Compost & a Win Against the Deer (Farm Note #5)
COMPOST AT THE CORE
Composting sits at the core of what we stand for and how we farm here. Before we had any plots in the ground or even a tractor, Jake and I were already collecting food scraps from local sources (and we still do, twice a week). The goal was simple: stockpile organic matter and close the loop. Food scraps turning back into the material that grows more food.
We’re still making compost now, just with a slightly more refined system and the help of a very cute tractor. When manure is added to compost in an organic certified system, there are specific temperature and turning requirements that must be met before it can be used. Once those boxes are checked, we move the finished material into a large windrow to continue curing.
One of the main feedstocks in our compost is woodchips. With the right balance of moisture and a lot of patience, everything breaks down. At this point, we’ve got a solid pile resting and ready for spring planting, made entirely here on the farm.
Before mixing batches, Jake took a look at each individual pile under the microscope and was excited to find them alive with intact and complex members of the soil food web. Below is an image from the microscope of a nematode that feeds on bacteria. This is what we mean when we talk about living soil - compost and soil that are literally alive with bacteria, fungi, nematodes, and protozoa, all working together in beneficial relationships with the plants we grow.
After initially buying bulk compost to set up our plots and feeling unimpressed, we’ve set a new goal: never buy compost again. Making our own amendments feels deeply satisfying and it’s a system we truly believe in.
OUR LOW COMMITMENT DEER FENCE & ITS WORKING!
To Rick who asked about deer exclusion for the garden… We set up a temporary deer fence!
For months, “build deer fence” had been on the December to do list. It felt like nails on a chalk board trying to decide where the deer fence should go, given the fact that it is such a major infrastructure, and it really solidifies our site plan. We landed on the fact that we weren’t able to decide where the deer fence should go until other questions were answered. And in some cases, as much as you want to make a decision, you can’t rush it.
Our temporary set up is made with a double poly hot wire. It looks like any deer could just graciously glide right over the double wire, but because their lack of depth perception and confidence in clearing both hot wires, they decide to munch elsewhere. At least that is the goal. It’s been a few month since installing the system, and so far so good!
Always a pleasure!
Your farmers,
Jake and Jesse :)