Our Mission
StrongHeart Farms strives to develop reciprocal relationships with our soils, food, and, community through raising chemical-free, nutrient-dense vegetables.
Every action taken on our farm and in our community is rooted in this mission. Reciprocity is everything to us and we are committed to giving back what is given to us and our farm in every way possible. These give and take relationships keep our farm and our food community balanced and fulfilled.
Healthy soil means healthy plants. Healthy plants mean healthy food. Healthy food means healthy people. We are all connected directly to the soils of our earth. Our soils give us so much and we are committed to giving back to them by cultivating a healthy, thriving soil community. We do this by:
Feeding our soil microbes. There is a HUGE community of living organisms in our soils. We pamper the soil ecosystem by providing compost teas, planting nitrogen-fixing cover crops, rotating our crops each year, and by using minimal till practices.
Monitoring the nutrient levels in the soil. To give us a general idea about the macro and micro nutrients in our soil, we test our soils through the University of Minnesota Agricultural Extension Office to help us make decisions about our soil inputs.
Keeping our soils covered. We extensively use cover crops to keep our soils covered at all possible times. We keep our aisles between our beds and our field roads in cover crop year round. This ensures our soils are secured from erosion and returns organic matter to the soil.
The food we eat comes directly from plants. Living, breathing, existing plants. We would not be able to eat vegetables if these plants did not work hard along with the soil to produce food every day in the field. In order to give back to our crops, we give them a high quality of life in our fields. We create a happy life for our vegetables by:
Starting all of our seeds in soil blocks. This method of raising crops allows for our plants to develop strong roots while they’re growing in the greenhouse. Soil blocks ensure minimal root disturbance when we transplant our crops out into the field. Strong roots mean strong, happy plants.
Feeding our plants from seed to harvest. Our crops get hungry too! We feed our plants with worm castings, chicken fertilizer, compost teas, and fish emulsions. These different inputs give the plants different vital nutrients they need to survive and become strong, nutrient-dense vegetables.
NEVER spraying any chemicals on our crops. We believe that chemical-free food is the happiest food. Excess chemical use leads to ecosystem degradation. A diverse ecosystem is necessary for our crops to thrive.
As farmers we wouldn’t be able to farm without a supportive, caring community. We passionately raise vegetables in order to feed the world. Our hopes and dreams are that over time we can cultivate a community based in reciprocity and gratitude.
The most reciprocal way to eat with us is through our Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program. When you invest in our farm at the beginning of the season, we promise to share the seasonal bounty we produce with you through the summer season.
The growth of our farm is directly linked to community support. The more people we have who care about what we do, and who are willing to share in our farms bounty, the bigger we can become and the more impact our farm can have!
The way we eat directly impacts the health of our soils, ecosystems, bodies, and the systems of the earth. We are all eaters and where our food comes from matters. Our farm is on a mission to share that message with the world and enjoy some good, tasty food along the way!