Soil is NOT an inert substrate for plant roots. It is a teaming ecosystem of plant roots, fungi, and creatures of all sizes. Every time we disturb this ecosystem, we destroy the connections between these entities that contribute to healthy soil. While occasional tilling is necessary - and often essential for breaking up heavily compacted soils that hinder healthy plants - too much tillage can destroy soil quality. 

"No-till" practices are a foundational element of Irish Acres. No-till practices avoid disruption of the soil whenever possible. While some tillage is always necessary, it is only done when absolutely necessary. At Irish Acres, the soil was tilled only initially in order to loosen the soil. After that, the farm relies on permanent raised beds. Maintaining these beds (50 feet long, by 30 inches wide) allows for walking space between beds while protecting planting space where the soil is amended and managed with as little disturbance as possible in order to protect and sustain a healthy soil ecosystem. 

Plant roots create the foundations for healthy soil ecosystems. Fungi, good bacteria, insects, etc. all depend on the existence of plant roots that not only provide habitat, but transfer solar energy directly into the soil through the plant's photosynthesis. Additionally, plant roots keep nutrients and soil particles in place and prevent erosion. 

At Irish Acres, soil is kept planted as much as possible in order to feed soil health and prevent erosion. Spaces that are not currently in production, including nearly all of the farm during the winter months, are kept in "cover crops," such as rye, vetch, clover, buckwheat, etc. that are planted to nourish and sustain the soil. These crops don't produce a marketable product (most of the time), but their contribution to soil fertility is immense. 

A core tenant of biodynamic agriculture is fostering a diverse farm ecosystem. In a diverse ecosystem, one plant or creature may need a lot of one kind of resource, but will contribute others critical to a different creature. In this way, a diverse ecosystem benefits from the unique strengths and gifts of each member. 

At Irish Acres, diversity is fostered in two ways. First, we grow a wide variety of crops, both for production and as cover crops (See "keep the soil planted" above, for details on cover cropping). Plant diversity allows us to foster soil nutrients because each plant needs and contributes different kinds of nutrients. For example, most leafy greens demand a high amount of nitrogen while legumes (like beans) help make nitrogen available in the soil through their symbiotic relationship with bacteria on their roots. Other plants help crowd out or suppress weeds. In infinite other ways, diverse planting helps to balance the ecosystem. 

Secondly, on-farm diversity tries to make friends with the plants and creatures that aren't part of actual cultivation. Fostering spaces for birds, snakes, pollinators, etc. aids the farm in uncountable ways, from providing pest control control to pollination. While you won't find me celebrating slugs (particularly when they're mowing down my lettuce), I choose to focus on supporting and celebrating a healthy snake population that can control slugs. 

Animals are essential to healthy ecosystems. Their activities help control pests and their waste further feeds the soil. As a result, fostering diverse animal ecosystems and integrating livestock into crop planting is essential to biodynamic farming.

Myriad creatures call my farm home, including both the pesky ones - like slugs, mice, and harmful insects - and the helpful ones like snakes, birds, and pollinators. At Irish Acres, I work to create a welcoming space, particularly for creatures that are helpful. Most importantly, NO chemical sprays of any kind are used on the farm. You and I wouldn't want to live in a chemical plant, and neither do the creatures on my farm. Additionally, I plant flowers and other annual species for habitat and food for these beneficials. During a hot summer day, the hum of bees in the wildflower patch is music to my ears and, while I may occasionally jump with surprise when I encounter one of many snakes around the farm, I celebrate that they want to make my farm a home (Welcome, eat all the slugs you could possibly want!). 

Unfortunately, leasing arrangements, farm location, and cost make livestock infeasible for my small farm. In place of livestock, I purchase organic cow manure compost from a local supplier that I use as my primary soil amendment, which supplements the nutrition provided to the soil through plant growth. Compost mimics many of the nutrient amendment benefits that grazing livestock would otherwise add to the farm ecosystem.