As the year winds down and the growing season comes to a close, our thoughts turn towards renewal and growth. We’re thinking of different crops we can grow, new farming techniques we can implement, and innovative ways to help make LexFarm more resilient when farming during climate change.
Next year, we will plant perennial fruits, like blackberries and grapes, so that our CSA members and farmstand customers can enjoy their juicy sweetness. We will use our new hoop house to extend our growing season in the spring and winter so we can have fresh green veggies for longer. We will grow new varieties, like Suyo Long cucumbers and Indian bitter melon, that we hope to include in our CSA shares next year
While these measures increase the variety of produce enjoyed at LexFarm, they also help us to adapt to the climate extremes that come with farming in Massachusetts – extreme drought, torrential rains, and devastating pest pressure. The woody trunks and roots of blackberry bushes and grape vines reduce soil erosion and sequester carbon. The hoop house offers plants protection from nature’s challenges such as disease and pests, which have become more extreme as climate-induced weather patterns change. We use straw mulch around our cucumber and melon beds for weed control, instead of single-use plastic.
As farmers we are stewards of the land. These practices help us to sustain and nourish the soil while producing a bounty of food for our community. However, sustainable practices such as these are labor-intensive and often require more expensive inputs than conventional farming. We need your support.
Please consider donating today to support LexFarm, the new veggies and fruits we want to grow, the soil we nurture, and the community we support.
With gratitude,