Tommy Copeland from Ennis, Texas

Tommy Copeland is a long time friend of David’s.  Somehow he ran across David’s blog and invited us to come to his farm and see his organic operation.

Tommy lives in Ennis, Texas where the soil is referred to as Black Soil.  Black Soil is located in one of the eco regions in Texas, Black Land Prairie.  It’s very fertile soil, but is hard to work with because in the summer it’s dry and cracks and in the winter when it’s wet, it’s very mucky and is like working with wet concrete.

Tommy is an organic farmer which means he uses no chemicals or pesticides.  He mostly raises indeterminate and determinate Tomatoes and several varieties of peppers.  Determinate Tomatoes varieties tend to reach a fixed height and ripen all their fruit in a short period of time.  Indeterminate Tomatoes are also called “vining” tomatoes. They will grow and produce fruit until killed by frost.

He is experimenting with growing Lime Basil.  Next year he plans on growing his tomatoes and alternating the tomato plants with Lime Basil plants.  The purpose of growing Basil next to Tomato plants is that it enhances the flavor of the tomato and it can also keep pest away from the tomato plants.

Take a look at my video interview of Tommy Copeland and visit his Oak Grove Organic Farm.