Welcome
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Stonewall Farm & Gardens
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Stonewall Farm & Gardens
What Can We Grow For You?
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Philosophy
WHY ORGANIC?
It’s pretty simple – growing things without the use of chemical pesticides and fertilizers produces a product that is better for you and for the environment. It also supports our commitment to sustainable agricultural practices and our philosophy of living in harmony with nature. This year (2008) we applied for and received our Organic Certification through the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association (MOFGA).
Every fall we spread our fields with composted cow manure from a neighboring, MOFGA certified organic dairy farm.
WHY LOCAL?
TOP TEN REASONS TO BUY LOCAL FOOD
(adapted from 'Growing For Market' newsletter)
by Vern Grubinger, University of Vermont Extension
1) Locally grown food tastes and looks better. The crops are picked at their peak, and farmstead products like cheeses and are hand-crafted for best flavor. Food imported from far away is older and has traveled on trucks or planes, and sat in warehouses before it gets to you.
2) Local food is better for you. The shorter the time between the farm and your table, the less likely it is that nutrients will be lost from fresh food.
3) Local food preserves genetic diversity. In the modern agricultural system, plant varieties are chosen for their ability to ripen uniformly, withstand harvesting, survive packing and last a long time on the shelf, so there is limited genetic diversity in large-scale production. Smaller local farms, in contrast, often grow many different varieties to provide a long harvest season, an array of colors, and the best flavors.
4) Local food is safe. There's a unique kind of assurance that comes from looking a farmer in the eye at farmers' market or driving by the fields where your food comes from. Local farmers aren't anonymous and they take their responsibility to the consumer seriously.
5) Local food supports local families. The wholesale prices that farmers get for their products are low, often near the cost of production. Local farmers who sell direct to consumers cut out the middleman and get full retail price for their food - which helps farm families stay on the land.
6) Local food builds community. When you buy direct from a farmer, you're engaging in a time-honored connection between eater and grower. Knowing farmers gives you insight into the seasons, the land, and your food. In many cases, it gives you access to a place where your children and grandchildren can go to learn about nature and agriculture.
7) Local food preserves open space. When farmers get paid more for their products by marketing locally, they're less likely to sell farmland for development. When you buy locally grown food, you're doing something proactive to preserve our agricultural landscape.
8) Local food keeps taxes down. According to several studies, farms contribute more in taxes than they require in services, whereas most development contributes less in taxes than the cost of required services.
9) Local food benefits the environment and wildlife. Well-managed farms conserve fertile soil and clean water in our communities. The farm environment is a patchwork of fields, meadows, woods, ponds and buildings that provide habitat for wildlife.
10) Local food is an investment in the future. By supporting local farmers today, you are helping to ensure that there will be farms in your community tomorrow.
10/02
It’s pretty simple – growing things without the use of chemical pesticides and fertilizers produces a product that is better for you and for the environment. It also supports our commitment to sustainable agricultural practices and our philosophy of living in harmony with nature. This year (2008) we applied for and received our Organic Certification through the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association (MOFGA).
Inspired by Louise Riotte’s book Carrots Love Tomatoes & Roses Love Garlic we practice wide-row, French intensive companion planting techniques. Certain plants have an affinity for one another, and help protect the other from insects and disease.
Every fall we spread our fields with composted cow manure from a neighboring, MOFGA certified organic dairy farm.
WHY LOCAL?
TOP TEN REASONS TO BUY LOCAL FOOD
(adapted from 'Growing For Market' newsletter)
by Vern Grubinger, University of Vermont Extension
1) Locally grown food tastes and looks better. The crops are picked at their peak, and farmstead products like cheeses and are hand-crafted for best flavor. Food imported from far away is older and has traveled on trucks or planes, and sat in warehouses before it gets to you.
2) Local food is better for you. The shorter the time between the farm and your table, the less likely it is that nutrients will be lost from fresh food.
3) Local food preserves genetic diversity. In the modern agricultural system, plant varieties are chosen for their ability to ripen uniformly, withstand harvesting, survive packing and last a long time on the shelf, so there is limited genetic diversity in large-scale production. Smaller local farms, in contrast, often grow many different varieties to provide a long harvest season, an array of colors, and the best flavors.
4) Local food is safe. There's a unique kind of assurance that comes from looking a farmer in the eye at farmers' market or driving by the fields where your food comes from. Local farmers aren't anonymous and they take their responsibility to the consumer seriously.
5) Local food supports local families. The wholesale prices that farmers get for their products are low, often near the cost of production. Local farmers who sell direct to consumers cut out the middleman and get full retail price for their food - which helps farm families stay on the land.
6) Local food builds community. When you buy direct from a farmer, you're engaging in a time-honored connection between eater and grower. Knowing farmers gives you insight into the seasons, the land, and your food. In many cases, it gives you access to a place where your children and grandchildren can go to learn about nature and agriculture.
7) Local food preserves open space. When farmers get paid more for their products by marketing locally, they're less likely to sell farmland for development. When you buy locally grown food, you're doing something proactive to preserve our agricultural landscape.
8) Local food keeps taxes down. According to several studies, farms contribute more in taxes than they require in services, whereas most development contributes less in taxes than the cost of required services.
9) Local food benefits the environment and wildlife. Well-managed farms conserve fertile soil and clean water in our communities. The farm environment is a patchwork of fields, meadows, woods, ponds and buildings that provide habitat for wildlife.
10) Local food is an investment in the future. By supporting local farmers today, you are helping to ensure that there will be farms in your community tomorrow.
10/02
