Compost is not waste. It is capital. This spring, our crew processed 40 tons of organic material, combining laying hen manure, forest leaf mulch, and leftover winter squash. Spread across our north slopes, this mixture feeds the soil food web, restoring fungal networks that help carrots draw nutrients from deep subterranean layers.
By shunning synthetic inputs, we encourage natural plant defenses. Our radishes bite back because they developed defensive compounds. Our spinach stays sweet because it braved the winter frost. This is agriculture as it was meant to be: slow, microbial, and deeply linked to our geography.