This YouTube interview/testimonial ("Using Biology in an Organic Mix-Vegetable Operation") features Dan McClure of Walla Walla Organics describing his ~600-acre farm in Touchee, Washington, the farm's transition from conventional to organic since 2006, and the crop mix (Walla Walla sweet onions, squash, spinach, kale, beans, wheat, alfalfa). He explains working with AEA consultants to improve soil biology and crop nutrition, reporting stronger, larger plants, earlier harvests, better disease and insect resistance, and improved water penetration.
Questions this video answers
About 600 acres ("Farm is about a 600 acre farm.")
Touchee, Washington (as stated: "Touchee, Washington").
Since 2006 ("We've been Farming here since 2006").
Chapters
I got a call this morning from a processor and he wanted 80,000 pounds of zucchini. And he called back about five minutes later and says, well, we need 130,000 pounds of squash. And he called back a few minutes later, says, can you double that zucchini? So our processors are happy and we're happy. I'm Dan McClure with Walla Walla Organics. We've got a farm here in beautiful Touchee, Washington. Farm is about a 600 acre farm. We have organic and we have some conventional crops. We've been Farming here since 2006, growing wheat, alfalfa. We've kind of moved into organic crops. We're finding that growing the conventional crops was not profitable enough. So we started getting into organic crops and started doing some specialized crops. We started off with raising some organic Walla Walla sweet onions and found we needed some rotational crops to go with the onions. So we got into raising squash, spinach, kale, beans. And that's working well enough for us that we are focusing mostly on these organic crops. We had to make the transition from conventional agriculture to organic. And I realized that we needed to start feeding the soil. So I started searching, trying to find some ways to help feed the soil. I ran into the AEA people listening to John Kemp started looking into that. And as we've been growing these organic crops, we've needed to get the nutrition in these crops set up special for some of our customers. So I've been working with AEA to accomplish those goals. The consultants with AEA have been very easy to work with. They're always available when I call. Their knowledge is exceptional. Working with Jim, it seems that he cares as much or maybe more about my crops than I do. I think if you're transitioning from conventional to organic farming, we're a good company to work with. We've got the tools to help fill in some of the gaps that are left. When you move from conventional to organic, we can help you build resilience in your plants, resilience to pests and pathogens, and help you grow a better crop. So by doing this program, we are able to get healthier, stronger plants. We're finding the plants are resisting diseases and they are resisting insects. The plants are growing much bigger and we seem to be having earlier harvests that than we've had in the past. All of our crops are irrigated and water penetration is a big deal. Our soils will tighten up and water just won't go in. But working with the AEA products that we've been putting on, we found that the soil's starting to open up, water's getting in better, and crops are responding nicely. Success for me is growing the best quality, most nutritious crops that I can grow. If we can do that, then we will have customers and growing high value crops like this. And by all of the things that AEA does for me, we are achieving those goals.
