantities, or alternatively, to grow everything in plastic hoop houses. While it can be considerably more challenging, it is important for us to find a way to meet our goals without depending on introducing large quantities of plastic into the world. A couple of ways we've worked to minimize our plastic use is using soil blocks to start our seedlings, and reuse a minimal number of silage tarps when first preparing beds. We still do have a couple plastic "caterpillar" tunnels to extend the season and provide us with some out of the elements storage (no barn full of character here unfortunately).
3. We strive to radically limit our fossil fuel use. We are almost entirely hand-powered with the exception of an electric lawnmower with trailer that we use to haul compost and woodchips around (powered mostly via solar panels).
4. We don't spray organic or chemical biocides. In extreme cases where we face the entire loss of a crop we have used an OMRI (organic approved) fungicide.
5. We don't use any synthetic fertilizers. We strive towards building and holding fertility in the soil and reducing off-farm inputs as much as possible.
As of 2024 we are Certified Organic by MOSA. Anything else you'd like to know about our growing methods just ask! We love talking about our methods and the reasons behind them .
Our eggs: Currently only available in limited quantities offseason or for CSA members. We feed our chickens certified organic poultry layer feed from cashton organics to supplement their free-range diet. Our chickens have a generous amount of coop space and have access all day every day to their pasture, where they scratch for plants and bugs to eat, and generally live a happy chicken life.
Our meat: see the Meat section of our website!