Our Organic Growing Methods
We have used organic production methods in our greenhouses since 1998. We did not jump on the bandwagon when organic growing became chic or because it is the most profitable (believe us – it isn’t). We chose to be certified organic producers because we believe that using organic methods in all stages of the growing process results in the best plants and minimizes disruption to our valuable ecosystem. Over the years we have been doing this we can attest to the success of an organic approach to managing our greenhouses, our market garden and the entire farm.
In our greenhouses we grow a wide variety of plants to provide an ample selection for our customers but also to avoid the disease and pest problems that the large-scale production of a limited number of crops can foster. We raise all of the plants that we grow under cool conditions so that they are stocky and well hardened off before they are sold. The small size of our greenhouse enterprise enables us to continually monitor for any potential pest problems as we go about the day-to-day activities of running a greenhouse. It goes without saying that we use a high quality, locally made, certified organic, compost-based potting medium and a certified organic fish and seaweed emulsion fertilizer to keep our plants growing green and ready to set flowers. An abundant spider population is a great ally to us in maintaining the system balance in our greenhouses! We do not coddle our plants, overfeed them or push them to grow too fast.
All of the work we do in our greenhouses – seed sowing, transplanting, weed management, watering and fertilizing is done without mechanization. We, and our staff, personally handle all of the plants that we grow.
At each step along the way, from sowing to sales, we have the opportunity to monitor the health and vigor of each plant. Healthy, vigorous plants hit the ground growing!
