I never thought I would be a farmer. 
Three years ago, I did in an apprenticeship
with a local organic farmer, 
and now I run Radix Farm.
I use natural growing methods following
organic standards to grow a diverse
array of vegetables -- over 45
different kinds and varieties.
I lease three acres from a larger farm
that does industrial corn-soy production.
I keep a buffer zone between my farm and the corn-soy.
If the herbicide sprayed on that part of the farm gets onto my vegetables,
they'll die, just like that.
Most of the farming in the Chesapeake Bay
is large monoculture crops of corn and soy.
They're spraying from a lot of synthetic herbicides and fertilizer
and it affects the soil quality
and it ruins the biodiversity of the land.
Instead of pesticides, 
I use a lot of different things -- row cover is one, just put it over the crops,
and it keeps the pests out.
I grow
a diverse landscape of
flowers and diverse crops so that I'm
encouraging beneficial insects to be in
my farm and they can take care of the
bad insects.
When people say you can't grow large
amounts of food --
without chemicals -- I say you definitely
can. I'm on only about an acre or two
and I'm feeding
well over two hundred people,
harvesting
fifteen- to twenty-thousand pounds of
vegetables each year.
Overtime using organic practices,
the soil quality improves so that you
can grow more
and become more efficient and increase
your yield.
In the three years that I've been on this land, I've already noticed
the soil quality is improving bit-by-bit,
things are starting to fall into balance.
Through farmer training programs in the
region more people are not only wanting
to learn about farming, but they're
staying committed to farming
and they're really getting out there and
doing it.
It's so inspiring to see the growing
movement of new farmers in this region.
I get more out of one acre to feed a
family then industrial
monoculture farming can. With the growth of
sustainable farms in the region,
we are able to feed more and more people,
more efficiently and it's more nutritious
food.
I sell directly to families in DC through a CSA program.
I'm able to provide
the majority of vegetable needs for the families in the CSA.
What I love about being
part of this movement of sustainable
farmers in the Chesapeake region is
revitalizing the environment
and bringing fresh healthy nutritious food
right to people's plates.
My name is Kristin Carbone
and I am a farmer.
