Trainer – Mark Palladino, Wild Carrot Farm
After apprenticing on Riverbank Certified Organic Farm in Roxbury CT in 2000-01, Mark started Wild Carrot Farm in 2003, leasing the land at Bristol’s Farm in Canton for his first 9 years of business. Wild Carrot Farm achieved Organic Certification after its first 3 seasons, and has grown in scale from 3 acres to 10 acres of vegetables, flowers, fruits, and herbs.
In 2013 Mark and his family moved the farming operation from Canton to 261 Old Mt. Tom Rd. in Bantam, CT and continues to be Certified Organic growing approximately 80 different crops on 7 ½ acres. Mark is a founding member of the Litchfield and Collinsville farmers’ markets, and Wild Carrot Farm continues to employ local teenagers and provide elementary educational programs – “children learning where their food comes from and how to grow it”!!
Training Objective
Participants will understand basics of irrigation systems used on small farms (1 – 10 acres). Participants will leave with a list of helpful and very experienced vendors who can address issues particular to their farming operation and provide irrigation materials they may need.
Topics covered will include:
- Water Sources – Ponds, streams, rivers, wells, rainwater
- Water Pumps & When to use Filters
- Irrigation Methods – Drip, sprinkler line, Komet guns, hose
- Irrigation Set-Up – 1st Map Out – use zones, headers, connections, repair, pressure regulators, filters, valves, sources of irrigation supplies.
- Irrigation Timing & Monitoring of Soil Conditions
- Fall Pick-up & Spring Start-up
- Grants – NRCS, EQUIP
- Greenhouse Watering System
Mark’s Recommended Resources
View more Solid Ground Farmer Trainings
This project is sponsored by the USDA-NIFA Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Award #2016-70017-25416