Farming for the Future: Our Sustainable Harvest in Action

The air is getting crisp, and the leaves are beginning to turn, which can only mean one thing here at the farm: our autumn harvest has begun! Our cropping crew is officially in the fields, working to bring in this year's corn crop.

This year, we’ll be harvesting 1,700 acres of corn, stretching from Barre to Craftsbury. The Fairmont crew will take on 1,200 acres, and we've hired the fantastic Kelley View team to handle the remaining 500 acres up in Craftsbury.

It was a challenging growing season for us. We had a very cool and damp start, which delayed our planting more than usual. Then, beginning in mid-July, we've been in a drought, which has impacted the size and girth of the corn ears. Despite those challenges, we feel that we have a good corn crop. A lot of the credit goes to our no-till cropping system, which helps our soil retain moisture much better than conventional tilled soils.

A few nights ago, the hard frost brought our growing season to an end. This means it's now very important for us to work quickly to get our corn harvested while there's still some green left in the plant. This will mean long hours for our cropping crew, but it's a crucial part of the process to ensure we get the best possible crop for our herd.

Our corn harvest is a key part of our commitment to sustainability, which has always been a top priority at Fairmont Farm. We are dedicated to environmental stewardship and ensuring our farm can continue to operate for generations to come. A major part of this commitment is our use of cover crops. As we harvest the corn, we immediately plant a cover crop, such as our 50/50 mixture of wheat and rye. These crops, which grow during the winter months, play a vital role in our no-till system by holding nutrients in the soil, preventing erosion, and improving overall soil health. This practice is part of our mission to be profitable while protecting the cleanliness of our environment.

After the corn is harvested and the cover crop is planted, we'll apply manure as a natural fertilizer to the majority of our corn fields. This helps to reduce waste and improve our soil's health naturally. Our corn harvest typically lasts about 20-25 days, depending on the weather and our equipment. The manure spreading season will end by the Vermont state deadline of December 15.

Keep an eye out for our crew in the fields, and know that every bit of hard work goes into ensuring the quality of our products for you and your family!

Read more about our sustainability commitment here.