Most folks think we just grow vegetables - and this is correct if you look at the products we deliver to families and institutions. But in reality, we don't grow vegetables at all. As a matter of fact, we don't "raise" any plants. What we do "raise" or "grow" is soil. So with that in mind, read on to see how we view the production at Sunflower Fields and what really gets our attention.

The most asked question about our farming practices is, "Are you organic?" To that we must answer, "No and Yes!" "No," because we are not certified - we do all business directly with customers, and certification is really more for those who sell to distant markets. However, we answer "Yes" because we use organic methods. We use no chemicals or synthetic substances, in favor of rotational practices in our fields and a reverence for natural cycles. This also means we are mindful as to what is best for our soil - the life below our feet.

To raise quality crops in an organic environment, there is only one thing that is of primary importance: healthy soil.We know that the health of our crops depends on the health of our soil and the surrounding ecosystem, and we farm in accordance with that principle. We use a 7 year rotation that includes vegetables, small grains, and hay in order to give our land time to build organic matter and a diverse community of microorganisms. We also till our rolling fields with the contours of the land to reduce topsoil erosion. Our only inputs are finished compost, which we make ourselves, and occasional OMRI-approved insect deterrents.

We use our crop rotation, cover crops and plow-downs, and regular field scouting to fend off the attacks of the critters who would enjoy eating us out of house and home. We find that we have surprisingly little damage from 4-16 legged creatures. Mostly our damage comes from the 2-legged kind who seem to be able to eat their way through most any crop :-)

Weeds are always a challenge. We use a combination of mechanical and hand cutivation to keep ahead of the invasion. We also try to knock weeds out just after they germinate but before we plant, a technique called "stale seed bedding." We transplant what we can, to give slow-starting plants a head start against the weeds. Finally, our cover crop and crop rotation programs seem to throw off the weeds' cycles.

The bottom line is that we are interested in pursuing methods which do not fight natural processes, but instead, fit with them. We can learn immense amounts from what these natural cycles and processes can tell us. When we plant something that is not able to compete with weeds and is great tasting to pests, we can expect little else than to have these things happen. But by using nature as our model and not our enemy, we can make great progress in providing healthy foods.