Small-Scale | Regenerative | No-Till

We don’t use any pesticides or herbicides, and almost all of our farm work is done by hand without the help of machinery.

Compost is black gold.

It’s teeming with nutrients, organisms, and mycelium. At Prairie’s Edge, we create our own and prioritize the use of it as a way to amend our soil. We’ve found it creates heartier plants, more nutrient-dense produce, and abundant blooms.

We try to know all the sources in our compost pile.

Our compost is primarily organic waste from the garden, finely ground mulch from our township, leaves from our property, green silage from a local source, and ash from our fireplace. Once it has been broken down, all of our food waste and plant matter from growing is added back into the soil.

Small but Mighty

We are a team of two. Years ago we ran in the same circle of friends. Now we run a small farm and spend pretty much every waking minute together. If it wasn’t for Derek’s ducklings and a warm invitation to join him on the farm, planting sunflowers on a glowing summer day, we may never have realized how great we were together. Emily joined Derek’s decade-long quest to grow pesticide-free produce and swiflty added copious amounts of flowers to the garden. We have been growing together since 2020!

Two people posing in a colorful flower garden with sunflowers in the background.

Woman in a garden with colorful flowers and sunflowers, wearing orange overalls and a white shirt, against a clear blue sky.

Two people standing in a garden under a metal arch, surrounded by colorful flowers and plants, with blue sky in the background.

Manager, Assistant Grower
Flowers were always catching Emily’s attention but it was her love for cooking and eating that pushed her to want to grow her own food. Primarily stuck doing work in the customer service and marketing world, she quickly realized that she missed digging in the dirt and creating things with her hands. Farming gave her a renewed sense of purpose. She is at her happiest curled up with a good book, wandering the garden, or nibbling on something delicious (like her favorites fresh bread or cheese).

Lead Grower, Founder
Derek’s whole world changed when he found himself too sick to enjoy daily life. Faced with these challenges he decided to radically change his diet. He began growing his own food out of necessity for fresh, nutrient-dense, organic produce. This new passion led him to explore permaculture, regenerative techniques, and no-till gardening. His newfound love and appreciation for food took him to culinary school and allowed him to explore the traditions and processes more deeply. After working in several professional kitchens, and a short foray into the Austin food scene, he returned to the midwest to devote himself to expanding the garden and sharing his love of growing, cooking, and teaming up with likeminded chefs.

A hand holding freshly picked broccoli and colorful carrots in a field under a clear blue sky.

A butterfly perched on vibrant pink and orange flowers surrounded by lush green leaves.

Freshly harvested red potatoes with green leaves and soil

Close-up of a pink and white dahlia flower in a garden setting.

young watermelon growing in a garden with green foliage

Close-up of a ripe eggplant growing on a plant in a garden with greenery in the background.

Close-up of a green bitter melon growing on a vine.

Purple and white striped eggplants growing on a vine in a greenhouse.

Hand holding a green bell pepper on a plant.

A close-up of a white dahlia flower in bloom with lush green leaves in the background.

Person holding red and green peppers in a garden.

Hand holding freshly harvested garlic bulb in a field

Freshly harvested carrots with dirt in a garden setting.

Close-up of hand holding a ripe red strawberry in a strawberry field.

Person holding a small yellow melon in a garden with green plants in the background.

Person holding bunch of colorful carrots with green tops in a garden.

Person holding a purple cauliflower in a garden with leafy green plants.

Brussels sprout plants in a garden with large leaves.

Sliced cantaloupe with seeds on cutting board, knife in background.

Inoculated mushroom logs leaning against a barn wall with beeswax patches sealing in the mycelium and sawdust

Hand holding harvested pink carrots in a garden setting with raised beds and a greenhouse in the background.

Freshly harvested watermelons piled in a black container with a field and blue sky in the background.

Hand holding ripe red and orange chili peppers with more peppers on plants in the background.

Close-up of a yellow dahlia flower being held against a blue sky.

Person holding freshly harvested yellow carrots in front of a greenhouse in a garden.

Bright red and pink dahlia flowers with lush green leaves

Freshly harvested carrots with greenery on farm soil

A red carrot on a wooden board in a garden setting.

Close-up of a pink and white cosmos flower with a yellow center, surrounded by green foliage and other cosmos flowers in the background.

Cluster of ripe red tomatoes hanging on a vine with green leaves.

A person holding an ear of fresh corn in a field, wearing a black glove, with green leaves and blue sky in the background.

Fresh green cabbages on a stainless steel counter in a kitchen setting.

Hand holding kidney beans with red and white speckled pattern.

Looking for something else?

We love finding new varieties and offering an array of different plants to our customers.

Perhaps you are interested in a certain type of vegetable or flower, or you prefer something specific (more/less ripe, larger/smaller) or a bulk order of something in particular. Reach out and let us know!