Sustainable things’ that we have implemented that helped lessen the impact:

Mulching

Mulching is a highly beneficial practice in sustainable farming, particularly for soil conservation and plant health. We use maize stalks, asparagus cuttings, and any other form of weeds that have been dried naturally for mulching. With heavy downpours, mulching has helped protect the crop from being damaged and reduce the effect of soil erosion, thus maintaining soil health.

Biodiversity conservation

Biodiversity conservation is another practice that we have incorporated into our farming methods. As asparagus growers, the heavy rain has coincided with our crop resting period. In anticipation of the high rainfall, we started mulching, allowing for reduced water loss. As weeks passed, we deliberately allowed beneficial weed growth alongside the asparagus. These weeds include black nightshade or managu, spider plant or sageti, amaranth or pigweed, sow thistle or muthunga, and galinsoga parviflora or gallant sodier, all of which contribute to the overall farm resilience and are also beneficial to human consumption.

Img: Beneficial weeds growing alongside the asparagus

These methods have not only helped in reducing the chemical footprint on our farm but also contributed to a healthier environment and sustainable food production. We believe that sustainable agriculture is the future, and we are committed to continuing to implement environmentally friendly practices that will benefit our farm and community.

If you’re looking to eat clean food, we recommend trying asparagus, both fresh and pickled, from Shebah Farms.