Local farm growing new crops, fighting climate change

Taking on climate change isn’t too big of a challenge for Warren Neth, owner of Cosmic Carrot Farm in Yelm.

In 2020, he lobbied for the grant monies from the Washington State Sustainable Farm and Fields fund, and last month, he received approximately $8,000 to plant an alley-cropping system to grow berries with the highest levels of antioxidants.

Alley-cropping systems are an agroforestry practice in which rows of trees or shrubs are planted to create alleys in which agricultural or horticultural crops are produced, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. In Neth’s case, annuals like vegetables were planted between rows of perennials like berries.

The initiative supports local farmers across the state by providing them with funds to plant crops that reduce carbon, add biodiversity and help farms fight climate change.

Source: Local farm growing new crops, fighting climate change – Nisqually Valley News