Join in for a July 26 Rockcastle County-based field day created by the Organic Association of Kentucky (OAK) created with Susana Lein of Salamander Springs Farm and then an Aug. 4 field day in Greenup County to learn from Kristi Ruggles at Mountain Girl Provision Company.
"Intensive Cover Crop Methods for No-till Production of Staple Crops and Vegetables" will run from 9 a.m. to noon Eastern at Salamander Springs, Berea.
Imagine a system with high weed suppression, nearly non-existent erosion, thriving biodiversity, increasing soil carbon and organic matter... a farm with minimal off-farm inputs and healthy, nutrient-dense crops. The no-till systems at Salamander Springs Farm are built around year-round intensive cover cropping. Join us to learn more about Lein's diverse grain, dried bean, forage and vegetable production--developed over the last few decades and influenced by the seminal work of Japanese rice farmer Masanobu Fukuoka, and Mayan polyculture cornfield practices she learned in Latin America.
Registration is recommended at oak-ky.org/farmer-field-days-2022.
Cost is $5 for OAK Members; $10 for non-Members; scholarships are available - made possible by Grow Appalachia in partnership with USDA NIFA. Funding for this field day is made possible by Grow Appalachia and the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture.
"Flowers, Herbs & Vegetables: From Backyard Garden to Small-Scale Farm Business" will run from 9 a.m. to noon at Mountain Girl Provision, Greenup, on Aug. 4.
For nearly 25 years, Ruggles has grown herbs, flowers and vegetables for her family in Greenup County. As her garden grew, her interest in growing as naturally as possible also grew, leading Kristi to dig deeper into sustainable agriculture and organic practices. As her family demands lessen, Kristi is shifting her backyard gardening towards small-scale, local production for profit. Join this OAK field day to hear Kristi's path exploring markets and sourcing materials in a rural area, broadening her crops and products and expanding her infrastructure. We'll tour her high tunnel, raised beds and gardens; learn her tips and tricks of cut flower and herb production; discuss the merits and drawbacks of organic certification for small-scale growers and explore the benefits of pollinator plantings. Open to all, this event is geared towards interested producers, aspiring farmers, and allied professionals.
Registration is recommended at oak-ky.org/farmer-field-days-2022. Cost is $5 for OAK members; $10 for non-members. Scholarships are available, made possible by Grow Appalachia in partnership with USDA NIFA. Funding for this field day was made possible by the USDA NIFA in partnership with Grow Appalachia.
Categories: Kentucky, Crops