A Winter Update
By Remi Welbel
It is the fourth week since our wonderful fall cohort departed from the farm, and we may be far in distance, but we are close at heart.
After coming home to Chicago for a few days at the end of November, Gavi and I returned to the farm to continue soil sampling for our research. Cold weather and rain could not hinder our determination! Everyday, we use probes to test the pH of the soil in each of the 45 tree nursery plots. It is crucial to monitor pH changes so that we are able to investigate the impacts of basalt and biochar application on the soil. In addition to pH testing, we used our trusty soil cores (that look a lot like hollow metal tubes) to take two 5 inch and 10 inch samples per nursery plot. These samples will be sent to the lab we are partnering with, and we will determine the chemical composition of the soil. This data will be instrumental in quantifying the carbon capture potential of our soil amendments. At the farm we will also be producing a few batches of biochar to be stored away for spring planting.
Thanks to our wonderful Farmer Liaison, Julia, last Wednesday and Friday, we, the Evanston locals, visited three regenerative farms! On Wednesday we visited Sunny Lane Farm, a biodiverse fruit and herb farm located in Mackinaw Valley, central Illinois, and Refuge Food Forest, a collaboration between University of Illinois Extension and the City of Normal that provides free organic produce to the community. On Friday we visited Spence Farm, a small scale family farm teeming with heirloom and native crops. It was so incredible to learn from all of these folks, and we are so grateful to them for taking the time to walk and talk in the cold and answer our many questions.
Check out Teresa’s orchards: https://brockmanfamilyfarming.com/teresas-farms/
Check out Refuge Food Forest: http://www.normal.org/1372/Refuge-Food-Forest
Check out Spence Farm: https://spence-farm.com/
If you’re in Evanston or the Chicago region, you can get incredibly tasty (seriously the most fresh and flavorful!) produce from Village Farmstand, supplied by Spence’s farmer to farmer marketing and delivery service.