Our Organic
Our farm embodies what organic means to us. We are interested in producing food, not commodities, in ways that prepare the farm and the community for the future – for our children, grandchildren and generations beyond.
Though everyone has their own philosophies about what organic agriculture is, one of the key principles of our organic farm is remembering that everything is inter-connected: that is to say, we are what we eat.
We recognize our farm as an ecosystem and work to maintain balance in all aspects of our operation and keep everyone (animals, humans, and plants) working together in harmony.
Healthy soil grows healthy crops; healthy crops feed healthy animals; and healthy animals feed healthy people.
We strive for ecological diversity on the farm – encouraging wildlife to make their home on our property (including the great horned owl that found its way into our chicken coop one summer,) and thinking about natural wind barriers and plant rotations.
For us, this inter-connected style of organic agriculture has served as a bridge to our customers – we are not only farmers, but also community-builders and food producers.
Why we choose organic at Mapleton's
The Environment
We are striving to contribute to a world that is healthier for our children (and beyond) and believe that organic agriculture is one way to ensure a prosperous agricultural future.
A variety of organic farming practices such a crop rotation, proper composting and spreading of manure as well as mechanical cultivation are used.
Instead of insecticides and pesticides we also use patience - and have learned to live with some weeds, and a variety of insects.
The goal is to focus on the health of the soil so that we can keep producing food on this land forever.
Energy Sustainability
We have drastically reduced the amount of energy needed to produce food. We rely almost solely on manure and digestate as fertilizer eliminating the need for chemical fertilizer.
The composting floor in our barn reduces greenhouse gas emissions (and smell), retains nutrients and provides heat for the cows.
There are also solar panels on our main barn roof. On sunny days, this installation produces more energy than the farm uses, making Mapleton's not just energy neutral, but an energy producer.
