On our 15 acres at Red Clay Farms, we apply the Permaculture principles of taking care of people, taking care of the planet, and sharing our bounty. We use nature to help us farm sustainably, treating the soil with respect, using organic methods to grow our products, fertilizing with compost and compost tea, and using nature to combat pests.
Permaculture is a farming system that aims to create self-sufficient, sustainable ecosystems. It’s a combination of the words “permanent agriculture” and “permanent culture”.
Using Fowl to Combat Pests
Our flock of guinea hens and chickens thrive on unwanted insects and provide natural fertilizer to the earth.
Purple Martin families eat flying insects and keep away predatory hawks and raptors.
Rotating Crop Fields and Leaving Them Fallow
The fields, when not in production, lie in a natural, uncut state, planted in nitrogen-enriching ground cover, which provides shelter to doves, rabbits, and other small creatures.
The goal of fallowing is to allow the land to recover and store organic matter while retaining moisture and disrupting pest life cycles and soil borne pathogens by temporarily removing their hosts. Crop rotation systems typically called for some of a farmer’s fields to be left fallow each year.
Ponds and Sustainability
Our stocked pond is an oasis for our ducks, geese, and the resident Great Blue Heron, while the catfish and bass take care of the mosquito larvae.
Ponds can help save water, which is especially important in a world that struggles with resource conservation.
Ponds can reduce pollutants by:
- Clearing large areas of grass, which reduces lawnmower usage.
- Using pond waste as fertilizer.
Support for wildlife
Ponds provide food and protection for a variety of wildlife, including:
- Fish
- Turtles
- Frogs
- Water birds
- Pond lilies
- Cattails
Ponds offer many resources to keep the animal and plant population safe, from the usual inhabitants to some more unexpected ones. Plants: A pond’s plants are the foundation of its food chain. Healthy ponds need the right kinds of aquatic plants to provide benefits.
Proud Home to Local Wildlife
Honey bees, owls, bats, snakes, turtles, and an occasional fox round out the circle of life that is Red Clay Farm.
Mission
Our Mission is to provide quality, organically grown products to support a healthy, holistic lifestyle. Our values are Hearth, Health and Hope, which we strive to live every day.
We believe finding relief through natural hemp botanicals should be an affordable option for everyone. We love and support our veterans, teachers and first responders and offer a 10% discount to these heroes. We also currently have a buy one get one free sale (2 for the price of 1).
Contact
Website: www.redclayfarms.com
Phone: (703) 451-0234
Email: redclayfarmers@gmail.com