Katrina Becker unlocks farm potential by sharing weed control, cover crop insights at Great Lakes EXPO

At the 2024 Great Lakes Fruit, Vegetable and Farm Market EXPO, attendees can gain insights from Katrina Becker, owner, operator and farmer of Cattail Organics in Athens, Wisconsin. 

Cattail Organics is located in the coldest part of Zone 4a and gets nearly 90 growing days per year.

Cattail Organics utilizes 1.5 acres of covered unheated production allowing for an increased growing season but also for scaling up root crops for a full season of deliveries. It focuses on diversified high-quality vegetable crops and increasing profit and gross sales per acre over time.

Becker grew up in New York City, and her journey led her to a career in agriculture, which was driven by her interest in food security and food justice. 

Her expertise on weed control and root crop production will be highlighted at the Great Lakes EXPO. In her two sessions, Becker will discuss an integrated approach to farm management and strategies for increasing yield while maintaining soil health.

“Our organic farm is unique in our commitment to having and maintaining low weed pressure on the farm through integrated methods of management and business, technology and labor management,” Becker said. “Both sessions draw on this expertise in different ways.”

In one session, Becker will address weed control in root crops. “I will be talking about our piggybacked soil prep, seeding, technology and labor investments in root crops with a focus on carrots, which is one of the main crops we grow on our farm,” Becker said. “I will also be talking about our philosophies about weed control and what works for us.”

Becker will also address cover crops for weed control. “We will focus on the simple staple cover crops we use, how we manage and terminate cover crops and how we manage weeds within cover crops and utilize them for specific disease, pest and weed issues,” Becker said.

Becker advises careful equipment planning.

“The biggest advice I can offer is using enterprise budgets or analysis of return on machinery investments as a way to increase long-term profitability,” Becker said. “At my first farm, we spent a great deal of effort buying things cheaply and lowering investments to allow us to draw income from the farm. At my farm now, I spend a lot more money and make a lot more money on a much smaller footprint because of targeted investments.”

The Great Lakes Fruit, Vegetable and Farm Market EXPO is the premier event for connecting, innovating and growing in the agricultural industry. Engage with more than 4,500 professionals from fruit, vegetable, farm market and greenhouse sectors. Gain insights into the latest innovations and learn how to apply new techniques to overcome challenges and enhance your business.

To learn more about these sessions and more, visit glexpo.com.