Practical Farmers of Iowa

Our ProgrAms

Why Join?
Sign up for Practical News, our weekly email update.

Web Form Generator
Merchandise

Tools & Techniques for Year-round Harvest

Date: 10/04/2012
Time: 10 a.m.-4p.m.

Hosts:                                           

Derek Roller & Echollective Farmers

Echollective

879 Echo Ave

Mechanicsville, IA 52306

319.325.3910

echocsa@gmail.com

 

Description:

See a wide range of equipment, tools and plant varieties used to harvest food all year, and learn about crop coverings, from simple and homemade to expensive and complex. Hear about plant variety selection and how different growing and handling techniques are used to harvest produce year-round. Garlic is one of the farm’s largest crops; learn about planting preparations, and purchase seed stock.

 

Topics:

·         Crop covers

·         Crop varieties

·         Production and handling techniques

·         Garlic production and management

 

Speakers:

·         Derek Roller

·         Other Echollective farmers

·         Possible special mystery guests

 

The Farm:

Echollective works more than 10 acres of constantly rotating cover crops, cash crops, annuals, perennials, and fallow, covered or open ground. The member farmers use plasticulture, permaculture, bio-intensive and traditional farming techniques. Tools range from the simplest digging sticks to the most complex tools; they like to make do. They grow tons of garlic and smaller amounts of many other vegetables, selling mostly to Iowa City and Cedar Rapids and their seed garlic is sold nationwide. Echollective is a CSA farm, as well as suppliers to several local food coops, restaurants and farmers markets. Visit the blog at http://echollectivecsa.blogspot.com/

 

Directions:

A few miles NE of Cedar Bluff, 5 miles south of Mechanicsville and roughly 8 miles NW of Tipton. Take Echo Ave south of the intersection with Co Hwy F16/185th Ave. Echo Ave hits Hwy 30 half a mile west of Mechanicsville.