Organic Farm Tour - Day 1

We've just spent the last two days touring various organic farms around the state.  As I write this, I am overwhelmed with the movement toward sustainability and organic garden management in our state.  I am also in awe of the people who are leading this movement and what they are doing, in many cases with very little resources.

I can't possibly cram both days into one blog post, so I will break it up into Day 1 and Day 2. Several organizations went together to organize and support the tour.   I first heard about it through the Kerr Center for Sustainable Agriculture.  Here's the flier they put up on their web site.  Kerr Center Announcement

The first day we drove to eastern Oklahoma to Three Springs Farm.  Three Springs Farm

Mike and Emily own and run the farm.  Here is Emily talking to us about the farm.  The little girl is their daughter.  It was wonderful to see a child who spends her days outside running free, instead of indoors in front of the TV or playing a video game.  But, I digress ....  

Mike and Emily do all the work themselves and run a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) where members "buy" a share in the farm by paying an annual fee.  In return, the members are entitled to a bag of produce each week of whatever is in season.  Members pick their bags up each week at the Cherry Street Farmers Market in Tulsa where Mike and Emily also sell their produce to non-CSA members. They are a hard-working young couple who are devoted to what they do.  

Here are some pictures of their farm. 

Tomatoes growing in their hoophouse

Rows and rows of organic vegetables

Very friendly cat that escorted us on the tour

Family dog taking a dip in this beautiful clear stream that you have to cross to get to their house.  I was tempted to join him!

Elderberry Bushes

After we finished our tour of Three Springs Farm, we drove to Fisher Produce near Slick,Oklahoma.  I think that is a great name for a town!  This is a family business that has been farming their land for 100 years.  They use sustainable practices for all their crops.  They are organically certified for everything, except asparagus and sweet corn which are grown conventionally, but without the use of insecticides.  They do use herbicides to control weeds in the asparagus and corn, but are trying to figure out how they can grow these without herbicides.

I'm sorry to say that I neglected to take any pictures there.  I cannot believe I didn't.  I must have been so interested in what was being said that I just forgot all together!  Anyway, I have included a link below where you can read about the Fishers.  

Fisher Produce Farm

We ended the day at Langston University where we heard about the farmers market they support there on campus and about their aquaculture program.  Unfortunately, we were running late by the time we got there and were unable to tour the ponds where they are raising tilapia and other fish.  But, we were treated to a catered dinner by Kam's Kookery in an outdoor pavilion there on the campus.

It was an awesome day.