Photo: Mike and Jackie Sommer and Tim Sommer and Tamara Sloviaczek, hand cultivate a field at Purple Sage Farms, Middleton, Idaho. Photo Copyright Arlie Sommer.
Purple Sage Farms
www.purplesagefarms.com
Beth Bennett, a graduate student in sociology at Idaho State University, conducted the following interview with the owner of Purple Sage Farms, in February 2021. Due to Beth’s interest in studying the sense of place on farmland, she has been assisting Dr. Norris-Tull in conducting interviews with farmers.
Purple Sage Farms is a 45 acre organic family run farm located in Middleton, Idaho. Purple Sage Farms was started by Mike Sommer’s parents in 1989 and has been managed by Mike for the last ten years. Purple Sage Farms grows culinary and medicinal herbs, a large variety of peppers as well as greens such as lettuce and spinach that they sell to the public through local markets and online sales. Recently, the farm has also started selling their grass fed lamb to the public.
The most abundant noxious weeds that Purple Sage Farms deals with are skeleton weed, cheatgrass and goat heads, all of which are notably problematic near the road. To manage these weeds, Purple Sage Farms relies largely on manual labor. Roughly 48 total hours are spent during the growing season on manually removing weeds. Often, this is done simply by digging up the weed with a shovel. Previously, a vinegar spray had been used to attempt to manage the weeds. However, this was unsuccessful because the spray did not kill the weeds, it simply injured the plant. Mike noted that the vinegar spray might have been more successful with more rigorous application but the cost for supplies and application deterred the farm from attempting a more rigorous application.
One of the challenges of organic farming is maintaining the necessary 30 ft buffer. Purple Sage Farms includes the road that runs parallel to their property as part of the 30 ft buffer. However, the county road department sprays along the roads and the expectation is that the borrow pit and area near the road is void of life. Manual removal of weeds in the borrow pit and near the road is too time intensive for Purple Sage Farms. To handle this issue, they created a “flamer” that is placed on the back of their tractor – the flamer is a propane tank and torch that can be used to burn the weeds in the borrow pit and roadside and meet the county standard. During the growing season, the flamer is used once or twice a month.
The Idaho State Organic program has been helpful in navigating conflict with the county road department regarding spraying. However, the program does not provide advice, they only tell producers if they can do something and maintain their organic status. Purple Sage Farms utilizes the Rodale Institute when they have questions or need advice.
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Agricultural Best Practices
Or go to more Organic Farming Interviews:
Purple Sage Farms
www.purplesagefarms.com
Beth Bennett, a graduate student in sociology at Idaho State University, conducted the following interview with the owner of Purple Sage Farms, in February 2021. Due to Beth’s interest in studying the sense of place on farmland, she has been assisting Dr. Norris-Tull in conducting interviews with farmers.
Purple Sage Farms is a 45 acre organic family run farm located in Middleton, Idaho. Purple Sage Farms was started by Mike Sommer’s parents in 1989 and has been managed by Mike for the last ten years. Purple Sage Farms grows culinary and medicinal herbs, a large variety of peppers as well as greens such as lettuce and spinach that they sell to the public through local markets and online sales. Recently, the farm has also started selling their grass fed lamb to the public.
The most abundant noxious weeds that Purple Sage Farms deals with are skeleton weed, cheatgrass and goat heads, all of which are notably problematic near the road. To manage these weeds, Purple Sage Farms relies largely on manual labor. Roughly 48 total hours are spent during the growing season on manually removing weeds. Often, this is done simply by digging up the weed with a shovel. Previously, a vinegar spray had been used to attempt to manage the weeds. However, this was unsuccessful because the spray did not kill the weeds, it simply injured the plant. Mike noted that the vinegar spray might have been more successful with more rigorous application but the cost for supplies and application deterred the farm from attempting a more rigorous application.
One of the challenges of organic farming is maintaining the necessary 30 ft buffer. Purple Sage Farms includes the road that runs parallel to their property as part of the 30 ft buffer. However, the county road department sprays along the roads and the expectation is that the borrow pit and area near the road is void of life. Manual removal of weeds in the borrow pit and near the road is too time intensive for Purple Sage Farms. To handle this issue, they created a “flamer” that is placed on the back of their tractor – the flamer is a propane tank and torch that can be used to burn the weeds in the borrow pit and roadside and meet the county standard. During the growing season, the flamer is used once or twice a month.
The Idaho State Organic program has been helpful in navigating conflict with the county road department regarding spraying. However, the program does not provide advice, they only tell producers if they can do something and maintain their organic status. Purple Sage Farms utilizes the Rodale Institute when they have questions or need advice.
Return to:
Agricultural Best Practices
Or go to more Organic Farming Interviews: