Sustainable Farming
Over the generations, our family lived on the farm knowing that farming means everything to us:
- A good way of life
- Making a living, while providing quality food for others
- A secure home & sanctuary
- Abundant clean air, water and soil in the wide-open spaces away from the city
Our elders taught us to respect the land and “Leave it in better condition than we found it”. We take this responsibility seriously. Today, with all the changes in agricultural practices over the years, this means
SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE
We’ll show you how we’re accomplishing this
What is Sustainable Agriculture?
According to U.S. Code under Title 7, 2011, "Sustainable Agriculture" is an integrated system of plant and animal production practices having a site-specific application that will, over the long-term—
Our Goals for Sustainability
- Manage water wisely and prevent erosion
- Reduce the use of fertilizers & pesticides
- Build healthy soil
- Promote biodiversity in the orchard ecosystem
- Maintain economic stability of the farm
- Store carbon in our orchards
- Improve resiliency to extreme weather
- Treat workers fairly
Benefits of Sustainability
- Healthier and more natural crops
- Reduced use of pesticices and fertilizers
- Significant reduction in energy use per unit of crop yield in comparison to industrialized agriculture
- Improves farm profitability and contribution to local economies
Conserving Water
- Water is critical to all aspects of pecan farming
- Pecans require 2 inches of rain per week
- We supplement natural rainfall with controlled irrigation
- Calibrated micro-sprinklers accurately deliver water to reduce waste and runoff
- Water usage is managed aggressively
- Leaks and broken pipe are fixed timely
- Runoff and erosion are controlled with contouring
- Water is placed to maximize absorption and minimize runoff
- Overall use is metered and reported to the involved water agencies & authorities
Reduced Pesticides, fungicides & Herbicides
We strive to reduce the volume of chemicals we use
- Integrated Pest Management (IPM) to spray pesticides & fundicides
- Spray only when necessary
- Pheromone traps to confirm undesireable insect activity
- Apply only targeted formulations that spare good insects
Using Bat Houses to Help Control Insects
- Bats consume massive amounts of insects
- We draw on a nearby population of Brazilian free-tailed colonies
- New bat houses encourage more on-site population
Building Healthy Soil
Promote Micro Nutrients
- We promote micro-organisms by recycling our orchard mulch
- Recycle prunnings and tree material instead of burning
- Spread the mulch over areas of open orchard floor
- Provides efficient potassium, calcium, phosphorous & sulfer
- Enhances nitrogen metabolism
Using Cover Crops
- Keeps soil covered and maintains living roots in the ground year-round
- Builds soil health by preventing erosion
- Replenishes soil nutrients
- Keeps undesirable weeds in check
- Some have benefits of pest control
Building Healthy Soil
Promote Micro Nutrients
- We promote micro-organisms by recycling our orchard mulch
- Recycle prunnings and tree material instead of burning
- Spread the mulch over areas of open orchard floor
- Provides efficient potassium, calcium, phosphorous & sulfer
- Enhances nitrogen metabolism
Building Biodiversity
- No Till - We use mowing around uncultivated areas
- Allow natural vegation to grow in tree rows to help reduce runoff & support polinators
- Weed diversity can provide habitat and food for soil microbes
- Winter weeds work when tree leaves are gone and yet not interfere with summer crops
- Weeds provide soil cover and nutrients
