Yesterday, we planted rye in the field at our new farm, to serve as a cover crop.  Organic farmers use cover crops to protect their fields from weeds during the fall and winter, when no crops would otherwise be growing in the field.  They also provide benefits to the soil like helping to re-add nutrients to the soil and building soil structure.  Rye in particular is good at reducing erosion, suppressing pests and weeds, and providing organic matter to the soil.

To spread the rye seed through the field, we marked off rows and then walked up and down the rows using a planter to spread the seeds in the rows.  When we came across areas that were grassy, we decided to put a little extra seed on those parts because it will be harder for the seeds to grow there, so by putting extra seeds down, the rye will be more likely to grow.

Personally, I'm excited to grow cover crops in our field, in particular rye.  I especially like the fact that it helps keep out weeds and insect pests, which will be very helpful to us when we plant crops in the spring.  In addition to keeping out pests, rye also helps attract beneficial insects like ladybugs.  As for weeds, rye not only outcompetes weeds, but can also suppress them by releasing chemicals that act as a natural herbicide.  It's great that organic farmers have such tools at their disposal to deal with pests and weeds through natural means, without having to resort to synthetic pesticides and herbicides.

Green Bridge Growers is on the grow! Since the summer, we’ve been working hard every day to move forward and build at Green Bridge Growers’ new location just outside South Bend. We’ve had tremendous contributions of time, talent, and treasure that have made it possible for us to expand and grow our operations.  Our new site has plenty of room to accommodate future growth, but before any construction could start we had the very big task of clearing and excavating our land. Since the site had previously been a nursery, there were thousands of pots that had been left behind amidst overgrown brambles and brush. We quickly began a “reconnaissance operation” where volunteer groups spotted the pots, carried them to a designated area, and dumped the contents into a compost pile.  2000 pots later, we are grateful to have the support of so many terrific volunteers to help with this task – Notre Dame MBA students,  the ND Alumnae Association Family Camp, and Whole Foods Mishawaka.  From there we’ve been busy sourcing equipment and supplies, designing our system, and doing extensive site prep.
 
It’s been full steam ahead. And it’s the partnerships we have that have made all the difference.  Our crowdfunding supporters and terrific individual donors have been instrumental in getting us up and growing, and supporters such as the Indiana ARC, the Klau Family Foundation, the Davey Family, and the Pokagon Fund have generously  contributed a portion of the start-up costs toward our aquaponic greenhouse.  In addition, Home Depot has offered both supplies and labor, and an award from the Kelly Cares Foundation supports the development of our  pilot training program for  autistic young adults in on-the-job skills in farming and aquaponics. Such widespread help from so many people means the world to us.
 
Soon we’ll have 4000 new square feet of growing space. And along with expansion comes the opportunity to create more job opportunities and enrich the community with food that is delicious, healthy and local.
 
We’re grateful for everyone’s support and help in the work that lies ahead. Our innovation is to grow both good food and good jobs for our local community. We certainly couldn’t do this without you!