Designing an effective crop rotation is one of the most important – and challenging – parts of managing a diversified vegetable farm. Join us for an informal, practical meet-up and discussion focused on how three ecological vegetable farms approach crop rotation planning.

This session will feature short presentations from three experienced vegetable farmers – Jeff Boesch, Stephanie Laing and Reid Allaway – who will each share how they design and manage rotations on their farms. They’ll discuss the goals that guide their planning (such as soil health, pest and disease management, labor efficiency, and crop productivity), processes they use to build and adapt their rotations over time, and share about some of the challenges in their current processes.

Farmers will also share how they integrate cover crops into their rotations, including where and when they fit them into tight production schedules, what species they rely on, and how cover crops support soil fertility and long-term resilience on their farms.

After the presentations, we’ll open the conversation for a casual discussion among participants. This will be a chance to ask questions, compare approaches, and learn from each other.

Whether you’re refining an existing rotation or building one from scratch, this interactive session will offer practical ideas, examples from working farms, and space for meaningful knowledge sharing and exchange.

This event is offered in partnership with the Farmers for Climate Solutions’ Farm Resilience Mentorship Program (FaRM).

About the speakers:

Since 2009, Jeff Boesch and Leslie Moskovits have been running Cedar Down Farm with their two children and wonderful staff. They grow certified oganic product for a nearly year-round CSA program serving around 200 members through summer, winter and spring. They grow on approximately 6 acres of land including 4 unheated greenhouses.

Fiddlehead Farm is a 10 acre market garden in Prince Edward County, producing food ecologically since 2012. With the CSA at the core of what they do, Stephanie Laing and her partner Heather have built up the farm to be a viable small business, feeding 250 families year round with a small but mighty crew. Over the years they have worn many hats, learning along the way, and are happy to share their experiences.

Reid Allaway is passionate about farming and appropriate technologies, ideally combined. A founding member of Tourne-Sol co-operative farm in les Cèdres, Quebec, Reid has been helping to build a successful CSA and organic seed enterprise while training future farmers and building cool stuff whenever time permits.