Sunday, August 10, 2014

Diversity on the Farm

We grow over 75 varieties of vegetables on our farm. From an agricultural stand point that is diversity at its finest. Is that the real diversity on our farm or does diversity run much deeper?

Lets explore true diversity on our farm.


I walked around the edge of the farm and counted 100 species of wild plants and trees. There is a whole cascade of seasonal blooming plants to feed the pollinators during the early spring and summer before the traditional pollen sources are in full swing.

We have several dozen species of birds on our farm.

But the real diversity is under our feet. There are 20,000 to 30,000 species of micro-organism in a biologically active soil and hundreds of macro organizms insects, pollinators, earth worms and arachnids.

So on our vegetable farm the livestock diversity way out numbers everything else. But most of  these livestock would all fit on the head of a pin.

Even so they represent the best and most powerful of farm diversity.

So when you drive into Rochester and read the sign that we are building an "Inclusive Community" and you think of social diversity, this is good.

But when you think of diversity remember my herd of microscopic livestock and the diversity under our feet. These critters make the fertility of our farm and every fertile place in the world possible. 12 years ago when we moved to our farm the biology was asleep put to sleep by a chemical growing system hostile to diversity, hostile to life. We have awakened the sleeper by massive biology building and feeding our herd of livestock in the soil. The result is soil that teams with life. Life that translats nutrients into vegetables that are vibrant with flavor and nutrition. Vegetables that give life in abundance.

We want to be your farmer.


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