This project will test the efficacy of using compost, as a mulch and weed suppressor, in small-scale no-till vegetable production.

Our main objective at Pine Creek Farms has always been quality over quantity, and the single most important step in achieving this goal, is soil health. After reading the works of Andrew Mefferd's The Organic No-Till Revolution and Jean Fortier's The Market Gardener, we quickly realized that no-till agriculture, with the use of compost, is the most sustainable, and surprisingly, efficient way of building our soil structure to promote higher yields, and subsequently, a more profitable farm. Where the problem lies, is how to efficiently incorporate compost into our soil in a no-till operation. We believe the solution is to utilize the compost, as both a mulch, and weed suppressor. Our objective is to measure the benefits of compost mulch, through the use of a self-loading compost spreader, by transplanting and seeding crops directly into a two inch thick layer of compost. This process counteracts the usual method of spreading and tilling the compost at the beginning of each season, by helping us achieve our no-till goals, while still promoting good soil health. Most importantly, we will be sharing our findings with the community and other famers through social media, an on-farm showcase, and our local newspaper.