Currently we are dividing up plots of the field, now being just before the growing season, it is the time when we have to decide on the fruits and vegetables we are going to carry this upcoming season. As a farmer, proper usage of your land is key to running a profitable farm. If you are growing carrots and no one wants carrots then it will not end up paying off! So farmers at this time of year carefully review what their most popular products were last season and what is currently in demand by the public. This way they can keep up with the changing markets and stay in business.
By planning out fields farmers are much better equipped for this task(you have a limited space and although you might like to grow all the weird veggies, a lot of the time you can't!). It is also important to plan out fields so that they are balanced to contain both animals and plants. Allowing animals to have space to live and pastures to graze has always been important to our family. So to find room for them we choose a section of field that needs to be revitalized. In other words anywhere that has been grown on for several years and has had its nutrients used up. Generally this applies to plots where we grow temporary crops such as strawberries but pastures can be adjusted to include more permanent crops such as our apples.
Fencing is strung up on all sides of the planned pasture and a specific mix of cover crops that includes different grasses and legumes(these prevent cows from bloating and are exceptionally good at renewing the soil) is planted. When the ground hardens up a bit the cows and pigs will both be left to graze and root in the pasture. This benefits the farm on many levels, the animals are allowed the space and diet that is essential for them to stay healthy and they also keep tabs on the weeds in the field. One of the best features of this method is that while the cows keep the grass nice and low, pigs will seek out more pestilent weeds such as thistles and eat their roots, saving us the weeding!
If it has been done right this process will improve the overall health of the farm and limit the amount of synthetic products a farmer needs to add to their fields. That is why it is so important, especially on organic farms to plan out their crops. It also provides a humane and ethical way of raising livestock that is lost in all these factory farms. If you want to prove this to yourself take a walk into a properly planned field and the difference can be stunning.
In the end this journey to becoming sustainable has lead us to all sorts of new practices and ideas and a lifestyle that just makes sense. I am happy to say that the new growing season is just about here and I can't wait for it! Someone once said you are what you eat and if what you eat is healthy, then it certainly can't do you any harm! I hope everyone is keeping in good health, and until next time everyone,
Good Health and Good Eating!
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