The Door County Seed Library says farmers and gardeners can have healthy plants without chemical pesticides and fertilizers.  Mikayla Kifer, who's part of the planning team at the seed library, says it takes time to go chemical-free.  However, it pays off in creating plants and insects that can benefit gardens.

Kifer says using a combination of black tarps over cover crops after harvest can help prepare a garden plot for the next growing season.

Kifer says some plants use chemical signaling that attracts predator insects to feed on those bugs that destroy flowers and vegetables more effectively than some pesticides.  Gardeners can find tips on healthier growing through the seed library's Facebook page.