Environmental Sustainability

Well before the “Green Movement,” our farm has been committed to decreasing our impact on the land we work. We are continuing that commitment year after year, enhancing our farming practices to decrease soil erosion and topsoil depletion. Here are a few ways we are taking action:

• Our fertilizers come from a local chicken house, allowing us to avoid commercial fertilization options.
• We recently completed a watershed enhancement project with the Calapooya Watershed Council, reducing and eliminating blackberry patches from the waterways to reduce soil erosion and enhance cooler waters for better wildlife habitats.
• We are also continuing to work with local environmentally conscious partners to create cleaner stream water.
• We use catch crops to limit the amount of insecticides applied to our crops. Our goal is to help keep nature in balance, with more genetic biodiversity to help eliminate the spikes in pests, spending less money on pesticides and increasing crop production.
• We are providing habitats for native bees on our property.
• Our no till and minimal till practices burn less diesel fuel and till the ground more efficiently.
• We have created “Buffer Strips” around nearby waterways. These are uncultivated sections along waterways to reduce soil erosion, enhancing soil protection by getting sod waterways established.
• We allow land that seems overworked and exhausted to rest, giving it time to recultivate healthy soil.
• We’ve invested money into better soil drainage systems, with the potential to raise food crops for local consumers.

As you can see, we don’t take the environment for granted. If you have any ideas or suggestions for how we can enhance our environmentally-conscious practices, please feel free to let us know what you think!