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Yesterday I met with Dr. Mark Williams at the University of Kentucky Horticulture Research Farm, also known as the UK South Farm. This farm has a rich history and is adjacent to the Waveland State Historic Site. About twelve years ago, Dr. Williams established half an acre of organic vegetables. Through a lot of hard work, this has developed into a twelve acre certified organic CSA, with an additional eight acres of certified organic research ground. Students in UK’s Sustainable Agriculture Program complete a summer-long apprenticeship program on the farm, applying concepts they learn in coursework during the academic year and getting hands-on experience with many different aspects of organic farming. One of Dr. Williams’s goals on the farm is to increase mechanization and efficiency in production and processing thereby decreasing the labor commitment which can be a large barrier to overcome for farmers who wish to transition to organic production. There are many innovative ways this goal is accomplished, including having standardized bed width and layout within fields and grassed alleyways between fields that accommodate harvest wagons. One important component, and one I was really interested in learning about, is their highly effective weed management program. Weeds are managed on the farm through a variety of physical, biological, and cultural means. |
AuthorErin Haramoto, University of Kentucky weed science Archives
May 2018
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