Research into regenerative agriculture and water conservation has farm owner Debbie Boe and garden manager Rachel Feston abuzz with excitement at Edible Acres Farm in Ridgefield. The farm's research has potential to improve agriculture for Clark County farmers and beyond, Feston said.
"Water is starting to be such an issue in Clark County," Feston said. "I wanted to be able to see what we could grow on Debbie's property and not stress the well. Then I could give that information to other farmers to help them. All the research here is to help other farmers continue and thrive with the research that's coming out of here."
Boe offers plots from Edible Acres Farm to Washington State University (WSU) researchers for their projects. Boe established Edible Acres using the experimental regenerative agriculture method. Regenerative agriculture avoids tilling the ground, which disturbs the microfauna and fungus within it. The method also frequently layers compost and organic matter on the dirt, which decomposes, feeds the existing ground and creates new topsoil, Boe said.
For Boe, establishing healthy soil through regenerative agriculture was important. After struggling with health issues, she established Edible Acres Farm to grow the most nutritious produce possible. Since plants draw their nutrition from the ground, she believed healthy dirt was key to creating nutritious plants, Boe said. During her research in soil health, she discovered regenerative agriculture and the wealth of research available.
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