The USA Regenerative Agricultural Alliance Farm Campus

Part One

The grounds
Situated in a slight hollow, at the end of a dead-end road, that runs alongside the Greeneville Airport, is a work in progress – The Farm Campus.  A vista of rolling hayfields and woodland, far houses and occasional airplanes, with a closer view of

Plastic Innovation/Timeless Fence plant, greets the visitor. This is the home of the non-profit, USA Regenerative Agricultural Alliance, Inc.  Three years ago, the area where the Campus now grows, was the site of overgrown, scrubby brush, chunks of concrete and debris. With the vision of our primary benefactors, Russ & Kiki Israel, and a lot of hard work, it has been mostly cleared and houses the dream-child, the Farm Campus. More clearing is planned, along with a possible orchard on the hill above the Campus.

Growing areas
A place was selected for an in-ground no-till garden. The soil, contaminated, compacted, and devoid of any appearance of productivity, was covered with cardboard, then several layers of different organics, including topsoil, and composted cow manure. All of this was topped with a thick layer of very old hay, then left to begin the soil-building processes over winter.

Water was run to the Farm Campus, so access would be easy and quick. Electricity for the tunnels, is being installed. More uses for solar is planned, as well.

Small raised bed boxes, made from recycling the pallets that products come to the plant on, were constructed, and set. The boxes were filled with similar materials that went on the garden, and topped with hay. A few perennial veggies were planted in some of them: asparagus, garlic, horseradish, chives, and a couple herbs. Two of the boxes became compost containers, and one is the home of the blueberries. There’s also a strawberry barrel, with beautiful ever-bearing berries spilling over the sides.

A small greenhouse, a high tunnel, and a low tunnel (these names are for the ID use of our Campus staff) have been added. The small greenhouse is the home of the new vermicomposting project.

The low tunnel was another idea of Russ’s, and it’s built from cattle panels and pallet wood. It’s been used as part of the Farm Campus experiment plantings, but we’re not settled on a permanent job description for it, yet.

The high tunnel was outfitted with wiggle-wire roll-up sides, solar air-flow fans, and passive solar heat. Wire-topped tables were constructed for seed trays and potted plants. Shade cloth has been added to the high and low tunnels, for summer sun protection.

The entire area has been fenced with Timeless Fence products, and netting, to encourage small wildlife to stay out of the plants that’ll be growing. We’re marginally successful!

Fruit trees
We’ve started a few fruit/nut trees, around the garden; apple, peach, Asian pear, fig, mulberry. We also have thornless blackberries, dwarf blueberries, and strawberries. This is only a start of the orchard Russ has planned. Growing an orchard will definitely be a challenge, as East Tennessee is prone to fungal and insect pressures, in several fruit trees.

 Honeybees
One stand of bees was donated by a member of the USARAAI, Wayne Hughes, last fall. Seasoned bee-keeper, Joel Hausser, helped Wayne put the “nuke” into the hive when they arrived via mail. We’re hoping to be able to expand our bee colonies, and eventually sell our own honey.

Sherrie Ottinger, The Tennessee Dirtgirl