Quiet Creek Herb Farm and School for Country Living-2013

Soil Food Web

Underneath the soil of the tunnels and raised beds are the real workhorses of the farm: the soil mycorrhizae. These soil fungi colonize the roots of the plants and are responsible for supplying the plants with nutrients. "We now know that we can't simply supply nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, to plants and expect that they will grow. We need the fungi in the soil to act as a conduit between nutrients including water and the plant through the root hairs of the plant," Rusty said. "It's a mutual relationship, for the plant in turn returns sugar molecules to the bacteria."

To encourage the growth of mycorrhizae, the Orners grow organically and plant the same family of plants in the same area in multiple years. "The mycorrhizae from last year's tomatoes should help my tomatoes grow this year," Rusty said.

Integrated Pest Management (IPM)

The Orners use various methods of enhancing soil health and reducing pests:

- Vermicomposting with red wigglers (eisenia foetida), for example, adds nutrients and helps balance soil PH;

- Bat boxes and bird habitat reduces insect damage;

- Barrier systems for plants like sand around beds to discourage slugs and row cover to repel flea beetles; and

- Plants that attract beneficial insect predators are planted near raised beds. Euonymus, Lupine, and Angelica are planted in the tunnels to attract green lacewings, beneficial wasps, and ladybugs.

For more information about Quiet Creek Herb Farm and School for Country Living, visit http://www.quietcreekherbfarm.com/