About the Farm
Rain Song Farm produces a variety of sustainably grown fresh vegetables, fruits, and herbs. The farm is owned and operated by Ed Naspinski, and is in Decker Prairie, an area in western Montgomery County between Magnolia and Tomball. The farm is situated on a 3-acre residential lot and a 2-acre residential lot and includes two main gardens, each about 4000 square feet, a 1-acre orchard, several raised beds and a greenhouse. We’ve been providing fruits and vegetables to the Tomball / Magnolia area since 2009 at the Grogan’s Mill Village and Tomball Farmer’s Markets.
Ed grew up on a small subsistence farm in northern Pennsylvania. While raising chickens and a small herd of cattle, his family grew vegetables using organic practices. The farming background provided a great starting point to adapt organic practices from PA to fit the challenges of the Texas climate. We’ve learned a lot via trial and error since building our first garden in Magnolia in 2006.
Our Growing Practices
We raise our vegetables and herbs sustainably, always striving to minimize inputs such as energy, water, and fertilizers. Although many farms use the word “sustainable” differently, on our farm it means following organic growing practices, with no man-made, synthetic fertilizers or pesticides used in the orchard or gardens.
Irrigation
We collect rainwater and use it to irrigate part of the gardens. The gardens and the orchard have drip irrigation systems which greatly reduces water use and helps prevent plant fungal diseases by not wetting plant leaves. We also reduce evaporation of moisture from the soil by mulching the gardens with chipped hardwood branches from downed oak trees on our property or from local tree services.
Pest Control
We do not use synthetic, broad-spectrum insecticides or herbicides. Our pest control practices are:
1) choosing plant varieties that are pest-resistant and adapted to our climate
2) keeping the soil, plants and beneficial insects healthy
3) manually removing pests and properly disposing of infested plants
4) careful, limited use of natural, organic-program-approved insect repellants/ insecticides such as Bt, citrus oil and neem oil
Weeds are controlled with mulch and pulled by hand!
Fertilizing
The best way to grow a healthy, vigorous plant is to improve the fertility of the soil in which it grows. We replenish organic matter in the soil with composted kitchen scraps, fallen leaves and oak mulch from trees on the property, and locally-sourced manure, wood chips, and coffee grounds. We also purchase natural soil amendments and MicroLife organic fertilizers as needed. No synthetic, petroleum-based fertilizers are used.
Education / Outreach
Sign up for the free weekly newsletter, which includes: pictures/descriptions of Rain Song Farm, gardening tips, updates on seasonal availability, seasonal recipes and kitchen ideas. Or stop by the Tomball Farmer’s Market and get answers to your gardening questions.