Our Farming Practices
Late summer in one of our full-term gardens. We plant companion plants next to our cannabis plants to attract pollinators and detract from different pests.
At Whitethorn Valley Farm we follow a variety of regenerative practices, depending on what we’re doing during our cultivation season, there are numerous methodologies we borrow from various regenerative practices to cultivate our flower. Whitethorn Valley Farms is Sun & Earth Certified, which is a standardized set of practices which set a standard for farmers to follow. It is a rigorous certification, but necessary to establish and maintain trust for our customers so there is no question they are getting the best quality that we can provide.
Moon Phase Gardening: Determining when to plant, germinate, transplant and harvest can all be guided by the different phases of the moon. During each cycle, water in plants rises and falls, much like the ocean tides. This gravitational pull from the sun and the moon also affects the moisture in the soil. During the full moon for example, seeds are able to absorb more water and begin to germinate and grow in tune with the lunar cycles. When it comes time to harvest, it should once again be timed with the full moon when the “sap” of a plant is at its peak.
Integrated Pest Management: Rather than eradicate all pests, we work with beneficial insects throughout the cultivation season to combat pests. We use predator nematodes, and ladybugs to keep our garden happy. At the heart of things, regenerative farming means working with the local flora and fauna to create a happier ecosystem. This encourages diversity, and ultimately makes for a stronger environment.
Companion Planting: If we think of our garden as a band, our companion plants are the other musicians who help our lead vocalist sing her best. There are many plants that we incorporate into herb beds in strategic locations around the farm to increase habitat for beneficial predatory insects and pollinators, which can also be used for making medicinal ointments, tinctures, etc. These plants can also help to increase soil nutrients, balance the pH, and other “behind the scenes” tasks that might be regulated to chemical additions in conventional farming.
Cover Crops: During the winter months, we give our garden a rest and plant cover crops. This helps to replenish nitrogen into the soil so it’s ready again in the spring. We use a soil builder mix of Vetch, Oats, Peas, and Beans. Before it has the chance to flower in early spring, we mow the sprouts, and cover the remains with light occlusion tarps for up to two weeks to increase the rate of decomposition. Afterwards, the first few inches of top soil is tilled to best incorporate these new nutrients into the garden beds. In this way, we don’t use any conventional nutrients or synthetic fertilizers and instead rely on time-tested methods to build up natural nutrients.
Fermented Plant Juice (FPJ): One of the cornerstones of Korean Natural Farming (KNF) is the use of fermented plants as a natural way to create herbicides, fungicides, fertilizers, and more. When a plant is fermented in a certain way, the properties of the plant are transferred to the solution which can then be given to other plants. For example, aggressive plants such as the blackberry can be fermented into a solution which then encourages rapid growth in other plants. In this example, the solution would be given to a cannabis plant in the vegging stage of its growth cycle when we want to encourage growth. We wild harvest specific plants which are natural to our area, such as horsetail, as well as cultivate perennials such as comfrey, lemon balm, and others to use as material for teas and fermented plant juice to boost plant health.
While different farmer methodologies vary wildly and perhaps might be the subject of extreme secrecy, we believe that responsible collaboration will only benefit ourselves but also the collective whole. Through these different methodologies, we are able to steward our land in a responsible way which ultimately creates a better product. Hopefully with more insight into the process, people will feel empowered to not only ask about how their cannabis is grown, but also know the environmental consequences of their purchases whether for good or for bad.