VARRI GREEN FARM
GROWING IN HARMONY WITH NATURE



ABOVE YOU WILL SEE A SMALL LOQUAT SURROUNDED BY GRASS CLIPPINGS. WE FIRST USE A WEED EATER AND CUT THE GRASS DOWN TO THE SOIL LEVEL BEFORE PLANTING THE TREE. THEN AFTER THE TREE IS PLANTED, WE COLLECT THE CLIPPINGS AND LEAVES ON THE LAWN WITH OUR RIDING LAWN MOWER AND GRASS CATCHER. THIS IS A COMMON PROCEDURE ON OUR FARM FOR KEEPING THE WEEDS IN CHECK AROUND THE BASE OF TREES OR IN THE GARDEN BETWEEN THE ROWS. THIS WAY THERE IS NO NEED TO SPRAY A NASTY SUBSTANCE ON THE GROUND, THEREBY POLLUTING THE SOIL OR TREE AND SUBSEQUENT FRUITS. THESE 'DOUGHNUTS' AS WE CALL THEM, ALSO RETAIN PRECIOUS MOISTURE IN THE GROUND AND THEN BREAK DOWN OVER TIME TO ADD NUTRIENTS TO THE SOIL. BELOW YOU
CAN SEE A FEW EXAMPLES OF OUR 'DOUGHNUTED' TREES.

     

   

PLANTING IN DIVERSITY IS THE KEY IN SMALL ORGANIC FARMING. COMPANION PLANTING IS A COMMON PRACTICE IN OUR GARDENS AS WELL.  JUST AS PLANTING ONIONS NEXT TO TOMATOES OR DAIKON RADISHES NEXT TO MUSTARD GREENS WILL HELP TO KEEP THE DESTRUCTIVE INSECTS AWAY FROM TENDER VEGETABLES, MULTI-CULTURE ORCHARDS CAN HAVE THE SAME POSITIVE RESULTS. MONO-CULTURE IS THE PRACTICE OF FARMING LARGE FIELDS OF ONE SINGLE VEGETABLE OR TREE, AND HAS BEEN PROVEN TO DEGRADE SOIL QUALITY, DECREASE FRUIT PRODUCTION OVER TIME,  AND MAY REQUIRE UNECESSARY CHEMICAL FERTILIZATION WHICH LEACHES INTO GROUND WATERS AND DESTROYS THE NATURAL BIO-DIVERSITY OF THE ENVIRONMENT. MULTI-CULTURE PRACTICES INCREASE THE POTENTIAL FOR BENEFICIAL INSECTS TO THRIVE, PROMOTE BEE POLLINATION, AND ALSO ALLOW A GREATER CHANCE OF OBTAINING MARKETABLE FRUITS AND VEGETABLES. BELOW ARE PICTURES OF OUR MULTI-CULTURE ORCHARD. WE NOW HAVE NEARLY 300 FRUIT AND NUT TREES PLANTED ON THE FARM INCLUDING OVER 50 DIFFERENT SPECIES.
THE MORE THE MERRIER SAY WE!

   

    

THESE TREES ARE STILL VERY YOUNG AND SOME WILL NOT PRODUCE FRUIT FOR SEVERAL YEARS. MANY HOURS AND DAYS ARE SPENT TENDING TO OUR MULTI-CULTURE ORCHARD. MOWING, RE-MULCHING, AND RE-WEEDING BY HAND CAN BE DAUNTING IN THE SEVERE SUMMER HEAT HERE IN FLORIDA. SOON ENOUGH THOUGH, THE GREEN LEAFED SHADE PRODUCED BY THE TREE'S CANOPY WILL HELP NATURALLY ASSIST IN KEEPING THE WEEDS TO A MINIMUM AS WE CONTINUE TO CAREFULLY PRUNE AND TEND TO EACH TREE.



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