Stearns Farm CSA

Did you know?

• 1 Tablespoon of soil has more organisms living in it than there are people on earth 

• 10% of the earth’s carbon dioxide emissions are stored in soil 

• Over 1 million earthworms live in an acre of farmland

On this Giving Tuesday, help us invest in reviving our soil so it can continue producing quality food for our community.

 

Healthy soil makes it possible for plants to retain precious moisture during droughts and it can drain excess water efficiently during heavy rainfall. Healthy soil gives our plants access to critical minerals and nutrients so that they are strong enough to fight against disease and pests. Soil also captures carbon from the atmosphere, directly impacting climate change. With two droughts in the last five years coming on top of decades of intensive farming, investing in our soil now is critical to the future of Stearns Farm. 

This year, we hope to raise $8,000 to help us invest in the health and sustainability of our soil. Your gift will pay for more detailed soil tests to understand our soil’s specific needs. We’ll use those test results to create a comprehensive plan to add the right mix of supplements. After decades of farming coupled with common erosion issues, our soil needs additional organic matter to feed and nourish the organisms that are necessary to have healthy soil. With your help, we can spread 120 yards of compost, which will allow us to cover the entire farm with much-needed organic matter. 

We will also use your gift to invest in equipment required  to potentially transition part or all of the farm to no-till growing. By reducing the need to use tractors to till the fields, we can reduce erosion and help support the soil’s natural ecosystem that sustains plants. One tool that will have immediate use on the farm is silage tarps. These tarps are used to cover sections of the fields to suppress weeds before planting, reducing the use of tractors to help prepare the beds. The less we disturb the structure of our soil, the better it is at giving our plants exactly what they need to thrive.

Our soil is crucial to the sustainability of Stearns Farm as the climate continues to change. We need your help to restore it to its full potential. 

Your gift will help us invest in the soil that sustains us. 

with gratitude,

Ember Fleming, Stearns Farm Manager

Nomi Sofer, President, Board of Directors

 

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