Living On The Farm
We love plants! Every day we are immersed in plant life, from planting seeds, transplanting seedlings, tending field and nursery crops, to harvesting and processing our bounty. Living so closely in tune with plant cycles and energies is one of the most lovely ways to spend time. Plants have so much to teach us, about sustainability in particular. Plants are "autotrophs" meaning they feed themselves. What a brilliant evolution, to harvest sunlight and make food!
In 2022 we took a huge leap and added East Friesian sheep to the farm. After many years of "fighting grass" we finally heeded the adage "if you can't beat them, join them" and sided with the grass. Sheep are ruminants and as my youngest son observed about them "sheep are like grass mowers" - so now the grass is an asset. The sheep provide wool and meat and one day they will provide milk as well! There is nothing that makes me feel more at ease than watching a sheep chew its cud. Our flocks has diversified from solely East Friesian to Navajo Churro/Shetland/Icelandic/Cheviot mixes. We also raise rabbits and peacocks and will add chickens soon; we have been defeated in that endeavor more than once by wild raccoons.
We are surrounded by vast tracts of wild forests which are home to raccoons, deer, bear, bobcat, mountain lions, coyotes, foxes, weasels, possums, skunks, so very many birds, squirrels, and one of the most biodiverse flora representations in the world. We have an old spring that provides us with drinking water and Sugar Creek waters the fields and greenhouses. We are so grateful to be stewards of our conserved farm.
We strive to live our lives within the limits of natural laws and cycles. We seek to leave the land in better shape than we found it, building the inherent capacity of the soil with cover crops and good management techniques.
Our farm is off-grid, powered by the sun, like the plants! We have an old spring that gives us water and the creek running alongside the farm feeds the pond that waters our greenhouse and fields. We live in one of the most beautiful valleys in western NC and are so grateful to pursue such a rewarding path as farming, rhythmically following the seasons.
