"We are on 5 acres of which 7800 sq ft. are divided into 3 sections used in market gardening with room to expand. There are about 18 apple trees, 4 pear, 4 peach. We have owned this property for 13 years. In that time we have not used anything on the fruit trees except surround last year to test for controlling Japanese beetles. We have 3 sheep a pair of emus and handful of chickens. These animals are not for butchering. I use the manure in composting. We rotate crops in the garden yearly. in 2005 I became a member of Stewards of the Land LLC, a group that grows produce for local markets and Chicago restaurants, so it is very important for me to have high quality produce using organic, chemical-free practices."



The Homerding Farm is a produce farm serving local Chicago markets and restaurants

Production approach: Natural (chemical-free)
Rotations: Vegetables rotated annually
Cover crops: None
Tillage: Rototiller, hand-weeding, mulching
Soil amendment program: Compost (Spence farm or homemade)
Soil tests: Click HERE.

Field was visited 5/1/09. Soils were very wet and muddy. Thistle was observed growing in two thick patches on both the East and West sides of the West Plot. Nancy will try the thistle strategy on the West side patch in '09. Hopefully, this project will provide Nancy with an alternative strategy for controlling Canada thistle with resorting to chemicals. The following plan was developed with Nancy:

1. Till multiple times. A garden rototiller will be used 2-3x starting as soon as conditions allow.

2. Plant sudan grass. Seed will be located and sudan grass will be planted in early June at a recommended rate of 55 lbs/acres in area tilled.

3. Mow sudan at 4-6'. Sudan grass will be mowed just as thistles are starting to flower. Sudan should be at least 4' tall.

4. Sudan will be mowed again. A second mowing will prevent any thistle from flowering and help build up a thick layer of biomass to smother thistle.

5. Sudan will be tilled under in Fall or following Spring.

Thistles were roto-tilled three times after May 5 and before June 3, the date sudangrass was planted. 2.5 pounds of sudangrass was broadcast and raked in an area 50' x 25'. It rained soon after and the sudangrass was seen sprouting within 10 days. Sudangrass was cut August 2 with a hand-sickle. Sudangrass was about 7' tall at the time of cutting, and there were a few tall, spindly thistle plants observed.



When the farm was visited on August 20, sudangrass was regrowing (about 8" tall) and very few, stunted thistle shoots were observed. Nancy reported being very pleased with results, and thistle was extremely thick in this plot and always a problem for the vegetables. Follow up will occur next Spring to determine lasting effect.