Skip to main content

Corn, Soybeans, Wheat, Malting Barley, Green Snap Beans, Beets, Peas, Hay and More: Oh My!

My first few weeks at Kreher Family Farms have been an adventure, to say the least! Although many of you may have never heard of Kreher Family Farms, you have probably encountered their products. Have you ever bought eggs at Wegmans or Egg Lands Best eggs? If the answer was yes, then you have supported the Kreher Family! Kreher Family Farms is a large Organic and Conventional Poultry and Crop farm that spans many counties in Upstate New York and was founded in 1924. We grow crops and/or raise chickens in Erie, Genesee, Monroe, Livingston and Wayne County.

This summer I am interning with the Crops Team and have not seen a chicken yet! I began interning with Kreher’s

A beautiful day to make 1st cutting hay on land that is being transitioned from conventional to organic.

just as cropping season was kicking into high gear. My first few weeks have been spent doing a variety of things including scouting for early season diseases and pest, creating a management plan for combating the Bind Weed that is scattered throughout the farm and thinks our corn is the perfect thing to grow up and making hay. I have also spent a bit of my time typing field address into my GPS to find the fields, but now I have learned the fields and by the end of summer will probably be able to find them with my eyes closed! I have learned a lot about a variety of insects and disease in a variety of crops thus far because Kreher’s embrace diversity(in case you couldn’t tell by the title!).

 

The first beets of the year! Beet planting will last for many weeks because the processor can only handle so many a day during harvest.

Many of us have heard the old wise tale that diversity is beneficial, especially in organic crops.

Green beans for miles!

Kreher’s embrace diversity and have been successful in using diversification of crops to help them control disease, pest and weed pressure. All the crops are produced organically. The green beans and beets are grown for human consumption while the field crops are grown for the chickens. Another unique aspect of the operation is that along with the chickens and crops, Kreher’s also produce and market their own organic compost and fertilizer!

 

I have learned a lot in my first few weeks here at Kreher Family Farms and I am sure I will continue to learn more because this operation is so intricate and diverse! Until next time, I will continue to enjoy my free employee eggs and embrace the fact that I have yet to see a chicken!

Skip to toolbar