As Kelie Bowman, Dane Whitman and the students leading the work at the Purple Carrot Farm reflect back on last year, we are happy to share that we sold 1500 pounds of produce to the College dining hall. We had amazing, dedicated student workers who battled the heat, the snow, the floods, the freezes and everything in between. We tried new crops out, such as German butterball potatoes, and enjoyed old staples like our precious sparkler strawberries. We transitioned to a no till system and this was our first full year with no tilling! (No-till farming minimizes soil disturbance, which helps keep carbon in the soil. It also enriches the soil with organic matter, increases soil water-holding capacity, and protects crops during periods of drought and flooding). We participated in holiday markets at the Bennington Community Market and The Robert Frost House Museum (thanks for having us) where we sold pickled veggies and butternut squash. Next year we plan to expand our vegetable production, perennial herb garden, and our cut and dried flowers.
