Rhody Gem: Earth Care Farm

April 2021

Posted

What it is:

A family-run compost-making operation that churns out high-quality soil from their farm for purchase in bulk or by the bag.

 

Where to find it:

Tucked away in a woodsy stretch of Charlestown, turn onto Country Drive off of Biscuit City Road and you’re almost there.

 

What makes it a Rhody Gem?

What do you get when you take beer dredging from Whalers, coffee bean chaff from Dave’s Coffee, and bedding from Roger Williams Zoo? Believe it or not, this mixture of distinctly Rhode Island trash makes up some of the ingredients in the top-grade, nourishing compost Earth Care owner Mike Merner has been committed to producing since 1977. He and daughter Jayne Merner Senecal take hundreds of tons per year of would-be landfill waste and turn it into living soil that serves as the foundation of a healthy garden. “This microbial life invigorates tired soil and raises the nutrient density of produce. And it makes growing so easy,” Senecal explains. Passionate farmers themselves, the family also puts out weekly gardening videos with tricks of the trade. “There is a level of care that people can sense. Our family lives in the middle of the farm so we have three generations keeping a good eye on the farm at all times.”

Earth Care Farm • 89A Country Drive, Charlestown • @earthcarefarm_ri

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