Full Name
Ian Rentschler
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Member for
1 month 3 weeks
Volunteer Background
My family lives in an 11 acre farm property in which we grow various crops in a garden style and we grow vining crops for two acres. I start almost all of my plants from seed (minus a few pesky perennials) and do a little experimentation every year with breeding. Typically though, I hand pollinate crops that need hand pollination for pure breeding so I can collect seeds and use them for the following year. I have experience drying and saving seeds of many different crops.
Favorite Crops & Least Favorite Crops
For starters, we are in Zone 5 B. I really love to grow perennials and see their annual progress, especially berry plants. I've grown rhubarb, asparagus, eastern prickly pears, gooseberries, raspberries, and more for perennials. I've been very successful growing squashes, root crops, melons, bush beans, corn, tomatoes, peppers, and more for annuals. I don't care to grow vining beans because trellises take up space and change the lighting set up in my garden.
Growing Experience
Growing food
Starting seeds
Growing perennials
Hand pollination
Seed-saving
Plant breeding
Time Commitment
5-10 hrs
Growing Location
Space Available
Small field (10,001 sq. ft. - 1 acre)
Soil Details
Having a larger property, the soil quality varies from area to area. One of our fields that we use for vining crops is very soft and acidic, fertile and light. Our other garden has a little more of a clay based soil we are always working on increasing it’s fertility.
Growing Location Descriptors
Neighbors' Crops (within 1/4 mile)
Corn, Soybeans, Alfalfa
Neighbors' crops (within 1 mile)
Corn, Soybeans, Alfalfa
Possible GMOs in the neighborhood...
Details
The corn and soybeans planted by our neighbors is typical production corn and therefore had multiple GMOs used to fight parasitic nematodes and have higher yields.
Other relevant information
We sometimes have rabbits nibble down our bush beans and our region suffers from the wretched Japanese beetle but we take many precautions to make sure they do not severely invade our property.
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