IntroductionThis year I was awarded $2430 from the Lakewinds Organic Field Fund to install fruit and nut shrubs to my farm operation as a way to increase resilience and move closer to closing loops in the farm’s systems. Overall, the objectives were met and the project was completed as planned. This project helped further the long term goals of the farm to strengthen the local food system using indigenous farming practices. This challenging drought year highlighted the importance of the resiliency that the shrubs aim to create. Project BudgetTotal Project Budget: $2430 This project was finished on budget. As I ended up doing most of the labor myself, those extra funds were used to purchase additional hazelnut plant stock and mulch. Blueberries: 50 plants x $25 each = $1250 Hazelnuts: $190 each x 2 = $380 Native Bare Root Shrubs (see attached order form): $288 Tree Protectors: $240 Mulch: $200 Labor: $120 Tools and Supplies: 0 Total Actual Budget: $2,478 Successes and ChallengesMy biggest concern at the beginning of the project was the initial installation of the shrubs, but I was able to get the pollinator hedgerow, the blueberries, and the hazelnuts planted in three separate phases as the stock became available. The labor of planting the shrubs was manageable but still a lot of work. The biggest challenge in the end was keeping the young shrubs watered during the drought. Overall, I would call the project a success: the timing worked out with the plantings, the mulching and tree protectors worked out as envisioned, and there was ample opportunity to educate the public about the project. Success: Planting 200 fruit and nut shrubs using no till methods or reduced tillage methods. This involved removing sod and digging the holes to plant the shrubs. Challenge: Keeping the shrubs watered during the drought. In a normal year, rainwater would have been sufficient to keep the shrubs watered. This year was a different story. I watered the shrubs well after the initial installation (or timed planting with one of the few rain events we had this spring). Mulch also helped retain moisture. I hand watered the plantings several times during the growing season. It would have been helpful to install an irrigation system, especially for the blueberries. I will probably install drip irrigation on the blueberries in spring 2022. Success: Establishing a boundary with the neighboring field and reclaiming space that was being used for row crop production. This will provide more of a buffer for when they spray herbicide and other chemicals. Challenge: The hedge was a source of friction with the neighboring farmer—perhaps it is not something they fully understand the benefits of, or perhaps they were not happy with discussion of the property line. Another challenge is the hedge’s proximity to the neighboring field which is concerning for spring when they will be spraying soybeans, however the tree protectors should help manage this issue. Success: Mulching the shrubs with woodchips, straw, and for the blueberries using pine shavings from the chicken coop. Mulch was very helpful in keeping the ground moist in between rain/hand waterings. It was very effective using the pine shavings from the chicken coop as blueberry mulch—it streamlined my process for cleaning the coop to have the pine shavings go directly to their end location, and the blueberry plants mulched with the shavings thrived. The pine shavings should continue to provide an ideal pH over time. Challenge: Chickens scratched up all the mulch around the hazelnuts, but did not disturb the blueberry or hedgerow mulch. The chickens also managed to scratch up some of the actual hazelnut plants, but I was able to fill in with some extra plants that I had potted up. Success: Installing Tree Protectors on the hedgerow and hazelnuts. Challenge: Tree protectors took a while to assemble, and I did not have enough for all the shrubs so I prioritized which shrubs to use them for. I should have installed the tree protectors on the hazelnuts right away, however the suppliers of the plant stock advised not to. In hindsight, it would have been helpful to install them right away given the close proximity to the chicken coop. I also believe rabbits may have been eating the leaves but did not realize this until later. I will keep the tree protectors on the trees during the winter and in the spring. I am hoping to be able to leave the tree protectors on in the spring while until the neighbors are done spraying, however the shrubs might start to get too constricted in the tree protectors. Success: Working with students to install tree protectors. Saved some time and helped the students see a hands on an example of sustainable agriculture. Challenge: Students installed some of the tree protectors incorrectly, however it was easy to fix. SummaryWhile it will be hard to know until spring how many shrubs are thriving, initial observations show that many shrubs were able to set down roots this first year despite drought conditions. According to technical advisors in regards to perennial plantings: in year one they sleep, in year two they creep, and in year three they leap. Well, especially with the drought, plant growth was a bit sleepy this season. It was exciting to see new growth, new leaves, new buds, and roots taking hold this year. Monitoring of moisture levels and plant health shows that most of the shrubs are healthy and should start to “creep” or maybe even “leap” next season. This project was quite rewarding and should only get better with each year. I have enjoyed working with the perennial plants that will come back year after year versus the annual vegetables I typically grow. Using what I learned this season, I will continue to add more perennials each year. This project has already helped close the loop of using the pine shaving chicken bedding byproduct, and the benefits should only increase as the plants mature over the next 5-10 years. For example, wind and chemical blocking hedges, habitat for pollinators and wildlife, and eventually harvests of nutrient dense nuts and berries. I used this project to increase awareness about the importance of pollinator plantings and perennial plantings by educating CSA members about the project in the weekly CSA newsletter and at a field day in the spring co-sponsored by the Sustainable Farming Association- Crow River Chapter and the Delano Climate Action Group. As I add more and more this educational component will continue in future on farm events and writings. To co-op members, I would say that this grant program has helped take projects from dream to reality. Seeing the whole process unfold from grant proposal to execution of the project has built my confidence as a business owner to take on more projects and to not limit myself. The grant makes a real difference—farmers often go without the tools they need to do their job safely and effectively because farming is so capital intensive. Having this funding can be the difference between thriving and surviving. Why buy local? We have seen the supply chain disruptions affecting our lives over the last two years and the only way to have a strong local economy to provide for us is to support these business now. You can really benefit local ecosystems by purchasing from farms using conservation practices. These products are also usually superior in freshness, flavor, and nutritional value. Putting your dollars into high quality food is a sure way to improve your own health and the health of our planet. The grant process has been a good experience for me. There is just enough information requested to round out a solid project and help me make sure all the bases are covered but not too much as to feel overburdened with paperwork. I hope that there will be a way for more emerging farmers to apply if they do not have financials or other information available. Perhaps there could be two candidate pools—one for more established farmers and one for emerging farmers or beginning farmers. Thank you Lakewinds!I would love to hear your thoughts: which shrubs should I plant next? What fruits, berries, or nuts would you be most excited to see at the farm store? Would you be interested in volunteering in 2022 to help plant more shrubs? Let me know in the comments-- thanks!
1 Comment
Dexter
1/2/2022 10:00:43 am
My favorite part was chasing the bunnies away
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Farmer Sarah
Musings from the Farm Archives
January 2024
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