Hello everyone!
Happy Farm Friday! On the farm in Kent County, things are winding down with heavy harvests starting to slow. This is the time to start preparing the field and soil for next year.
Soil health and water are at the top of the list for farmers as being two of the most important factors in being successful. Here at Kids’ Food Basket, we focus on soil health all year-round. Fall is a critical time to have everything wrapped up before the first snowflakes fly.
First, we start with clearing the crops from the field. This is done either by the mower, disc or hand, depending on the crop. Once this is complete, we start to plant cover crops, which are carefully chosen varieties of plants that impact our soils in many ways. Some help eliminate weeds, some help with drainage, some increase nutrients and all provide the most important part: organic matter. This is the food for the microbiology that exists in the topsoil layer. Bacteria, fungus, microorganisms and worms all play a part in breaking down this matter to create food for future crops. This means that our soil is alive and thriving year-round.
Another huge benefit is that our soil is also protected from adverse weather conditions that occur in Michigan winters. Heavy rains during warm winter are devastating to fields that do not have cover. Think of these cover crops as a blanket for our fields. The soil stays covered and protected from all kinds of conditions that may arise.
Speaking of getting ready for next year, construction is underway on Kids’ Food Basket Farm Ottawa + Allegan On the Ridge, located in Holland, with a goal of full production in the spring of 2023! Volunteer opportunities will be available starting in the greenhouse around mid-March. I am also happy to announce that we have purchased a gently used In-Vessel Compost system for the Kent County Farm. This is a rapid method for producing nutrient-rich compost from things like wood chips, leaves and food scraps. This system has the capability of producing over 7000 pounds in as little as two weeks. I am excited to complete this build and get to work. All the compost produced will be used to support our soil health, making our farm that much more sustainable.
From all our family here at Kids’ Food Basket, please have a safe and wonderful rest of 2022. Watch for my next Farm Friday blog in Spring of 2023!
Warmly,
Farmer Jason and the Grow Team
