HERMON â Before Fridayâs persistent rain and final April freeze, thousands of microscopic nematodes soaked into the soil at Our Little Grewve.
Owners John J. Anson and Elizabeth R. Seeley first seeded their idea for a regenerative flower farm about two years ago, with Our Little Grewve having grown into a collection of raised beds and flat gardens over two acres outside their County Route 21 home â and theyâre growing still.
Commonly called a beneficial nematode control, the spray applied to the gardens Thursday is one component of the farmâs regenerative approach to small-scale agriculture. The tiny, parasitic worms target soil-dwelling pests and serve as an alternative to pesticides that can leave a devastating imprint on soil, water and every reach of an ecosystem. Nematode applications, Mr. Anson said, have been especially effective in controlling the invasive Japanese beetle larvae that infest some of the flat gardens.