Sustainable Agriculture
 __________________________________

       Weston's Farm practices sustainable agriculture through low impact farming practices.  Chemical inputs (ie. commercial pesticides and fertilizers) are minimized or preferably not used at all through many sustainable practices:
 _________________________________________________________________


Mowing a June cover crop of winter rye and hairy vetch
 

Crop Rotation: Aggressive crop rotations are planned out each year. The goal is not to have the same crop grown on the same piece of land for more than two consecutive years.  This cuts down on weed pressure and disrupts disease and insect cycles, minimizing the need for pesticide applications.  Complete fallow cycles are also included in the rotation schedule.

Cover Cropping: Oats, Winter Rye, and Hairy Vetch are annually planted on over 20 acres of cropland.  These cover crops help add organic matter to the soil, as well as nitrogen and other nutrients reducing the dependence on commercial fertilizers.  Cover crops also improve the structure of the soil, which will increase its ability to hold water thus reducing the need for irrigation.

Compost: Weston's Farm produces its own compost throughout the year, which is spread back to the land boosting the structure and organic matter of the soil.

Drip Irrigation: Water sensitive crops are fed through drip irrigation lines, which deliver water solely to the cash crop.  This eliminates the need to use costly overhead irrigation which also applies water to unneeded areas as well.  This cuts down on running pumps and the amount of water used.

Biological Controls:  In greenhouses that can be closed, biological controls ("friendly bugs") are used to control insect infestations (as opposed to using commercial insecticides).  A variety of friendly bugs are used to control problem insects, (for example releasing Lady Bugs to eat an infestation of aphids).

Minimized Tillage: Heavy tillage can decrease the soil structure as well as compact the soil.  Seed beds are not clean tilled to cut down on passes over the ground.    

IPM: Integrated Pest Management: A Cooperative Extension program that develops "thresholds" or tolerance levels for pests.  Extension monitors the levels on insects in crops around the state and issues recommendations to farmers on when they need to use chemical controls.  The idea of IPM is to spray only when you have to.
_________________________________________________________________
 


 

       Weston's Farm has many crops that are grown, labeled, and marketed as "Pesticide Free."  Crops labeled as such do not have any commercial or non-organic pesticides applied to them.  This includes herbicides (for weeds), fungicides (for disease) and insecticides (for insects) as well as no fumigation. 
      
       The list of crops grown Pesticide Free will vary from year to year (and even week to week) due to the various pressures of the growing season.  Below are some of the usual crops grown as pesticide free.
       Tomatoes, Lettuce, Beet Greens, Swiss Chard, Cucumbers, Summer Squash, Zucchini, Snap Beans, Peas, Peppers, Eggplant, Raspberries, Carrots, Onions, Rhubarb, Watermelon, Cantaloupe, Shell Beans, Basil, Parsley, Broccoli, Cabbage & Parsnips.