What We Grow
Nutrient dense, delicious, certified organic veggies!
How We Grow
At the base of Second Mountain - near Rawley Springs, VA - we grow certified organic, nutrient dense veggies, using no-till practices on just half an acre.
Certified Organic. We received our first certificate in 2018. This certification verifies that we use no synthetic pesticides or herbicides, have systems in place to encourage natural pest protection and soil health. We think it’s important to have a third party certifier come walk the farm with us each year, give us suggestions and help us stay tuned into the newest and safest forms of growing vegetables.
No Till. In our never-ending search for a more sustainable farm, we have recently begun not tilling our soil. Tilling makes a nice seedbed, but it also destroys soil structure, kills valuable microbiology in the soil, stirs up weed seeds and burns fossil fuels. We’re happy to avoid all those things. One of the major advantages to a no-till system is the carbon that is ultimately retained and sequestered in the ground. Rather than releasing carbon into the atmosphere as we do when we till, we are grabbing it from the air and keeping it in the ground.
Nutrient Dense Veggies. We farm with the guiding principle that if we build great soil, great crops will follow. We know that the most nutrient dense veggies come from nutritious soils. We start with soil balancing - getting the correct balance of calcium, potassium, nitrogen, etc. Then we compost heavily to work at breaking apart our heavy clay soils and allowing plant roots to easily access all the available nutrients and minerals.
Small Acreage. On just half an acre, we grow thousands of pounds of produce every year. By focusing on a small number of production beds, we minimize inputs (compost, etc.), plant spacing (we don’t need to get a tractor between beds) and energy (time spent controlling weeds, for example) - while, at the same time, maximizing outputs. We can plant more densely and turn beds over to new crops three to four times each season. That means we’re harvesting hilariously above industry-average yields per square foot (or per acre) over the course of a season.
Phone & Email
(540) 208-3797
contact@secondmountainfarm.com
Mailing Address
767 Hughes Lane
Rockingham, VA 22802
Where to find us:
Daily at the Friendly City Food Coop.
Pre-order through the Local Food Drive-Thru in Staunton. Order by Monday night for a Wednesday pick-up.
Saturdays (April-November) at the Farmers Market at IX Art Park in Charlottesville.
Why We Grow
We're Krista and Tim Showalter Ehst. We love good food, we love working out in the dirt and sunshine, and we love that our lives are centered on such a beautiful plot of land.
We love the idea that a community might produce much of its own food and generously support the farmers who manage the production. It’s that idea, that dream, that we’re trying to live out. It’s that dream that you are taking part in - and contributing to - when you purchase our produce here in the Shenandoah Valley.
Here’s to the dream - and the reality - that this community will become more and more resilient. Here’s to the most delicious, nutrient dense, colorful and fresh veggies on our dinner plates - every night. Thanks for your support!