Skagit Growers, a division of Mike and Jean’s Berry Farm, is very proactive in the institution of sustainable farming practices. Sustainable farming practices are ways of farming that not only protect the environment but preserve it for generations to come. By incorporating natural systems into their farming practices, Mike and Jean Youngquist are ensuring a productive and profitable future for everyone.

Skagit Growers has a solid crop rotation system in place on their farm. Cauliflower, cucumbers, beet seed, cabbage seed, strawberries, and peas are on a four to five year rotation. Farmland is traded with potato growers and dairy farmers to encourage crop rotation among their peers. A good system of crop rotation reduces the chance of disease and keeps the soil healthy.

Skagit Growers promotes the use of cover crops during the off-seasons. During the winter it is important to use cover crops to build the soil, absorb excess nitrogen, and smother weeds. With a good cover crop system, Mike and Jean have been able to minimize the amount of herbicides, tilling, and fertilizer that must be added to their farm in the spring. The primary cover crops that Mike and Jean use are winter wheat and barley. The barley even has the added side effect of acting as a food for migrating water foul.

Skagit Growers take an environmentally friendly stance when it comes to weed management. They till only when necessary, during the spring and growing season. Skagit Growers use herbicides only as necessary. They have a very practical approach when it comes to dealing with farm chemicals. Many chemicals are like a medicine that you would give a sick person. Sometimes a field gets ill with a particular kind of weed, disease, or deficiency and needs some extra help to get well. But just like an overdose of medicine can harm a patient, too many chemicals can be detrimental to plants. The final type of weed management that is frequently used by Skagit Growers is to hoe by hand. This method has stood the test of time and is about as safe to the environment as you can get.