Michiana Growers Group works to transform the local food economy

Walking through garden rows in South Bend, IN, community gardener Judith Rubleske leads a group around what was once a vacant lot on the west side.

Pointing to a row of butternut squash, she explains how cover crops enhance soil health and control weeds. Danile Martens asks which cover crops she’s had the most success with, and the discussion shifts to which cover crops best complement vegetables in our region.

Rubleske and Martens are part of the Michiana Growers Group, which brings farmers, educators and gardeners together to share their expertise. The group started in 2009 with a grant from the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program to connect and support the local network of sustainable growers. There are about 20 active members.

Some members transform vacant urban lots into gardens, while others move legacy farms toward new agricultural practices.

Rubleske founded the nonprofit Kankakee Wetlands Organic Gardens in her neighborhood, which was once the eastern fringe of the Grand Kankakee Marsh. Danile and John Martens raise grass-fed cattle on Restoration Farm in a suburban area of Mishawaka, IN, typically considered prime land for housing developments.

‘Beyond Organic’

The natural agriculture movement the members espouse, sometimes described as “beyond organic,” is founded on a simple premise: A healthy, living soil ecosystem provides the best foundation for growing food in a way that is beneficial to individuals and the environment.

Compared to nutrient-deficient industrial farming fields, healthy soil ecosystems require fewer additives, produce more nutritious food and release less carbon into the atmosphere. Natural growing methods trade the quick fix of chemical fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides for slower techniques such as crop rotations, cover crops and companion planting.

Using natural systems means that practices vary across regions, so the most helpful tips often come from a neighbor’s hands-on experience. That is what the Michiana Growers Group is all about.