The owner of Prairie Wild at Kleefeld says it has been an interesting growing season for their fruits and vegetables. Riley Friesen says some crops are thriving, others are suffering in the heat and then some are behind because of our cool spring.
Friesen says Prairie Wild started in 2018 and is connected to Churchill Wild. He notes they grow about 85 different varieties of vegetables on about an acre and a half of space. Friesen says they produce vegetables for the lodges up north, but that makes up only a very small portion of what they do. In addition, they also sell CSA boxes from their farm, as well as in Steinbach and Grunthal. According to Friesen, they do high rotations on their farm, meaning that as soon as product comes out of the ground there are transplants that then fill that space almost immediately. This keeps the cycle going, allowing them to grow more in a smaller area.
Prairie Wild grows all the major crops, except for potatoes. The reason for that is because of potato beetles. "We're not certified organic, but we grow higher than organic standards," explains Friesen. "With that, I don't have time to go out and squish a bunch of potato beetles every morning."
Because they do not spray chemicals, Friesen says it is just easier to not grow potatoes. He adds the problem with potato beetles is that they also destroy tomato and cucumber plants, which are big cash crops at Prairie Wild. "So, we don't want to risk it for a few pounds of potatoes," he adds.
Read more at steinbachonline.com