Conservation & Safety on the Farm

Conservation is something we take seriously here at None Such Farm. We have started to switch some crops over to a ‘No-Till’ planting method. This is where you plant into a cover crop or crop residue from the previous year. Not all of the crops we grow can be grown this way, so we use other methods to promote soil retention. We make use of ‘water ways’, which are sections of a field that are prone to soil loss, these are planted with grass and clover to hold the soil from eroding. These need constant maintenance to keep them working properly. Another form of soil retention is the use of terraces. This is where a big field with drainage problems is broken down into smaller fields and ‘water ways’ are incorporated into each terrace.

Cover crops are a beneficial way of preventing erosion. After the harvest of a crop, such as sweet corn, a winter cover crop is planted. The cover crop is predominantly a rye, wheat, or barley. These crops can also be planted in the fall for spring/summer harvest. The cover crop does many things. It helps to prevent erosion. It can build up the level of organic material and nutrients in the soil. It can also help break up the soil due to compaction.

None Such Farm has two creeks (streams) running thru the middle of it. The Watson and Lahaska. These two creeks come together forming the Mill Creek. This happens in our pasture where the cattle like to spend most of their time. Up until 2001 the cattle were able to walk into the creeks. This was deteriorating the creek banks and widening the creek beds. The Bucks County Conservation District and Ducks Unlimited helped us fence in the creeks and put in cattle crossings so the cattle could cross and not harm the creeks in any way. The Watson, Lahaska, and the Mill Creek have never looked better, at least when they pass thru our farm.
The majority of vegetables we raise are planted using plasticulture. This is where a 5 foot wide plastic film is laid in rows across the field. Underneath the plastic is trickle tape, which is used to irrigate and fertilize the crop. This saves on water and fertilizer by putting them at the plants roots and it also boosts the productivity of the crop. The only problem with this method of growing is water run off from heavy rain. We have remedied this by seeding between the rows of plastic with a grass mix to hold the soil from eroding.

The two people that are responsible for handling the chemicals and pesticides are both certified by the state and have a pesticide applicators license. To maintain the license a certain number of credits are needed per year. Attending meetings hosted by the Penn State Extension and other agencies accumulates the credits. This is where you learn the best use and handling practices. We also follow what is called IPM, Integrated Pest Management.