Producer

Arnold Farms is in the process of transitioning a 200 year old family farm from a conventional grain and livestock operation toward a diversified system that is sustainable and regenerative for the environment, our family, and the community. The Arnold family first settled in Rush County in 1820 and have been farming there ever since. The farm followed a typical path for the region, beginning as a highly diversified farm where the Arnold family raised a wide range of livestock and crops. As the nation grew and growing urban populations demanded greater quantities of food, the farm began to specialize in a few grains and livestock while adopting new technologies. While this system served the 20th century well, the trials of the 21st call for a shift back towards diversity and the elder generation of Arnolds has given the next the opportunity to take charge of this process. Sam initiated this process on his own starting a market garden in 2012. Emma and Oak joined him in 2017 to help increase the scale of the operation and utilize more of the family farmland. These three represent the next generation of farmers on our land, but the entire family is very involved and there are often four generations all working together to get ready for market, keep the weeds at bay, and make sure everything runs smoothly.

We grow a full range of vegetable crops using both bio-intensive and field-scale methods where appropriate. The basis of both of these systems is the development of a diverse and biologically active agroecosystem. Some of the techniques we currently use to promote this type of ecosystem are: the use of a wide variety of crop and non-crop species; extensive cover cropping; plantings to provide habitat for wild animals (including, but not limited to, beneficial insects); perennial plantings; preservation of forest, pasture, hedgerows, and riparian areas; integration of livestock and crops (in the same space, but not at the same time with food safety in mind); and diverse, long-term crop rotations. These practices are our first line of defense against pests and disease as well as our preferred source of fertility, but in the initial stages of transition we are using inputs approved for organic production when appropriate, and only after biological or cultural practices have been reasonably exhausted. We are committed to producing food that is healthy, fresh, and safe to eat.