Our main goal with our small farm is to practice methods used prior to the introduction of synthetic chemicals and monocropping into our agricultural system. Although we don’t plan to become certified organic due to the cost of certification, we strive to use all organic practices to produce everything we grow. Some of our goals include:
- Systematically rotating the land used for different crops to break the cycle of pest pressure on our plants, and to maintain and build the nutrients available in the soil.
- Using our chickens to produce natural fertilizer (unfortunately we don’t have chickens at the moment, but hope to again in the future!).
- Using mechanical methods of cultivation for weed control.
- Building the soil organic matter by growing green manure / cover crops and plowing it under to provide food for beneficial micro organisms and build soil nutrients.
- Using the least tillage necessary, and avoid bare ground (with cover crops) to keep the soil in place and keep nutrients in the soil.
We’re working a little at a time to incorporate all of these strategies – here’s what we have growing at the moment:
Fruits and Veggies
We also keep a small garden, including a strawberry patch, asparagus, and lots of summer veggies like squash, tomatoes, peppers, green beans, cucumbers, and onions. Right now it just feeds our family (and some friends when that zucchini gets out of control!), but we hope to expand in the future.
Honey Bees
This is our newest adventure, starting in 2022! We currently have one hive and hope to have some honey next year!
Christmas Trees
Each spring we’ve planted 125 new seedlings – mostly Norway Spruce and Canaan Fir. They start out between 8″ and 20″ tall and with any luck they’ll be ready for Christmas in 8-10 years!
Firewood
We cut and split a few cords of hardwood (mostly cherry, ash and maple) each year for our own firewood use and for sale. The trees we use for firewood have either fallen during storms or are standing dead. We hope to sustainably manage the forested acreage that covers most of our farm to preserve both its resources and natural beauty for future generations. In addition to stacking and drying split wood, we’ve also had some beautiful cherry lumber cut from our logs.
If you want to stop by for some wood for your campfires or fireplace get in touch. We’re licensed by Summit County for firewood sales (license no. 540).
Small Grains
We’ve experimented with growing our own wheat for milling into flour. We’ve invested in a grain drill and antique combine to use in planting and harvesting, and hope in the future to expand to growing additional grains such as oats and barley. Plus, the fields make for some great wedding photo backdrops!
