Full Circle Healing Farm Hosts WI LFPA Visitors

Attendees arrived to Full Circle Community Farm in Seymour, Wisconsin in between short and spotty rain showers. It was a welcome occurrence due to the dry weather and the farmers in attendance were hoping rain was falling on their own fields.

 The event started with some refreshments and time to talk and network with each other. Five Wi-LFPA farms were accounted for in the group, with some sharing how important this program has been for them this year. After an introduction from farm owners Andrew Adamski and Heather Toman, as well as apprentices Zachary and Olivia, the tour got underway.

Full Circle Community Farm’s (FCCF) pack shed was cleaned and clear. Thursday’s are their least busy day for packing orders. Heather shared how their product is entered into a tablet mounted on the wall, flows through the pack-shed to be cleaned and packed, and ultimately ends up in one of their two walk-in coolers powered by cool-bots. Attendees also got to see their refrigerated van and cooler-trailer.

 As the rain slowly stopped, we walked out to see the water-wheel transplanter on the brand-new Kubota tractor the farm purchased, as well as their two greenhouse set-ups. At the high tunnels, Zachary explained their crop rotation and how they will mow and prep the beds now that the snap peas are done.

 Out in the fields Olivia showed three different beds. One planted in lettuce with the water-wheel transplanter, one bed of green beans direct seeded and one bed of dill and cilantro planted with the paper-pot transplanter. Seeing the difference in how these crops look and the benefits of each type of planting style was very informative.

Rotating 90 degrees from right where we were standing looking at this field, we could see the cattle grazing about 500 feet away. These pastures have been in Andrew’s family for the past few generations and Andrew spoke fondly about working with nature rather than against it for all those years.

 After a walk back to the barn, those interested in seeing the pastured pigs drove a short distance across the street and those that wanted to keep networking enjoyed some time together. Events like these are so beneficial not only to learn, but to connect with others in this industry and understand that we are not alone and in fact, stronger together!