As an organic and biodynamic farm, we focus on soil building techniques. We believe that it the fruit trees and vegetable plants need the proper soil, that they can best defend themselves against bugs and disease. For that reason, we employ “green manure”. That is the practice of growing crops in the orchard rows designed to enhance the creation of valuable topsoil. As you may know, we have very sandy soil, so it becomes imperative that we add as much organic matter as possible.

The first sowing is very early in the spring as soon as the soil can be worked. We have been using a combination of peas and oats. Peas are a legume, and capable of creating nitrogen out of thin air! The oats add considerable biomass. When the peas are in flower, we “terminate” the crop, using a set of discs to cut the very tall plants into the soil. That makes the nitrogen the peas created immediately available to the orchard trees. We think you can taste the difference when you bite into one of our sweet, juicy peaches.

This year at midsummer we added an additional boost to the soil using a special nitro seed mix of peas, tillage radishes, hairy vetch, beans and sunflowers. The bonus are beautiful fields of bright floral blooms. Did you know that sunflowers have a unique ability to track the sun’s movement (heliotropism)? We have been harvesting them into bunches and offering them at the Welland market, our CSA members baskets and the on-line store.

Here is what you can find in our store this week at www.rumarfarm.ca

Blue Plums
Pears – Bartlett, Harrow Sweet, Bosc
Tomatoes – heritage, heirloom, cherry
Garlic
Kale, Swiss Chard, Collards
Summer Squash
Hot and Sweet Peppers
Eggplant
Stir Fry Mix
Asian Greens
New Zealand Spinach
Radish
Carrots
Mixed Herbs, Honey, Fresh Eggs
Sunflowers

Ruth and Marc, Rumar Farm