While most students flee to cities or distant coasts during the summer, Aaron Greenberg ’11 found his escape just down the road at Long Lane Farm, the University’s student-run organic farm.
Through a grant from the Melon Foundation, Greenberg stayed on campus to research different ways to eliminate pests on squash plants, which have been a problem at Long Lane in the past. Because the farm does not use any fertilizers or pesticides, the farmers often utilize creative approaches toward growing their crops.
“[The research done this summer] was a really formal way to test methods, but that’s basically how the farm works,” Greenberg said. “No one really knows a lot about farming, so we test different methods out.”
Izaac Lichter-Marck ’11, Abe Bobman ’11, Sarah Tracy-Wanck ’10 and Julius Pasay ’08 also worked on the farm this summer and tested out methods individually and as a team.
“There is no standard growing method,” Lichter-Marck said. “Everyone has their own method.”
Greenberg tested two different methods over this past summer. The first, which he refers to as row covers, consists of covering rows of squash with a light gauze that lets light and sun in while simultaneously keeping pests out. According to Greenberg, the consequent size and abundance of the squash plants showed using row covers to be a successful method.
Licheter-Marck noticed that the row covers were also successful in keeping out a woodchuck that had invaded the farm over the summer.
“Woodchucks don’t like the feel of the row covers,” Lichter-Marck said.
The second and much less successful method that Greenberg tested was using companion plants to help the squash grow. He planted marigolds and nasturtiums next to the squash, but instead of helping the squash grow by diverting pests, the companion plants ended up competing with the squash for nutrients and water.
“We do a lot of experiments, but never with pesticides or fertilizer,” Lichter-Marck said.
This summer, the group tried out a Native American method called The Three Sisters—a companion plant method, in which corn, beans and squash work together. First, corn is planted on a flattop mound of soil. Next, climbing beans and squash are planted around the corn. The corn acts as a pole for the climbing beans, which grow over the corn while simultaneously injecting nitrogen into the soil that the corn and squash need. The squash spreads along the ground, effectively keeping out weeds by using up all the sunlight. The method has proven to be very effective, as there are rows of The Three Sisters growing at Long Lane right now.
Another innovative method used is one that Long Lane Farmers call “manure tea.” According to Pasay, the farmers on Long Lane put manure in a burlap sack and pour water through the manure and sack.
“Because our compost was a failed source and we have no animals for good excrement, we transported horse manure from a farm in Farmington to our farm, which was mixed into beds before seeding,” Bobman said. “Once plants germinate, they can benefit from further nitrogen addition in the form of manure tea—basically manure that is set to leach into a basin of water.”
Long Lane farmers also practice the technique of crop rotation.
“The idea of crop rotation is to discourage monoculture, pest infestation, and soil depletion and to promote biodiversity and regenerating soil,” Bobman said.
When the time comes to plant crops, the farmers examine where certain weeds grow, and by identifying these weeds, are able to tell what nutrients the soil lacks. Based on this information, the farmers decide where to plant the season’s crop.
Although Long Lane is enjoying great success with its crop production, Lichter-Marck noted that Long Lane lacks continuity from year to year. New farmers at Long Lane often do not know the farm’s history, which is important in regards to proper rotation technique. Ideally, Lichter-Marck would like to have a former Long Lane farmer come work on the farm full-time and act as both a farmer and a farm historian to finally give Long Lane some continuity.
“We only have one acre, it’s amazing how much we produce,” Lichter-Marck said. “If the farm expanded just a little, someone could survive on it.”
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