Coastal Influenced Dry Farming 
Facilitator: Zeph Mullins
A look at how coastal conditions inthe PNW affect dry farming techniques, and create potential for alternative crops grown with minimal water input.

Hello Everyone! Please add your name, location, and contact below:

James "Zeph" Mullins - Siletz, OR - jamesm@ctsi.nsn.us
Teresa Retzlaff- 46 North Farm Astoira OR  teresa@46northfarm.com
Evie Smith-OSU Small Farms Extension (Lincoln Co) evie.smith@oregonstate.edu
Bryan Perrenod - Olympia, WA - the28ig@yahoo.com

Some guiding questions for today's discussion.
1) What unique factors are relevant to your site and growing on the Coast in general?
Teresa- coastal/river influence
Zeph- coastal/river influence
Not having sandy soil
Tree roots can be a challenge

2) What crops do you like to grow with minimum water input? Dry Farmed, Overwintered, Seasonal Opportunity, Climate Adapted, etc.
Teresa- Potatoes do really well! Tomatoes (not Early Girl), squash, dry beans, Dark Star Zucchini
Zeph- Potatoes, tomatoes, corn, squash, winter squash, cukes, peps, onions (overwinter)
A lot of what does well in the valley doesn't do well on the coast

3) What techniques are you utilizing in order to grow with minimum water input?
Teresa (Astoria)- getting plants in the ground in early May results in better yields, establishment, plant growth (planting up until June still works!); fall cover crop w/ mowing ~February w/ flail mowing + black tarp it; 4' wide x 100' long beds w/ 2.5' spacing; some tilling w/ BCS, usually low/no till in favor of broadfork + tilther --> Soil prep in April; start from a transplant (mitigates cold soil temps on the coast) for most things except dry beans; start transplants in a prop house, hardens off outside
Potato cultivation: Plant in early May; use rotary plough attachment on BCS to prep beds (dig trench) for potato planting; 2' spacing, hill over by hand
Trial a few new varieties every year
Tomatoes- interplanting them with other irrigated veg w/o watering the tomato rows
Chip or straw mulch between beds

Additional Question from the Group: