Learn how the project demonstrates the potential for integrating native plants into existing organic vegetable farms.
Helen Chandler has been farming vegetables for farm market sales for 16 years, writes Michigan State University (MSU) research assistant Heather Chapman and Chandler.
Chandler’s goals were both ecological and practical. She wanted to contribute to Michigan’s growing demand for native seeds, create habitats for pollinators and wildlife, and test whether native seed production could become a viable addition as an additional income stream to her vegetable operation.
Site selection
Lake Divide Farm encompasses 36 tillable acres, about half of which are actively managed for vegetable production. The remaining half rotates through cover crops and fallow periods. When selecting sites for the native plantings, Chandler focused on areas that were less ideal for vegetable production but still easy to maintain. She prioritized locations that met the following criteria:
- Easy to care for without interrupting vegetable production
- Easy to irrigate, observe and harvest
- Compatible with native plant species needs
- Close enough to daily work areas to stay on her radar
Two areas of the farm were selected for the project. Site 1 had been part of the vegetable rotation, but it was too slow to dry in spring and carried a history of Alternaria leaf spot, a common fungal disease that causes problems for brassicas but not for native plants. Site 2 was a narrow, short field that was difficult to work efficiently with a tractor. Both sites feature sandy loam soils, minimal sloping and easy access for irrigation and monitoring—ideal qualities for the native plants. Soil tests from 2023 revealed no issues that influenced the site decisions.
Site prep
Site preparation was one of the most labor-intensive parts of the project, but also the most important. Chandler wanted the native plantings to establish cleanly without adding weed pressure during the vegetable season; therefore she invested heavily in weed control and soil preparation upfront…