WILSON'S WANTS YOU - to TAKE OUR SENSATIONAL SHARE SURVEY
by YOUR MAN on the FARM

Thank You for making our first-ever CSA a rousing success. We are glad to have had this opportunity to get to know you and share in your local food adventure. We love to hear what you've eaten for the first time, your cooking adventures, and even your constructive criticism. Remember, we're partners in this CSA and we want your feedback & suggestions. So, to that end, we've created this survey. Please take a moment to complete it for us. We truly appreciate it.

Regards,
Your Man on the Farm

• { Click HERE to take survey } •

ZONED in on WINTER SQUASH
Wilson Farm uses deep zone till practices to improve sustainability
by YOUR MAN on the FARM

Wilson Farm is passionate about growing winter squash. They grow over 10 edible varieties of delicious winter squash from acorn, butternut, and delicata, to Chicago warted, ambercup, and more. They also grow another 20 plus varieties of ornamental winter squash including a wide assortment of pumpkins as small as a ½ pound in size (We Be Little) and as big as 200-300 pounds (Atlantic Giant). Although their variety of winter squash is impressive, how they grow the pumpkins is not only cutting edge, it is also environmentally responsible because of their use of “deep zone till” practices.

Zone tilling is special growing technique. It starts with the use of a cover crop, most commonly winter rye. The rye helps add organic matter to the soil, and when it reaches a height of 12-18” it is knocked down and becomes a bed of mulch. This mulch not only inhibits weed growth, but also provides a bed for the winter squash to grow on. After the cover crop is converted to mulch, a tractor, fixed with a special attachment, cuts a zone (channel) in the soil about 4 inches wide. In this channel the tractor deposits fertilizer and winter squash seed, all in the same pass. This is a significant departure from traditional squash farming where 100% of the field would be tilled to to destroy weeds and prepare a field for planting. The traditional technique also requires additional passes with the tractor to seed the field and later (in another pass) fertilize it. When Wilson Farm uses deep zone tilling for planting winter squash it not only saves time, but more importantly it also reduces the use of water, pesticides, and fertilizer. It also generates vigorous healthy plants, and minimizes soil erosion.

Water use can be dramatically reduced with zone till practices. Part of the practice of deep zone tilling is to use a blade that cuts deeper than the average plow. This extra deep cut makes it easier for plants to develop deep roots. With deeper roots, the plants are able to draw water that is buried beneath the soil’s surface. On hot days when the surface water evaporates, Wilson Farm’s winter squash uses their highly developed roots to draw water. As a result Wilson Farm waters their crops less than many other farms, saving water while continuing to produce healthy, delicious plants.

The deep root system of Wilson Farm’s cucurbits (a family of vegetables that also includes squash, cucumbers, melons and more) is also a great natural defense against pests. While some farms turn to application of pesticides to help protect their plants against such pests, Wilson Farm gives their plants the tools to fend for themselves. Years of growing has convinced Wilson Farm’s head farmer, Jim Wilson, that zone tilling helps plants develop deeper roots making them more insect tolerant. “Most insects disrupt a plant’s ability to feed itself. The better the root structure, the better they can survive some minor pest damage” says Wilson. These healthier plants mean that the plant are better suited to fend off natural stresses including extreme weather and pests.

Fertilizer use is also cut significantly by using the deep zone till technique. Since fertilizer is applied into the tract that is cut by the plow, and not uniformly across the entire field, the team at Wilson Farm is able to use much less fertilizer to produce the same great quality winter squash. With the fertilizer applied in a targeted manner, most weeds miss from the benefits of fertilizer. This means less weeding, and less need for herbicide application later on. Additionally with less total fertilizer applied to the field there is less risk of fertilizer runoff.

While zone tilling creates healthier plants with deeper roots, it also helps to prevent erosion and protect valuable soil. Highly tilled soil is very susceptible to erosion. Both wind and water are quickly able to strip away valuable topsoil when roots of plants are not present to hold the soil in place. By making a much more limited cut of the field (up to 90% less) Wilson Farm is able to greatly reduce the risk of erosion.

While it might be easy for a historic farm, founded over 125 years ago, to continue their old growing practices, Wilson Farm doesn’t like to rest on their laurels. That is why they continue to invest in more sustainable farming practices such as deep zone tilling. In an effort to encourage other New England farmers to adopt sustainable practices, Jim Wilson regularly speaks at local and regional farm conferences about his successful introduction of zone till practices. He hopes that his effort will eventually lead to better water use practices, reduced pesticide use, and lower fertilizer inputs across New England while producing high yields and great tasting food.