Managing Soil Fertility: An In-Depth Intensive for Organic Growers
Location: Picadilly Farm (Winchester, NH)
Instructor: Bruce Wooster
At Picadilly Farm, soil fertility management is central to the farm’s long-term sustainability goals. The team is committed to leaving the land as healthy (or healthier) than it was upon their arrival, while producing highly nutritious, top-quality vegetables.
The farm sits on 71 sandy-loam acres of diverse fields, woods, and a stream. Of the farm’s 35 acres in crop production, at least half are in cover crops at any given time, incorporating both short-season annuals and long-term legumes. The farm relies on a combination of skilled hand labor and tractor work, with minimal compost use, selective tillage, and a strong sense of humor. The crew typically includes 6-10 employees. The fertility approach is practical, adaptive, and oriented towards good business.
In this workshop, Bruce will guide participants through a full year of fertility practices at Picadilly Farm. He will begin with the farm’s overarching goals, the metrics used to evaluate soil health, and the strategic framework that informs fertility decisions. He will then outline key crop production practices, including cover cropping, the selection and use of purchased inputs, and the tractor implements involved. The session will also cover the farm’s record-keeping systems for maintaining compliance with both the National Organic Program and the Food Safety Modernization Act, and how these systems integrate with the farm’s fertility strategy.
This workshop offers a practical, on-the-ground perspective for farmers interested in strengthening their soil health practices, streamlining fertility planning, and staying compliant within an organic production system.
Bruce Wooster grew up in New England, then earned a degree in Human Ecology from Stanford University in 1992. He began farming in 1995, interspersed for the next five years with work in sail training education. By 2003 he was married to Jenny Hausman and working full time at Appleton Farms in Ipswich, MA. In 2006 they moved to Winchester, NH and have been Picadilly farming ever since. They live there with two kids, Beckley and Jesse, and a cat named Felix.
Pricing and Registration Info
$30 NOFA Members/$40 General
We never want cost to be a barrier to attend. If you need financial accommodations please contact kyle@nofanh.org.
Intensive workshop is limited to 15 people
These events are hosted by Northeast Organic Farming Association of New Hampshire and sponsored in part, by the USDA Transition to Organic Partnership Program (TOPP).