♪♪ >> I NEVER HAD ANY FIRST-HAND GENERATIONAL GUIDANCE IN THE FARMING AT ALL.

WHEN THERE WAS A CULMINATION OF EVENTS IN MY LIFE FOUR AND A HALF YEARS AGO, WORKING AND LAID OFF AND MY YOUNGEST SON GROW UP AND WENT TO COLLEGE AND A LOT OF PRESSURE WAS RELEASED OFF ME AND I DECIDED TO EXPLORE A PASSION OF MY YOUTH AND WHEN I GOT LAID OFF SHALL AT FIRST I WAS IN A STATE OF SHOCK AFTER EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENED.

ALL IN ALL, I SEE IT NOW AS I BLESSING, A GIFT FROM THE UNIVERSE IN A WAY THAT I GOT OUT OF THAT WORLD AND INTO THIS WORLD.

I PROBABLY GROW AT PEAK UP TO 80 DIFFERENT THINGS AND I'VE SCALED BACK AND DOWN TO ABOUT 40 DIFFERENT THINGS, I GROW RADISHES AND TURNIPS AND CARROTS AND BEETS AND BROCCOLI AND CAULIFLOWER AND ONIONS AND ASPARAGUS, STRAWBERRIES, AND KALE, VALID MIX IS POPULAR.

AND ADIRONDACK RED POTATOES AND IT HAS COMPOUNDS IN IT LIKE BIOFLAVORROIDS AND IT'S CONSIDERED A SUPERFOOD AND THERE'S A LOT MORE HIGHER NUTRITION VALUE AND GO WITH DIABETIC -- THAT HAS A LOWER GLYCEMIC INDEX AND IN THE FALL, I GROW PURPLE SWEET POTATOES AND ALSO IN THE SUPERSWEET CATEGORY AND HOPEFULLY WILL -- PRODUCE THE ELIXIR THAT THEY USE FOR FLU PREVENTION.

BIODYNAMIC IN MY WORLD INCLUDES PLANTING BY THE MOON, PLANTING WHEN IT'S FAVORABLE FOR ABOVE-GROUND CROPS AND BELOW-GROUND CROPS AND DOING CULTIVATION OF THE SOIL IN VARYING -- OF THE MOON AND SO YOU'LL HAVE BETTER SUCCESS AND THE LIFESPAN OF THE CROP AFTER HARVEST, I ALSO FOLLOW -- BUILT INTO THAT IS THE ZODIAC, THE ONLY PLANT -- ONLY PLANT DURING A WATER OR EARTH SIGN.

SO THE MOON AND ZODIAC WORK TOGETHER.

BIOINTENSEIVE WHERE YOU PLANT REALLY DENSE PLANTINGS IN THREE TO SIX ROWS AND TRY TO CROWD OUT, SHADE OUT THE WEED COMPETITION AND I DO SOME OF THAT, BEING A ORGANIC FARMER I BELIEVE THERE'S A BALANCE IN NATURE AND THE CHEMICALS USED BY CONVENTIONAL FARMING POLLUTE THE SOIL AND CROPS.

AND I'VE HAD A LOT OF CUSTOMERS TELL ME AFTER SWITCHING OVER TO THE TYPES OF CROPS THAT I GROW, THEIR CHILDREN WITH FOOD ALLERGIES, THEY GO AWAY.

IT YOU'RE A CONVENTIONAL FARMER, USING CHEMICALS YOU'RE KILLING HONEYBEES AND NATIVE BEES AND ALL OF THE THINGS WE SAW OUT THERE EARLIER.

LADY BEETLES AND ALL OF THE THINGS, DRAGON FLIES THAT YOU'RE IMPACTING.

SPIDERS ARE SENSITIVE TO CHEMICALS WHEN YOU APPROACH IT MY WAY, IT'S MORE LIKE A ECOSYSTEM WHERE EVERYONE AT LEAST GUESTS A -- GETS A DECENT CHANCE TO PARTICIPATE.

THAT'S THE BUCKWHEAT THERE, THE WHITE.

