(Editor's note: This is the fifth and final part of "This Good Earth," a look at the growing number of farmers who use few or no artificial chemicals while looking first to the health of the soil. The series has been following Sandy and Lonny Dietz, veteran biological/sustainable farmers near Elba who are also mentors to a Chatfield couple.)

By John Weiss
Post-Bulletin, Rochester MN 

CHATFIELD -- What's the best starter soil, what's the best fertilizer for eggplant, what's the prime time to plant certain plants, how do you price your produce?

Questions, questions, questions from Andrea Mueller as she walked through her large product garden near Chatfield.

Sandy and Lonny Dietz had answers, answers, answers. And some of their own questions, such as how the Muellers took care of some pest problems.

While the Dietzes of rural Elba are veterans at raising vegetables for farmers markets, restaurants and other markets, and the mentors for Andrea and Dan Mueller, they are also learners. They make no pretensions to having all the answers, either about how to get rid of spots on tomato leaves, or what's the best way to farm.

They do, however, firmly believe the first goal of farming is taking care of their soil, then deciding on which crop and other details. Based on those beliefs, they are trying to reach out to other farmers and producers. Their style, however, is one-on-one, at markets, over the fence with neighbors or as mentors to the Muellers through Midwest Organic and Sustainable Educational Services.

Now that the growing season is nearly over, they have more time to talk, learn and teach. The Muellers are eager to learn.

Andrea Mueller is the head farmer who sells mostly to farmers markets. She loves to get her hands into the earth, feel its richness.

"Weeding is addictive," she said.

It's satisfying getting her hands black with soil and jeans green with vegetation then look back and see the weed-free rows.

Unlike the Dietzes, who had to begin rebuilding their soil basically from nothing after previous owners didn't care for it, the Muellers soil was rich from the beginning because of good land use.

Like the Dietzes, she sees soil health as her first priority. "It's all about the soil," Mueller said.

She began by growing healthy produce for her own family. "If I'm going to grow my own food for my famly, it's nice to do a little bit extra," she said. That little bit extra was using no chemicals so she believes the food is better. "I almost want to call this the Andrea Health Food Plan," she said.

She's now learning which plants grow best, when to plant and how to sell them. She began with raspberries and garlic. "Every year, I did more and more," she said.

But each plot of land is different, each grower's way of farming varies. There is no cookie cutter way to farm. She needed help.

And the Dietzes were willing to help as they have helped other beginners through other programs.

They said he plan to begin slow and small is right. "Go slow and feel your way," Sandy Dietz said.

Another key is getting off the farm, said Lonny Dietz. "You never know where you're going to pick up something that you can use," he said.

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