After retiring to Arkansas, a couple started a sheep farm and is now expanding into vegetable production. The female farm owner, at age 70, enrolled in the CAFF Farm School. She is now putting everything learned into practice on her farm as it expands to provide fresh vegetables for local farm-to-table restaurants.
Weed control is often cited as one of the most difficult aspects of organic farming. Because of the organic prohibition on synthetic herbicides, no organic sprays worth mentioning can take care of weeds. Instead, the organic farm must rely on cultural practices such as tarping and mulching for effective weed control. But the good news is that these practices actually work! And they also help build soil quality at the same time.
Chelsea is originally from Northwest Arkansas and grew up on a family farm. So, why apply for a farm apprenticeship program? The motivation began with her love and respect for nature. She was bothered by some changes she saw on the farm. There was bare ground in the pasture from overgrazing. The garden soil had compacted from years of tractor use. Observing these prompted an interest in learning regenerative farming methods to restore and nurture the soil. She wanted to play a more active role in improving the farmland and surrounding environment. Before enrolling in the CAFF Farm Apprenticeship Program, she was a Clinical Laboratory Scientist, working for nearly a decade in a medical lab. Chelsea was placed at the Heifer Ranch Center for Regenerative Agriculture for her apprenticeship. It’s located on 1200 acres in Perryville, Arkansas. The working ranch is a research, education, training, and demonstration site for regenerative farming.
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