HOW WE GROW
We farm with as little of non-organic inputs as possible. Even animal wastes and green composts from off-site are avoided. Winter cover crops and mulching of the post-harvest crop residue in place (sheet composting, which returns many nutrients to the soil) provides much of the next season's needs.
"No-Till" methods are employed, which means that the existing soil enviornment of living microbe and fungal communities is kept intact. These are the organisms that crops need to obtain nutrients from the soil. Having them healthy lessens need for additional fertilization. It also maintains soil structure, which, along with mulching, vastly reduces the chance of erosion.
Mulching by itself protects the soil from the direct bombardment of raindrops, which can put soil particles into solution to be carried away to a lower place. Raindrops can also compact the very top layer of soil, crusting it and making future rain erosion worse, while making it harder for plants to grow up through it. Since the mulch allows rain to percolate slowly, it has a better chance to moisten the ground where it fell, leading to less need for irrigation.
Drip irrigation, which is the application of water in small quantities at many places at ground level, reduces the loss of water by evaporation or run-off. This, along with mulching and close monitoring of the irrigation needs, will lead to lower water bills. We measure water use with a water meter, and compensate the church for our portion of its total bill. Attached to the water meter is a chlorine filter, which also removes very small particles of contaminates. Chlorine, being toxic to small organisms (including the ones we're trying to save), has to be limited.
Indoor preseason seed starts and collection of seeds from the farm at harvest time controls new seed costs, ensures a higher percentage of seed germanation, and enables an earlier harvest .
Crop rotation provides that most varieties will have a new home every year. That soil will be prepared by an earlier crop to be to its liking. Insects and disease are forced to pack up and move, if they can, so we keep that population to a minimum. We also plant various flowers to attract beneficial insects.
All who volunteer to work on the Farm will be versed in these methods as time and season allow, and should be able to further their understanding of organic practices.