How we farm.

There are a few things that people commonly ask us regarding our farming practices. This page is to inform you of our practices and how we choose to farm, so you, as a consumer, can make the best possible choice for your circumstances.

*Literature and information are linked throughout the page to navigate to assist in a constructive learning experience for our future customers.

What does environmental conscientiousness mean in farming?… it means A LOT of research, thoughtfulness, change, and adapting to new ways to make things better for the future of farming and environmental sustainability. Environmental conscientiousness is key to continuing to produce healthy, nutritious food to feed hungry people.

So what does this look like for HGH?

1. Crop rotation - making sure that crops are not ALWAYS planted in the same location. For example, planting corn in one bed for a season and then rotating it out and planting beans the next year as corn is a heavy feeder and beans are nitrogen fixers. This ensures soil health and longevity.

2. Composting - This decreases our carbon footprint from having to purchase and haul compost from outside sources. It is a closed system, but a regenerative system, in a constant feedback loop.

3. Avoidance of synthetically produced fertilizers and crop protection compounds on the vegetable crops - At HGH we use “organic” methods of crop protection such as screen caterpillar tunnels, peppermint oil and neem oil solutions, biodegradable dish soap solutions, vinegar, Bacillus thuringiensis, beer traps, milk solutions, baking soda solutions, tarps, and many other methods deemed “organic”. We are continually learning and innovating ways for crop protection that are beneficial or neutral for human health and the environment.

4. Biointensive techniques - meaning that we plant a lot in a small space for a couple of reasons: a) production yields increase and b) when plants grow closely together in polyculture, it increases biodiversity, suppresses weeds, and contributes to the overall health of the plant and health of the garden ecosystem. Watch the video on this page to learn more.

5. Polyculture and companion planting - growing more than one crop, specifically growing crops together that have mutual benefits. There is a reason we chose to do a variety of veggies and flowers. If one crop fails, we have another that will likely thrive. Furthermore, as previously stated, diversity is good for the environment of the gardens. Flowers for example will attract beneficial insects to the gardens and also will help pollinate the vegetables in the process. For example, we typically use marigolds interplanted with vegetables as beneficial insect attractors, but also as a bug repellent, or as a sacrificial plant, depending on the year and insects. Our basil crops are typically planted with our tomatoes because basil repels bad insects and also improves the flavor of the tomatoes!

6. Avoiding tillage of the soil - like with the grain operation at A and B Bickford Farms, the HGH division utilizes minimal tillage practices to maintain soil biology and microbes, which help produce healthier plants; maintains water retention in the soil and prevent soil erosion; It also helps sequester carbon from the atmosphere. Learn about soil carbon sequestration here. You can also learn about soil and it’s ability to sequester carbon through the documentary “Kiss the Ground” streaming on Netflix.

7. Building and regenerating wildlife habitat - personnel of HGH are formally educated in conservation and natural resource management. With this knowledge and experience, we will be working toward creating and maintaining viable wildlife habitats for years to come as part of living in harmony with nature on the land we cultivate.