In April, we were able to take a group of our Market Growers to the Organic Crops Field Day at the East Tennessee Agricultural Research & Education Center in Knoxville.  To see organic production on that scale was impressive, and we learned that a substantial percentage of what’s grown on the site is marketed via a 50-member CSA.

Workshops were right on par with what interests our growers, including sessions on garlic production, herbs, cover crops and crop planning for CSAs.

But even more valuable than the formal education, I think, was seeing it all on the ground.  The weed barriers, irrigation lines and high tunnels made us all reflect on what’s possible.  The green manure crops like crimson clover, rye and winter pea got everybody’s attention.

This useful event will be on the calendar for our group for 2020.