Whistling Well Farm, just a mile off the St. Croix River south of Afton, Minnesota, is a bustling place. Charlie and Carol Johnson grow apples, pumpkins, squash, and raspberries here on 65 acres. During autumn months, families come here to choose the perfect shape of pumpkin for their jack-o-lantern, or to pick sweet Honeycrisp or Haralson apples from one of the 3000 trees.
These bluff-lined banks of the St. Croix River were once home to a vibrant community of farming families. But as the Twin Cities stretches out fingers of urban development across southeastern Minnesota, this pristine river valley has become prime real estate for suburban developers. Few family farms could withstand this onslaught of development, but Charlie and Carol are determined to stay on the land they have been farming for over 30 years. The changes in the area have certainly affected their lives; for one thing, Charlie's regular four-mile morning walk now consists of dodging cars along the highway. But despite the challenges, the Johnsons run a successful business focused on sustainable growing practices and diverse marketing approaches.
Since they began farming, the Johnsons have been committed to sustainable production methods. In their pumpkin patch, for example, they cultivate regularly to reduce the necessity of herbicide applications. Instead of seeding the pumpkins and squash directly into the soil, they start the plants in a greenhouse and set them out as healthy transplants. This diminishes the need for herbicides, by ensuring that the young plants can tolerate more weed competition. The Johnsons spend the winters meticulously pruning their apple trees, which increases air flow between branches, making the trees less susceptible to apple scab.
Charlie finds that Food Alliance certification gives him credibility with his customers, assuring them that Whistling Well Farm products were grown with these sustainable practices. "More and more people are concerned about how their food was raised," he notes. "They are going to demand a product that has less pesticide residue."