IF YOU TOOK A MOMENT TO GET A CLOSE-UP, PROBABLY SEE EVIDENCE OF BENEFICIAL INSECTS AND IT'S LIKE AHAB FOR THEM -- IT'S LIKE A HABITAT FOR THEM.

AND IF THE PESTS GET REALLY BAD, I'LL USE SOAP MIXED WITH A DORMANT OIL SOMETIMES.

WHICH IS ORGANIC CERTIFIED AND I BELIEVE IT'S MORE IN HARMONY WITH NATURE AND HEALTHIER FOR PEOPLE TO EAT FOOD RAISED ORGANICALLY AND THE FLAVOR IS SUPERIOR.

THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU'VE GOT SIX MONTHS OF RAIN IN SIX WEEKS, IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO RUN A TRACTOR AND WE'VE GOT THIS TOMATO HERE SURROUNDED BY ALL OF THIS WEED PRESSURE BUT THE PLANTS ARE HAPPY AND STILL BEAR FRUIT ON A NORMAL YEAR, FROM ONE POINT SEED POTATOES YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO GET 10 TO 15.

THIS YEAR IT'S THE WETTEST MAY IN VIRGINIA AND SO I HAD A LOT OF ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES THAT LED TO WORMS AND COLORADO POTATO BEELS AND ONLY GETTING 25% OUT OF A BUSHEL IS VIABLE AS A GRADE A FANCY POTATO.

SO I'M SACRIFICING QUITE A LOT IN TERMS -- TO ADHERE TO MY ORGANIC GUIDELINES.

THERE'S A MOVEMENT GOING ON NOW, WITH REVOLUTIONIZE FOOD IN AMERICA.

SOME OF THE RESTAURANTS I WORK WITH HAVE THAT MENTALITY, I GET EXCITED ABOUT THAT KIND OF COLLABORATIVE THING.

GROWING CERTAIN CROPS FOR CERTAIN RESTAURANTS.

THE REWARDS, WELL, ONE OF THE REWARDS IS PROVIDING PEOPLE WITH PURE CLEAN FOOD.

I GET A LOT OF JUICE OUT OF THAT.

I LIKE THE LIFESTYLE OUT HERE, PEACEFUL AND QUIET.

I REST WHEN I NEED TO, I TAKE SIESTAS WHEN I NEED TO AND SOMETIMES A NAP ON A HOT DAY.

IT KEEPS ME FIT MORE THAN ANYTHING.

MY BUDDY'S FATHER, HE WAS IN CATTLE RANCHING, HE SAID FARMING IS NOT A LIVING, IT'S A LIFESTYLE.

THERE'S A LOT OF WILDLIFE OUT HERE, WILD TURKEYS AND I HAD A FLOCK OF CEDAR WAX WINGS COME IF LAST FALL.

I LIKE THAT KIND OF THING.

GIVES YOU A SENSE OF SOLACE AND PEACE.

>> Amy: WITH 63.73-INCHES OF RAIN IN RICHMOND IN 2018, DOMINIC TOOK A BIG HIT.

HE TELLS US HIS POTATO YIELD WAS OFF BY ABOUT 80% AND SOME OF THE SWEET POTATOES YIELDED AS LOW AS 10% OF NORMAL.

HE ALSO ONLY GOT 10-POUNDS OF HEIRLOOMES AND TYPICALLY HE GETS 10,000-POUNDS!

BUT HE'S GOTTEN OFF TO A GOOD START THIS YEAR, WHICH WE'RE TOLD SHOULD BE A MUCH DRIER ONE.

DELLI CARPINI FARM SUPPLIES ORGANIC PRODUCE TO A FEW VIRGINIA RESTAURANTS.

AND THROUGH THE FARM-TO-SCHOOL PROGRAM, SUPPLIES SCHOOLS LIKE HANOVER COUNTY.

YOU CAN FIND HIS PRODUCE AT MONTPELIER CENTER FOR THE ARTS MARKET ON THURSDAYS AND AT ASHLAND FARMERS MARKET ON SATURDAYS.

TO FIND OUT MORE, VISIT THE WEBSITE ON THE SCREEN.