Elizabeth and Paul Kaiser raise a little under three acres of vegetables at Singing Frogs Farm in Sebastopol, California, where they have been farming since 2007. Their ecological farming model rests on a foundation of no-till production, but incorporates many more elements to build soil organic matter and soil biology to support an economically viable operation.
Elizabeth and Paul dig deep into the ecological and production principles that undergird their success, from soil management to transplant production and crop planning strategies. We take a look at their use of hedgerows for soil building, climate management, and insect management, including their tips for installing and maintaining these important ecological tools. And we discuss employee management within their complex, non-linear production system, as well as the economics of their production system.
Perhaps most importantly, Paul and Elizabeth emphasize the ways that observation and their responses to their observations provided the foundation for building what they consider to be an example, and not a model, of their ecological production system.
Elizabeth and Paul dig deep into the ecological and production principles that undergird their success, from soil management to transplant production and crop planning strategies. We take a look at their use of hedgerows for soil building, climate management, and insect management, including their tips for installing and maintaining these important ecological tools. And we discuss employee management within their complex, non-linear production system, as well as the economics of their production system.
Perhaps most importantly, Paul and Elizabeth emphasize the ways that observation and their responses to their observations provided the foundation for building what they consider to be an example, and not a model, of their ecological production system.
Sponsors
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BCS America: BCS two-wheel tractors are versatile, maneuverable in tight spaces, light-weight for less compaction, and easy to maintain and repair on farm. Gear-driven and built to last for decades of dependable service on your farm or market garden.
Vermont Compost Company: Founded by organic crop growing professionals committed to meeting the need for high-quality composts and compost-based, living soil mixes for certified organic plant production.
BCS America: BCS two-wheel tractors are versatile, maneuverable in tight spaces, light-weight for less compaction, and easy to maintain and repair on farm. Gear-driven and built to last for decades of dependable service on your farm or market garden.
Quotes from the Show
[Elizabeth] you think of farming and what most people think of, they think of a tractor and plow. And here we are, these, you know, little northern California farmers on less than three acres are saying, well we're doing it. We're not doing tillage.
[Paul] It’s critical as farmers and land managers to remember that photosynthesis is what makes planet earth unique and special, and we need to constantly be feeding soil biology through the act of photosynthesis.
[Paul] The only reason we brought out the numbers was because we wanted to give validity to our ecological, no-till approach to farming. We wanted to ensure that yes, we are doing all these wonderful things for the environment and the soil and our crew and all that. And, yes, it happens to also be economically viable.
[Paul] The act of physically doing all this and making mistakes constantly is great because every mistake as a learning opportunity
[Elizabeth] I do not think what we do on our farm is, in any sense, a model, or what you should do or he should do or she should do on their farm. This is what we do and what works for us.
[Paul] It’s critical as farmers and land managers to remember that photosynthesis is what makes planet earth unique and special, and we need to constantly be feeding soil biology through the act of photosynthesis.
[Paul] The only reason we brought out the numbers was because we wanted to give validity to our ecological, no-till approach to farming. We wanted to ensure that yes, we are doing all these wonderful things for the environment and the soil and our crew and all that. And, yes, it happens to also be economically viable.
[Paul] The act of physically doing all this and making mistakes constantly is great because every mistake as a learning opportunity
[Elizabeth] I do not think what we do on our farm is, in any sense, a model, or what you should do or he should do or she should do on their farm. This is what we do and what works for us.
Show Links
Paul and Elizabeth talked about the Johnson Su bioreactor composting system for producing fungally rich composts.
Transcript
The transcript for this episode is brought to you by Earth Tools, offering the most complete selection of walk-behind farming equipment and high-quality garden tools in North America. And by Osborne Quality Seeds, a dedicated partner for growers. Visit osborneseed.com for high quality seed, industry-leading customer service, and fast order fulfillment. Additional funding for transcripts provided by North Central SARE, providing grants and education to advance innovations in Sustainable Agriculture.
