How We Farm
BeetRoot Farm LLC is committed to using production practices that are soil-building, utilize no agricultural chemicals, and require modest off-farm inputs. The farmers seek to adhere to the Guiding Principles of Soil Health (see below) as best as possible, while also balancing ease of management and the farm’s economic trajectory.
No-till/Low-till: We occasionally will till the soil when opening a new plot, however, we don’t till our plots after they are established.
No Spray: We don’t apply any pesticides, herbicides, or fungicides . . . not even chemicals allowed under organic certification standards.
No Synthetic Fertilizers: for fertility management we use OMRI certified organic compost and other natural amendments such as pelleted chicken manure.
Cover Cropping: We try to incorporate cover crops such as winter rye, peas and oats, yellow clover, etc. Cover crops are our act of reciprocity with the soil: feeding the teeming life under the surface. Cover crops have benefits such as weed suppression, soil carbon building, reduced soil compaction from rainfall, and nutrient sequestration.
Soil Coverage: We seek to mimic the “mulch” layers of natural ecosystems - think the pine duff on the forest floor or the leaf and twig layer on the ground beneath a deciduous forest. The benefits to soil health are enumerable when done in conjunction with other soil building practices.
Guiding Principles of Soil Health
Minimize Disturbance: Excessive disturbance of the soil not only results in increased weed germination but can also deplete soil carbon reserves and destroy microbial and fungal habitat/pathways.
Foster Biodiversity: Greater diversity of plants growing on the farm will increase the microbial and fungal communities that can be supported in the soil. These organisms are essential for making nutrients and minerals bioavailable to the farm’s crops. Additionally, increasing biodiversity can provide habitat for beneficial insects and animals, which can reduce pest pressure.
Soil Coverage: Keeping the soil covered protects from erosion, compaction, and excessive evaporative demand. When soil isn’t covered, weed seeds germinate to provide coverage.
Maximize Photosynthesis: Soil is built through symbiotic relationships between plants and microbial life in the humus. By increasing the amount and duration of photosynthesis throughout the season, the more the soil biology is being fed.
