Crops Available Now from North Slope Farm Updated October 19, 2011  Markets –  North Slope Farms own; Eggs – free range, organic feed, full outdoor access Salad Mix Arugula Tat soi Beets Carrots Garlic Scallions Limited quantities of: Kale Swiss Chard Peppers Tomatoes Eggplant Radishes Speciality Herbs    Fruit Products from Solebury Orchards, PA (not … Read more →

Special Projects are how we allow for interests and opportunities that fall outside our set practices.  Individual trainees can design their own special projects or like with our Poultry Project, the farm manager might define a production effort as a special project until it proves itself over time.  Winter Production and ‘TableTop Greens’ are other … Read more →

Planting is one of the most rewarding tasks at North Slope Farm.  It is a major step that takes the seedling from the Greenhouse element to the Crop Care element.  Many steps lead up to a successful planting, and then the job has just begun.  Cover those soil blocks you planters!!!

Infrastructure is another element that is tied into all the others.  Nothing would happen without the infrastructure the 1. ties us all together and 2. allows us the energy and resources to feed production systems.  The time we all spend talking about how investments in Infrastructure can be designed to feed agricultural systems is what … Read more →

The difference between a fresh product and an excellent fresh product is Handling.  The niche that local agriculture can fill is to produce quality products close to the market, THEN handle them professionally and their customers will be back each week!  Here in lies the greatest challenge for small scale operations – washing, cooling, packaging … Read more →

Greenhouses are here to stay, and in our urban state, it seems likely that the future will include a greater and greater percentage of production in controlled climates.  Detail oriented managers will find great success in the greenhouse.  It is definately less forgiving than the outside environment.  Our greenhouses provide us with the opportunity to produce our … Read more →

We have a number of tractors and small engine driven implements like a ‘walk behind’ mower and rototiller.  The second year of Training is when we introduce our workers to these power tools.  As workers develop their skill and interest they are encouraged to “be the one the gets the job done!”  Equipment at North … Read more →

Crop Care is always on the Task List.  There is always some way we can care for our crops.  Weeding is one of those tasks that we hope to outgrow but still invest many worker hours, especially on closely spaced crops like carrots and salad mix.  This element also includes irrigation, trellising, mulching and pest … Read more →

Compost is a critical component of our Organic Management System.  We add compost to the soil to counterbalance the damage done to soil structure by tillage.  Our observation of soil structure at North Slope Farm is that even soil with an organic matter content of 5%, regularly tilled soil does not have strong bonds.  Our … Read more →

Farm Manager, Mike Rassweiler seeks to keep the Administration simple and accessable.  Primary data collection is all pen and paper, transfered to summary format at the end of the season.  Administration is the back drop for all other activities, the better we do here, the better our business will be.