our farming values & practices
We recognize the significant destructive impact that industrial agriculture has on the environment and its contributions to climate change.
We seek to be a farm that is part of the solution, rather than part of the problem.
We are always working to learn more and improve our farming systems to be better stewards of the land.
We consider the labor we ask of our farm crew and human workers.
We invest in long-term soil health in order to grow the most nutrient-rich, high-quality produce we can, and care for our local ecosystem.
What does this look like in our day-to-day on the farm?
Use organic mulches like salt marsh hay to preserve soil moisture and temperature, keep soils covered, prevent erosion, suppress weeds, and prevent soil diseases from splashing up on susceptible crops like tomatoes (where fungal diseases can cause crop failure).
We do not use genetically modified or chemically treated seeds or buy from seed companies that knowingly use GMO seeds.
Invest in renewable energy to power our farm equipment, tools, and utilities whenever possible.
Plant cover crops to preserve soil moisture, suppress weeds, prevent erosion, and add nutrients back into the soil after harvesting other crops; let crop residue remain after harvest to go to seed, benefiting birds and pollinators. Manage our field edges to maintain healthy habitat for pollinators and wildlife.
Test soils each year for key nutrients and use only organic fertilizers like compost, manure, leaf mulch, and fish fertilizers from local Cape Ann fisheries.
Manage weeds, pests, and diseases with organic methods: cultivating with hand tools and tractor-mounted tools to kill and remove weeds. Never spray herbicides for their negative human health consequences and negative implications on resistant weeds; there are other tools in the toolbox.
Conserve water by using drip irrigation to send water right to the root zone of our crops, reducing water waste from overhead irrigation/evaporation and maximizing water’s impact on plant roots.
Rotate crops, fallow fields, and use physical barriers to prevent and manage pests and diseases.
We do not use conventional fertilizers, pesticides, or herbicides. These run off into our local watershed, poisoning our ecosystem far beyond the local fields where they are applied.
Seek to reduce tillage to preserve soil nutrients, soil biology, and prevent erosion, using tarps to break down plant material instead of heavy equipment when possible.
