Frequently Asked Questions

What is a CSA (Community Shared Agriculture)?

In a CSA, members buy a share of the produce at the beginning of the
year and receive a box of food every week through the season. They can
share the risks and rewards of farming and gain a better understanding
of the real cost of their food, while knowing that they are investing
in their local economy, culture, and food security. We hope to move our members away
from the idea of exchanging money for food and towards a more educated
and experiential notion. A CSA also lets the growers focus on healthy,
bountiful crops during the season as opposed to marketing the produce.
It's a win-win situation!

What do you mean by sustainability?

A good definition of sustainability is "meeting the needs of today,
without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their
needs." In practice, what this means is: 1)reducing our use of
non-renewable resources(ie fossil fuels, minerals etc.) to zero, 2)only
using renewable resources at a rate at which they can be renewed,
3)reducing our pollution and waste to zero, and 4)making sure that
basic human needs are met, as people who can't sustain themselves can't
be expected to sustain the future. On the farm, working towards these
goals often means trying to reduce our outside inputs, using low-tech
methods, and supporting people and organisations who also work towards
these goals. We will continue to search for new ideas, techniques, and
technologies, that will bring humanity closer to living sustainably

What is a Plant Positive Approach?

Plant positive means putting the focus on growing healthy resistant crops rather than on fighting pests and disease. This is done by feeding the soil with stable material like compost, rock minerals and organic matter instead of with highly soluble fertilizers that can cause soil erosion and groundwater contamination. Instead of treating pests as enemies to be destroyed, we try to see pests as indicators that we are not giving the plants everything they need. This is why we do not use any pesticides on the farm, whether approved by organic standards or not. We believe that all pesticides will in time be shown to be detrimental to either the soil, crop or consumer.

Are you trying to minimize your use of fossil fuels?

We are committed to consuming as little non-renewable resources as possible. The majority of our tasks are accomplished using human-powered tools, although we  still use a tractor for ploughing new fields, and a rototiller for incorporating cover crops and preparing beds for planting. We've had great fun and success transporting our vegetables to the farmer's market with our bike trailer. In our heated greenhouse, we use a woodpellet stove.  Any suggestions or information are always welcome

What are green manures and how are they used?

Green manures are certain crops that if grown and dug in, can increase soil fertility. We include green manures in our crop rotation, so after heavy feeding crops we let the section rest and replace what was harvested. Also, in some sections of our field we under-sow green manures after the intended crop is well established to prevent excess weeds and add fertility. Some examples of green manures are: peas, oats, clovers, buckwheat, and rye.