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 corn planter that plants the corn seed and fertilizer in the ground without tilling.  This technique not only benefits the soil but requires less ground prep for planting all while helping to reduce our carbon footprint.  Ground prep takes several hours of turning soil under to make a fresh layer for planting (much like your garden).  In contrast the no-till planter is able to plant corn without any prep work.  Once the corn has started to sprout an herbicide will be applied to kill the grass and weeds allowing the corn to thrive without fighting with weeds for nutrients and water.  To get the full effect be sure to check out these pictures!