Vermont-Grown Produce
Pick-Your-Own Berries
Plants & Flowers
Seasonal Farm Stand
Open May - November
686 Davis Rd, Monkton VT
802-453-3793
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Growing Practices
While we do use production techniques and inputs used in organic farming, our produce is not certified organic. We firmly believe it is your right to know how your food is produced and the logic behind the decisions we make, and are happy to answer questions. Below is a brief overview of our practices and farming philosophy.
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Healthy soils are the foundation of ecologically sustainable farming. We preserve ours by reducing tillage as much as possible, leaving the soil structure intact, which preserves organic matter and microbial life as well as reduces compaction. This increases surface water infiltration, reduces topsoil erosion, prevents nutrient run off and protects the precious organic matter gained through cover cropping. These soil-building effects in turn lead to improved plant health, higher yields and greater nutrient availability. Generally speaking, healthy plants are better able to withstand pest and disease pressure, so it makes good sense to make soil health a priority.
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When the bugs make their arrival (as they always do), we use Integrative Pest Management (IPM) to guide our decision making. IPM is a preventative approach to dealing with disease and pest problems through the use of beneficial insects, long crop rotations, pest exclusion through the use of row covers and netting, and frequent scouting and monitoring of populations to quantify pest levels. Chemical intervention is employed as a last resort when a significant proportion of the crop could be lost.
With timely use of the above techniques, the result is that the vast majority of our produce is grown without any chemical intervention. If we do find that further action is necessary, we opt for an organic-approved product. In the case that additional intervention is needed to save the crop, we opt for non-organic controls, selecting the safest option.
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Our vegetable starts and perennial flowers are grown using only organic-approved soil mix and fertility sources.