Bethel Springs Farm
Farmer
About
Bethel Springs Farm is a small organic farm in the Rickreall area, northwest of Salem. We (Michelle, Steven and a dedicated crew of three) grow a wide variety of produce that is certified organic by Oregon Tilth, even our chicken eggs! Our mission is to offer you a season full of vibrant and delicious produce.
Programs and Partners
Certifications
Production Practices
Our goal each growing season is to improve (increase) the organic content of the top 8 to 10 inches of soil. We are accomplishing this by cover cropping and fallow periods on all the crop production areas. We also work to balance the minerals in the soil, by testing and amending the soil with organically approved fertilizers and minerals.
Our farm uses Integrated Pest Management (prevention, avoidance, monitoring and suppression) to control pests. We rely on the OSU Extension Small Farms Program for training and resources. Some specific measures we employ are 1) row covers for an insect barrier, 2) insectary plantings to serve as beneficial insect habitat and/or insect trap crops, and 3) raptor perches for field mice control.
We use a variety of hand and mechanical methods to control weeds. These methods include tractor cultivation, hoeing, and hand pulling as well as some flame weeding. Our weeding efforts begin with good field preparation prior to planting. This includes organic ammendments to improve fertility and soil health, giving our plants the best opportunity to outgrow/compete with weeds.
The source for all the water used on our farm is a well. We use it for irrigation, washing, and drinking. The well is located on the farm and has been tested by a local lab in Tigard. The water was absent of E. coli and total coliforms and non-detect for arsenic and nitrate contaminates. To apply water, we use drip irrigation on most crops. For some crops, we use overhead water to assist with germination/establishment and cooling. During the growing season, we typically irrigate the 18-20 weeks between May and September, watering one or two times per week as dictated by the crop and available soil moisture.
Around the web