Neither John nor Aimee Good grew up on farms, but their unique life experiences have helped shape the farmers they have become. The couple own and operate The Good Farm, a 10-acre certified organic farm that grows 40 varieties of vegetables and fruits for hundreds of Community Supported Agriculture members in Pennsylvania’s Lehigh Valley.
In 2006, the couple started their own business, Quiet Creek Farm CSA, on land leased from Rodale Institute in Kutztown, Pa. They pounced on a newspaper ad from Rodale, which was looking for someone to manage a CSA on the farm’s property.
Several hailstorms did major damage to their crops, and a major outbreak of late blight in 2010 destroyed all their field tomatoes. But the couple learned important lessons. For example, they now grow late blight-resistant tomatoes.
Even more important, though, was establishing connections in the larger farm community. This was critical in 2018 when they lost a barn roof and sustained severe damage to a greenhouse during a bad late-winter storm. Through their connections and friendships with other farmers, they were able to quickly call up some friends and get their barn rebuilt.
At the end of 2016, they took apart their entire farm at Quiet Creek — greenhouse, high tunnels, equipment — and moved everything to Germansville. Growing 40 different crops on limited acreage is intense and requires lots of planning. The Goods start all their own transplants in greenhouses and use high tunnels and row covers for season extension.
Since they’re organic, tillage and frequent cultivation are necessary to build a good seedbed and prevent weed growth. They use an Italian spader machine that provides a good seedbed and causes minimal disturbance of the soil.
The couple have even tinkered with building their own cultivation tools specific to their needs. Cultivation happens every 10 to 14 days when crops are small enough.
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