The Farm - Details

Our farm is about one-third pasture, one-third crop land and the rest is forest and wetland. There are many miles of treed fence rows bordering the fields, which help support the abundant widelife.

We grow mixed grain (barley, oats and spring wheat), corn, some soybeans and alfalfa hay. Our goal is to provide all the feed for our animals and keep the farm cycle as closed as possible. We believe that the inherent balance and health of the farm is greater the less we rely on outside inputs.

The base of the land's fertility comes directly from the cow herd in two ways. Alfalfa hay in the crop rotation is a great benefit for increasing organic matter and the prevention of soil erosion. Then the return of composted manure from the animals to the land adds another dimension to the eternal cycle of soil building. We, as stewards of the land, have the task of nurturing this cycle.

Another important tool for us is the use of the bio-dynamic preparations: specially prepared composts from medicinal plants or materials, which are used in very small quantities, like homeopathic support for the land.

We use fairly common equipment to grow and harvest the various crops. We have a few tractors, a moldboard plow, disc, cultivator and all the hay tools to make the best hay we can.

Tilling the land, growing crops, feeding the harvest to the animals and returning the manure to the land is an ongoing cycle, which is very rewarding for us as farmers and certainly necessary to feed the world.

We intend to continue this work for a long time to preserve the land for future generations.