Stone Cloud Gardens Ltd.

I began farming at Stone Cloud Gardens in 1993. I began going to markets in 1994. My business has grown. I have learned. It is my hope that customers that come to Farmers Markets appreciate what is special about Market Gardening and... ASK THESE QUESTIONS..... Did you grow this? What variety is this? Why did you choose this variety? When did you harvest it? How did you handle it after harvest? What grows alongside this crop? Where is it in your crop rotation? Is it field or greenhouse grown? What is this crops physical environment? What type of soil do you have? How do you amend, nurture and sustain the fertility of your soil? What is your source of irrigation? How do you handle pests? How do you handle disease? How do you handle weeds? For how many years have you farmed your land this way? How many farmers participate? How do you prepare this food for yourself? How does it taste? I practice PERMACULTURE. My cultural practices are focused on becoming sustainable. I limit off-farm inputs and recycle everything I can. I have adopted the label ECOLOGICALLY GROWN to highlight my bond with other local farmers with whom I share this focus. My farm is in ST. JOHNS, MICHIGAN. I use no pesticides - insecticides, herbicides or fungicides of any kind. Compost, mulch, rock powders and cover crops feed my soil. I grow herbs, GREENS, 20 varieties of GARLIC, and HEIRLOOM VARIETIES of VEGETABLES, as well as various perennial fruits, nuts and vegetables. My plantings are in raised beds in POLYCULTURES, two crops per season per bed. All produce is FIELD GROWN. I pay special attention to the appropriate harvest, and post harvest practices of each crop so as not to degrade the flavor and nutritional value. I also grow VEGETABLE TRANSPLANTS in cold frames. Traditional agriculture is my model. My customers and the unique natural environment of my farm are my certifiers. I am a MARKET GARDENER. I sell at the Meridian Township Farmer's Market, the Howell Farmer's Market, the Ann Arbor Farmers Market and the Ann Arbor Artisans Market. In 1998 I started a cottage industry of COLD-PROCESS SOAPMAKING. I scent the soaps with natural essential oils. It started as a season extension but has grown into a second business (BOB'S WIFE'S SOAPS) through customer demand. Bob sells the soap that he makes at the Ann Arbor Artisans Market, the Flint Farmers Market, other markets and craft shows.