Regenerative agriculture is a holistic system of farming principles and practices that increase biodiversity, enrich soils, improve watersheds and enhance ecosystem services. It shifts the paradigm from competing with nature to partnering with nature through sustainable practices.

Why does it matter?

According to Rodale Institute, “Soil health is intrinsically linked to the total health of our food system. Soil health affects everything from plant health to human well-being and the future of our planet. The idea is to create farm systems that work in harmony with nature to improve quality of life for every creature involved.”

Currently, there are degenerative farming practices that are harming the health of soil and by extension, our health. When you eat produce that has been grown in soil that has active biology and is nutrient dense, the produce is much more beneficial for you (not to mention that it tastes fresher and more delicious). You are what you eat, so it’s best if you can eat produce from healthy soil.

After World War II, companies started making chemical fertilizers and these chemicals actually harm the soil. Produce actually becomes dependent on the chemicals so farmers just keep using them rather than growing produce in regenerative ways. Studies show we only have about 60 years of topsoil remaining using current practices, so we believe a strong focus on regenerative agriculture is essential.

How does Raleigh City Farm practice Regenerative Agriculture?

Here at the Farm, we use food waste and other waste streams from North Carolina. Here are a few waste streams that we use on the Farm:

• We use composted material from partners like CompostNow and Brooks Compost.

• We use feather meal from North Carolina chickens, which provides nitrogen into the soil and helps prevent soil runoff.

• We use wood chips from limbs and trees that have been cut down in the area by local tree companies, like from our partner Leaf & Limb. Wood chips are helpful because they keep weeds from growing, they improve water retention, and they provide an important fungal infusion into the soil.

Let’s start by defining what tillage is. Tillage is when farmers dig up, turn over, or agitate the soil with mechanical tools (like a plow). The practice breaks up soil compaction, helps eliminate weeds, and incorporates cover crops for boosted soil fertility. It also leaves soil vulnerable to erosion and destroys important fungal networks underground. When farmers till, they destroy everything that makes soil healthy because tilling breaks up roots and the structure of the soil and makes it compacted.

Tillage can also require a lot of fuel and labor like fossil fuels needed to run tractors. When farmers till, it turns into greenhouse gas emissions.

Tillage actually creates weeds. Mother Nature likes to keep herself covered, so if a farm is not covered with produce, it is covered with weeds.

What is “no till” and why is it important?

Some farmers practice reduced tillage or try to eliminate it altogether. Some use chemical herbicides to kill cover crops before the next planting. No-till, on the other hand, uses no synthetic inputs. Instead, small-scale organic no-till farmers use hand tools, like hoes, broad forks, and rakes.

How does Raleigh City Farm practice “no till”?

Raleigh City Farm does not use any tillage practices. Instead, we follow these key practices:

Keep the Farm covered either with wood chips or crops that are planted very closely together (for example, Raleigh City Farm has 30” beds and 18” walking paths covered with wood chips). This helps eliminate weeds.

Keep the Farm planted with variations of crops, which keeps the soil from degradation and runoff.

Disturb the soil as little as possible and only use hand tools.

Bugs and insects are a given on any farm. Some bugs are beneficial—they prey on the bad bugs and provide valuable pollination. But other insects can damage fruits and vegetables, making them difficult to sell. Some pest damage can kill a crop entirely. Conventional farmers spray toxic pesticides to get rid of pests. Pesticides are treating the symptom, not the cause.

What are the negative impacts of pesticide usage?

Chemical pesticides pollute our air and water and can kill good bugs. More importantly, pesticides kill not just bugs but also harm the soil. Farmers who don’t use pesticides instead work to create a farm system that works in harmony with nature, by reducing (or eliminating) the use of chemicals. The result is reduced cost, stronger plants, healthier wildlife, and a cleaner environment for everyone.

Does Raleigh City Farm use pesticides?

Raleigh City Farm does NOT use any chemicals--either pesticides to kill insects or herbicides to kill weeds. Instead, we plant beneficial hedgerows consisting of herbs and flowers throughout the Farm to attract beneficial insects that eat harmful insects we don’t want on the Farm. Raleigh City Farm also focuses on maintaining a healthy soil biology. This allows for nutrient-rich plants. Healthy soil imparts vitamins and minerals into the produce you eat. So when you eat produce from a farm like Raleigh City Farm that does not use chemicals and practices no-till, you actually are eating produce that is more rich in nutrients. This is better for your overall health (and it is better for the environment!).

Pollination is a vital stage in the life cycle of all flowering plants. When pollen is moved within a flower or carried from one flower to another of the same species it leads to fertilization. This transfer of pollen is necessary for healthy and productive native & agricultural ecosystems.

Why are pollinators important?

Pollinators are often keystone species, meaning that they are critical to an ecosystem. The work of pollinators ensures full harvests of crops and contributes to healthy plants everywhere.

An estimated 1/3 of all foods and beverages is delivered by pollinators. In the U.S., pollination produces nearly $20 billion worth of products annually.

Did you know that 75% of plants rely on pollinators to reproduce? Pollinators are crucial for the survival of many plant species!

What are examples of pollinators?

About 1,000 of all pollinators are vertebrates such as birds, bats, and small mammals. Most pollinators (about 200,000 species) are beneficial insects such as flies, beetles, wasps, ants, butterflies, moths, and bees.

How can you help?

To learn more about pollinators and what you can do to protect them, check out the great work of the Pollinator Partnership, the largest nonprofit organization in the world dedicated exclusively to the protection and promotion of pollinators and their ecosystems.

What does Raleigh City Farm do to celebrate and support pollinators?

Raleigh City Farm has several bee hives on the farm. We also plan diverse plants around the perimeter that attract pollinators as well as plant beneficial hedgerows consisting of herbs and flowers throughout the Farm to attract beneficial insects. The perimeter and hedgerows are great for pollinators and beneficial insects, while they also make the Farm look attractive and provide flowers and herbs for sale to customers at our weekly Farmstand.

Download a Pollinator Coloring Sheet!