A vendor with Countryside Farmers' Market since 2008.
Farmland: 800 acres in Hartville, Oh
People: 4
Products: Vegtables: sweet corn, tomatoes, beans, peas, pickles, squash, lettuce, radishes, beets, carrots, peppers, garlic, shallots, candy onions, green onions, spinach, herbs, potatoes, sweet potatoes, cucumbers. Fruit: raspberries, grapes, apples, melons. Hay, corn, soybeans, pumpkins. Hogs and chickens.
Farm History: Family farm for four generations. At one time, we were cash grain farmers, then we started a dairy farm and sold registered holstein breeding stock. Next, we started a farm market and winery - we wanted to raise our products more naturally.
Soil: We currently use no commercial fertilizer. We use soil bacteria, manure from a neighbor and our livestock, and compost. We emphasize balancing the soil and building organic matter. Each field is seeded to a cover crop each fall, and is then turned under for green manure in the spring.
Water Use: We have a well that is 310' deep, with 1 grain of hardness and 1 ppm iron, that we use for irrigation. We use trickle irrigation, which is very efficient.
Weed Control: We plant on raised beds that are covered with plastic mulch, which is recycled in the fall. We hoe and cultivate weeds between the rows.
Pest Control: Our emphasis is on raising healthy plants and animals. Our plant rows are 10' on center which allows for good air circulation, and helps to minimize disease pressure. We rarely use pesticides.
Fun Facts: In the fall, we have a Corn Maze, wagon rides to the pumpkin patch, kiddy rides, a pumpkin cannon (shoots 400 ft!), petting zoo, a gem mine, straw crawl, a cow train ride (for children). Throughout the summer, we host special events such as a Celtic festival, Nurmoas marathons, sweet corn festival, etc. Visit the website for dates and other activities.
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Cuyahoga Valley Countryside Conservancy
2179 Everett Road, Peninsula, Ohio 44264
(330) 657-2542
[email protected]
