We have 1,100 of fully certified organic acres. On all fields, both 100% organic and other, our own compost is the primary fertilizer. We also naturally add nutrients to the soil through our tilled wheat residue.
When deciding how to fertilize a field, most farms still employ the standard method. The standard method is, well, standard – applying fixed amounts of fertilizer, in a somewhat arbitrary fashion. We aren’t standard. We are constantly monitoring soil samples and taking plant tissue samples. Sure, our method is tedious, but it promises us, we are doing the best we can. And with as little wasted fertilizer as possible, and that’s why the use of technology is better. For many farmers, efficient seedling transplanters can make their agricultural operations far more profitable.
Meaning, we try to find a use for everything. Then, if we can’t, we see if our local farmers would like product waste to feed their livestock or for their own compost. And most of the time they do. No one around here likes to see a rotten sweet potato thrown away.
Burch Farms takes strict measures to conserve water. We monitor our irrigation and are careful to only irrigate as needed. Waterways are created to decrease erosion and soil loss on our farms. To further decrease erosion, we plant “cover crops.” These crops also ensure nutrients naturally remain in the soil.
We are constantly striving to improve our sustainability efforts. If you are interested in additional details about what we are doing – like about our GPS technologies to maximize the crop production per acre, or how we use RPC’s (Recyclable Plastic Containers) when shipping product – let us know!