FOUR WINDS FARM is a 24 acre diversified organic farm located in Gardiner, in southern Ulster County, of which 4 acres are used to grow vegetables, primarily heirloom and open pollinated varieties for better flavor and for seed saving. The remainder is used to raise beef, which supply us generously with natural fertilizer. Our farm-generated manure compost allows us to grow vegetables using a method that is very different from conventional farms. We do not plow or rototill our soil. Instead, we have permanent beds throughout the farm. We lay our compost on top of the beds and plant into the compost. This gives us a weed free environment to grow our vegetables.

There are many other benefits to not tilling the soil. A very important one is that we are able to store carbon in the soil, giving us a high soil organic matter environment. Our soil organic matter is between 8 and 10 percent. The higher percentage of organic matter allows the soil to hold more water, thereby cutting down on water runoff issues during heavy rains and holding more moisture during dry periods. Other benefits of not tilling is that we can grow more vegetables in a smaller space and maintain biodiversity both within the soil and on land. Perhaps the most important benefit is that our vegetables taste better. It makes sense. Plants growing in a rich, biodiverse soil are going to be healthy plants, and that health is what you taste. So come visit us at one of the Farmer’s Markets we attend and experience the difference.

PRODUCTS:
Organic Vegetables especially Heirloom Tomatoes
Heirloom Seedlings
Grass-fed Beef
Organic Pasture-raised Chicken