Tyler GoughIndianapolis, IN
Marion County, Indiana
Marion County Soil and Water Conservation District
Indy Urban Acres
I am farm manager at Indy Urban Acres Farm, an eight-acre organic farm that donates 100 percent of the fresh fruits and vegetables harvested to local food pantries. The farm hosts Indy Parks day camps and other groups for tours and education programming, where youths and adults experience how food is grown and how to grow their own. I work closely with the Marion County Soil & Water Conservation District. My wife, Gentry, and I have three children.
Soil Health Practices
My goal is sustainability. I have experienced first-hand the erosion that can occur after tillage and heavy rainfall, and I don’t want to see it happen again. In an effort to build soil health on the farm, I will be using a variety of cover crops in my vegetable rotations with the hopes of abandoning tillage all together.
One exciting conservation practice is a rain garden full of native species to catch and infiltrate water from his high tunnel.
Challenges
Indy Urban Acres Farm grows a large variety of vegetables and flowers. With each vegetable having different timing and management needs, planning for cover crops in the rotations can be complex. The farm will utilize several different blends of cover crops to determine what best fits the farm.