Butch and Hunter Cardinal of All Good Organics have worked hard to find their groove and they’ve really hit their stride after figuring out their unique niches.

Butch is a 5^th generation farmer – OF THE SAME LAND making his son, Hunter, the 6th generation! This family has been farming their slice of heaven at 6657 Centerville Road in Hugo since 1866. The way they have farmed has swung the pendulum over their 152 years of land stewardship. “Everything was organic back when my dad was born- but then, by the 40’s chemical fertilizers and pesticides showed up. And these guys were of the mind that if a little is good, more is better. When my dad came home from WW2 it was all about the chemicals; they meant less weeding,” but it took over 50 years for most farmers to figure out that the chemicals had some major downsides.

Butch knew what we could grow as a conventional grower with the pesticides and herbicides, but he’s worked with them and didn’t want them around-. “I mean, just read the labels and directions on some of them, if I need to put on full suits and respirators to apply, I don’t want that stuff sticking around in my soil or my food.”

So when his dad asked him to help with some pumpkins years ago, he countered with wanting to grow organic vegetables too. They’d been growing conventional hay for years prior.

So, Butch brought the farm back to organic practices, and they’ve been certified since 2010. By USDA NOP (National Organic Program) the transition period is three years. Now they plant 25 acres of vegetables, many started in the 1,800 square foot greenhouse. Like most organic farms, they’ve got a ‘full circle’ approach, using each resource in many ways, and always keeping their eyes open for opportunities.

Even their little red Farm Store has a great back story. The first year they were growing organic veggies they were selling form a tent (along with a short-lived attempt to sell at farmers markets). But then the tent blew away. Next they built a shed, but outgrew that in a season. So, in 2012 they decided to ‘Go Big and Stay Home’ and built their Farm Store with coolers, freezers and a self-serve system that just feels like the good old days. Even in the depths of a Minnesota winter they are open 9-5 so you can grab a bag of fresh picked spinach, lettuces or kale, carrots, a pack of frozen squash, pickles, preserves or dried spices- all right from the farm. They work with other local farmers to bring in eggs and honey.

Some of the happy chickens who will roam free this summer!

Besides growing vegetables from Asparagus to Zucchini, they also raise meat chickens and hogs each season. This year they got 225 ‘Cornish Cross’ hatchlings which were already hanging out in the fresh air, scratching for bugs and munching grass when I was visiting. They’ve almost completed a new mobile chicken coop, called a ‘chicken tractor’ that will be ready to take the chicks into the fields any day now. He’s also waiting to pick up his hogs until the season moves ahead a little.

Preserves round out the veggies over the Winter in the farm store.

Butch estimates they are about 3 weeks behind for the season already. Last year they were planting potatoes out in mid-April, and already had the brassicas and onions in the ground. When I visited last week, everything was still on hold in the greenhouse thanks to that late April snowstorm.

In case you’re in the same boat, I asked Butch to give us his tips on planting overgrown tomato starts  (like mine are since they’ve been waiting under the grow lights much to long!

The All Good Organics greenhouse is in year-round production for the farm. They keep some hardy crops rolling from fall into winter, and start new lettuces, kale, green onions, radishes and spinach mid-February into March. “I’m lucky my dad had a thing for collecting 5-gallon buckets,” Butch joked, “because we really use a ton of them now.” By planting in bigger buckets rather than small starter flats they can let the plants keep growing without the transplant shock, it also saves a lot of labor by not having to take the time repotting each plant.

Butch has had a few years to work on streamlining his processes. He’s also got the perfect outlook for a farmer, “Something fails every year, but I don’t let that bother me because each year something turns out to be a big success too.” He’s able to take a step back and see the way nature balances things out. This year, Butch is “trying” – (please visualize his air quotes) parsnips- again. He’s pretty sure he’ll get them to grow like crazy… some season .

He definitely doesn’t let a little failure slow him down. Like with Ladybugs. Butch sets free hundreds of ladybugs in his greenhouse to keep the aphids under control. He’d been searching for a good supplier and finally found a great resource through eBay for happy healthy ladybugs that won’t break the bank and ships for free.

You too can search eBay for “live lady bugs” and go organic like Butch in this video…

More Lady Bugs = Less Aphids

Like all good farmers, Butch loves planting and loves his land, “I know where every rock is, especially the ones that shake the tractors.” His joy for farming his way manifests itself as a delicious meal on your table. That love of farming was passed down from his father, who at 91 years old, was getting the roto tiller attachment ready to start opening up some fields as I spoke with Butch. Of course Butch was just as anxious to get out there, he’s got a lot of people counting on their CSAs for the season- there are a few left if you want to SIGN UP FOR THE ALL GOOD ORGANICS CSA.

For Butch and his farming family all the work, all the risks, all the failures and successes add up to “All Good”.

It’s time to let the professionals get to work with their tractors, I’m heading back out to get my fork in the dirt.

Keep Digging In!

Michelle

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