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What is Sustainable
Farming?

The USDA defines sustainable farming as:

Farming in such a way to protect the environment, aid and expand natural

resources and to make the best

use of nonrenewable 

resources.

In the Klamath Basin, we cherish local wildlife. We've set aside 500 acres with berms to provide hunting, feeding, and nesting spaces for native birds and animals. During grain harvests, we leave crop for migratory birds, supporting their journey south. Preserving crop residue like wheat chaff offers nesting material and extra food, highlighting our commitment to the Basin's diverse wildlife.

Preserving Wildlife Habitat

In the Klamath Basin, we cherish local wildlife. We've set aside 500 acres with berms to provide hunting, feeding, and nesting spaces for native birds and animals. During grain harvests, we leave crop for migratory birds, supporting their journey south. Preserving crop residue like wheat chaff offers nesting material and extra food, highlighting our commitment to the Basin's diverse wildlife.

Protecting & Enhancing
Biodiversity

Tackling pests organically is challenging, but our IPM program sets acceptable levels and deploys strategies like scheduled irrigation and natural predators. Green manure enriches soil and combats pests naturally. By fostering predatory insects through cover crops, we reduce reliance on herbicides and pesticides. Opting for eco-friendly solutions maintains our commitment to sustainable practices and organic certification.

Carbon Sequestration &
reducing GHG emissions

Our efforts to decrease our carbon footprint include decreasing run times of farming equipment, wise use of chemicals and fertilizers, and implement GPS for improved accuracy and fewer running hours.

Preserving Wildlife Habitat

Implementation of multiple interventions in an effort to increase biodiversity, decrease soil erosion and decrease need for chemical fertilizer. Main interventions include, intercropping of cover crops with legumes and grasses, use of lister for fall tillage, discriminate fumigation, manure application and expanding walking wetlands.

Building Soil Health & Fertility

Water Use Efficiency

Water is the lifeblood of the basin and the farming community. We are acutely aware that we must be good stewards of this precious resource. Our plan includes the use of water meters, careful irrigation plans, riparian buffer zones and a walking wetland

Shed Cellar Solar

Station

Sitting directly west across the parking lot from the processing plant, solar panels were installed on the roof of this potato cellar. This station is expected to produce 13,860 KWH annually.

McVay Cellar Solar Station

Another rooftop installation, this solar power station is located about a mile south from the processing plant and estimated to produce 124,702 KWH annually, making it the second largest solar station we have.

Johnson Pivot Cellar

Located on the ground near a potato cellar a few miles east of Malin on Stastny Road, this station is expected to produce 13,860 KWH annually.

Home Cellar Solar Station

Installed on the roof of a potato storage cellar just off Highway 39 outside of Merrill, this set of solar panels should produce another 13,860 KWH a year.

Packing Shed Solar Station

located at the south end of the packing shed, this is the largest bank of solar panels we had installed. Total power generated is estimated to be 146,713 kilowatt hours (KWH) annually, which is 42% of the electricity used by that facility.

Irrigation Pump Solar Station

The first solar station to get “green-tagged”, this solar station powers an irrigation pump. Approximately 50 acres will be irrigated with green energy from this station, which is estimated to produce 13,860 KWH every year.

The Gold Dust Solar Initiative

Bill Walker,  had been talking about using solar power for years. In 2011, his vision became reality.

Tackling pests organically is challenging, but our IPM program sets acceptable levels and deploys strategies like scheduled irrigation and natural predators. Green manure enriches soil and combats pests naturally. By fostering predatory insects through cover crops, we reduce reliance on herbicides and pesticides. Opting for eco-friendly solutions maintains our commitment to sustainable practices and organic certification.

Tackling pests organically is challenging, but our IPM program sets acceptable levels and deploys strategies like scheduled irrigation and natural predators. Green manure enriches soil and combats pests naturally. By fostering predatory insects through cover crops, we reduce reliance on herbicides and pesticides. Opting for eco-friendly solutions maintains our commitment to sustainable practices and organic certification.

“A sustainable agriculture is one which depletes neither the people nor the land

~ Wendell Berry

Our Sustainable Farm and

Agricultural Practices

Gold Dust & Walker Farms maintains a living document that outlines and supports our sustainable efforts. We have incorporated the historical knowledge passed down by generations of farmers with the latest information and technology to create our Sustainability Plan. In it, we have identified 5 pillars under which we apply interventions.

 

  • Building soil health & fertility

  • Increase water use efficiency

  • Protecting & enhancing biodiversity

  • Carbon sequestration & reduction of GHG emissions

  • Improved our community livelihoods

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