No-Till Farming!
No-till farming is a way for a farmer to plant a crop and control weeds without turning the soil. Traditional plowing is effective at weed control but reduces a farms’ long- term productivity by exposing rich top soil containing organic matter to the surface and breaking up clods that naturally turn into soil. This organic matter makes soil more nutritious for plants and it holds onto water ensuring proper hydration. With no-till farming the valuable top soil is less exposed to run-off as well as wind erosion. No-till is new to Green Thumb Farms. This past winter we purchased a...
Read MoreBreaking New Ground….
We mean breaking new ground literally! A new land purchase has allowed Green Thumb Farms to add more acreage to our crop land. The previous owner farmed hay for his cattle herd, we are in the process of turning the green hay into the ground in preparation for corn planting. This is done with a process called disking. This is done with used tractor which tows an apparatus behind it that has several disks that will chop up the grass and turn it back down into the loose soil. The disk will travel over the land several times to make the surface smooth enough to plant. After disking if...
Read MoreScience Fair Projects!
Our friend Max chose to present “The Lifecycle of a Potato” as his science fair project this year and asked for the help of Green Thumb Farms. We sent Max a bunch of photos of planting, cultivating and harvesting potatoes. Max was nice enough to send us a photo of him in front of his display. Nice job Max! We love to help kids learn about agriculture, if you or someone you know would like more information about potatoes, beans or corn and how they grow please feel free to e-mail info@greenthumbfarms.com. Education is the foundation for the healthy environment, lifestyle and...
Read MoreSeed Has Arrived!
Regardless of the fact that snow still covers the ground Spring has arrived at Green Thumb Farms. Seed potatoes started arriving bright and early Monday morning! Seed potatoes are grown on land that is certified specifically for growing seed. Each load of seed comes with a certificate that ensures the seed has been tested and certified. Seed is tested for certain types of disease and insects. It is important to plant certified seed so that we can prevent the spread of diseases and insects that can destroy an entire crop. Before we take delivery of our seed we have to disinfect all of...
Read More2010 Cooperator of the Year!
Today we are excited to share that we will be receiving the 2010 Cooperator of the Year award given by the Oxford County Soil and Water Conservation District! Our nomination came from our local Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) office. We will receive this award at the next Board of Supervisors annual meeting. The award is given to those land users who show outstanding commitment to soil and water conservation on their farm. Our quality and diversity of products have been the keys to our success. We originally began growing organic potatoes in order to satisfy market...
Read MoreCongratulations to the Winners!
Congratulations to: People’s Choice Award Winners of the 9th Annual Chili Cook-off: 1st place – Appalachian Mountain Club – Pinkham Notch 2nd Place – White Mountain Hotel 3rd Place – MWV Hog Chapter The event was both tasty and fun-filled, we hope you enjoyed your Yellow Eye, Soldier and Red Kidney beans!
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