Homestead 1839

The land is the Homestead of the Leffler family (ancestors of Mollie Krell), est. 1839. The land was originally 80 acres. This was before Iowa was a state, and Burlington existed as the territorial capital of this area. Over the years, the city has grown up around the land- a little farm in a thriving city. The land has continuously been used in ag... riculture. Most recently, the land was cash-rented for conventional, row-crop farming for a number of years. The current house stands on 30 acres and is now home to nonprofit The Homestead 1839. Currently, the Homestead has 5 acres of active farmland. 14 acres have been transitioned to a pollinator habitat through the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP). The farm utilizes sustainable agricultural processes, which exclude the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides, with a focus on permaculture. Permaculture is a system of agricultural principles that uses nature for the maximum production and benefit of people and land. For example, the purple martin bird is a natural predator of the dreaded Japanese beetle - a known scourge of plants and flowers. Using a natural predator of the insect is a natural way to control Japanese beetle populations on the farm; the birds can be attracted through special bird houses. Permaculture also includes agriculture techniques like crop rotation and companion planting. The end result of the farm is to create an oasis in an urban area. Most farming around the area consists of monoculture farming practices, and the Homestead strives to show what that difference looks like in a sustainable setting. Produce: The Homestead's produce is all organically grown. We grow many common variety vegetables like tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, and peppers. We also focus lesser known heirloom varieties which are harder to access locally like okra, tomatillos, edible flowers and fresh herbs. Our produce is planted and cared for by hand, and in the tradition of older farming techniques. Our goal is to minimize our dependence on fossil fuels by using ...Read More