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Farmer(s) |
Ed Fraser |
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Products |
Our farm is noted primarily for different varieties of high quality certified organic garlic sold for both planting and eating. During the last three years we have expanded to include potatoes, leafy vegetables, root crops, edible pumpkins and certified organic eggs from free-range chickens. |
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Farmland |
Farm is located 20 miles southwest of the South Wedge Farmers’ Market. We organically manage 22 tillable acres. Located in Churchville, NY |
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Farm History |
This land has been farmed since the mid 1800’s and probably before. It was used for field crops such as corn, hay, other grains and grazing cattle. We bought it in 1993 and began raising garlic conventionally for the first two years and switched to sustainable management in 1995. |
| Philosophy | We strive to develop and maintain as much a natural environment on our farm as possible in order to increase the sustainability of our farming operation. Our goal is to provide safe, healthy, nutrient dense food to our customers and their families.We also feel that it is important to teach people about the food that they eat and how to grow their own. |
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Soil |
Our clay loam soils were very depleted from decades of conventional farming practices when we first came here. Over the years we have been using cover cropping, composts an minimal tillage techniques to increase the natural biological activities of the soil and return it to a healthy state. |
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Weed Control |
An understanding of weed biology is important in order to control them on an organic farm.We use a wide variety of weed suppressing techniques such as: cover cropping, propane flaming, stale seed bed preparation, mulching, mechanical cultivation and some hand weeding. |
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Pest Management |
Providing good soil to grow strong plants is always our first defense. We also rotate crops, can isolate them from pests by covering them with row cover and develop farmscaped areas. These are intentional plantings to create natural mini-environments which attract beneficial insects, birds and other animals. |
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Water Use |
The incorporation of organic material from cover crops into the top layer of the soil holds moisture for us. We also green chop organically managed fields and use the material for mulching. We hope to use some drip irrigation this year. |
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Workers |
Most of the work is done by myself and during the busy season, we employ some family, local young adults and other individuals interested in working on an organic farm. |
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Organic Certification |
This is our 7th year with NOFA-NY Certified Organic, LLC |
