Farm Philosophy

When nature is left alone, vegetables do not grow themselves in straight rows. Agriculture disturbs a place's natural tendency towards a diverse population of plants and animals, but sustainable farms can support nature's balance and grow delicious food. I believe that my job as a farmer is to work with nature as best I can, observing natural patterns and letting those observations inform my decisions. I can learn a lot from watching what happens when a field is left fallow for one season, or when I use a different type of mulch or cover crop.

Farmers have to be good at lots of things: carpentry, plumbing, marketing, and--oh yes--growing food. But I believe that my most important job a farmer is to be a careful observer. When I go to work each day, my to-do list is based on weather forecasts, observations I've made in the past week, and also what I remember about past seasons. I am constantly observing and learning from nature, and I wouldn't have it any other way.

or, Getting A Little Too Excited About Soil (!)

I do not use any chemical pesticides, herbicides or fertilizers on the farm. Instead, I choose to focus on soil fertility and health. Healthy soil produces nutritious, handsome vegetables. One of the other benefits to having healthy soil is that it will host thriving beneficial insect populations. This, in turn, all but eliminates the need for chemical pesticides. Awesome!

To achieve the healthiest possible soil, I use green manures (cover crops), and add minerals and composted animal manure. I also rotate crop locations from year to year, and give each piece of land a fallow period to restore soil structure and fertility.

or, Why Ten Speed Farm Isn't Certified Organic

"So," you may ask, "Why aren't you certified organic?"

Well, I'm so glad you asked! I'm fortunate to live in a community that's small enough for me get to know my customers, who come to the farm every week to pick up vegetables and can see for themselves how I manage my land. I'm grateful that my customers trust me, and they know that they can always ask questions. My wonderful customers make organic certification irrelevant. I choose to rely instead on communication and trust.