Dirt Works Incubator Farm Visit

Today I visited the Dirt Works Incubator Farm on John's Island, which is a farm that is operated by Lowcountry Local First and Clemson Extension. I met many of the farmers there and got to see all of their hard work.
This farm is very unique because it was built to accommodate beginner farmers who want to learn sustainable methods and start off debt- free. In total, it is a 10 acre plot of land that is divided among a couple of farmers that run their own businesses. In addition to cultivating crops on this land, the farmers become mentors to seasonal apprentices, thereby teaching others what they themselves have learned. In a way, everyone there is a mentor to each other. The Dirt Works Incubator Farm is built up of hardworking people that work together in order to both learn and educate others.
Although there is a lot of freedom on this farm in terms of what the farmers and apprentices grow and how they grow it, there is a unifying approach- a holistic approach. Instead of using conventional techniques, this group uses alternative methods. For example, they focus on a method called "biointensive agriculture", which one of the farmers defined as "maximizing the crop potential in terms of space". For example, broccoli need a large amount of spacing in between each plant. You can, however, plant a lettuce in between these plants in the row to utilize the space, since leafy plants can survive in a high- moisture environment without a ton of space.
In addition, I learned about many other encouraged practices that are used on the farm, most of which take a holistic approach. You may be wondering what I mean about holistic approach. By "holistic", I mean that the applied farming practices treat the crop well as a whole,  allowing the farmer to reek the most benefits from the crop as possible. A few of the new practices I learned about were the farming of succession plants, including forestry. This practice is beneficial because instead of rotating crops seasonally, you can have a longer-lasting source of produce. I also learned that instead of creating row crops, you can create winding rows. This is particularly good in terms of maximizing the use of the plant space. It also increases biodiversity.
All in all, I had a wonderful time today at the Incubator Farm, and I look forward to returning very soon to work on it myself. I am ready to get my hands in the dirt again!
Here is a picture of the Incubator Farm-

As well as the logo of the Dirt Works Incubator Farm-