We’ve had a much-needed break from livestock chores over the Winter, and time for reflecting and planning. In that time we have finished redesigning the barn. I’m struggling to marshal enthusiasm about the process of rebuilding, but I am very excited for the structure to be complete! The only similarities to the old barn will … More What’s Next for Shelterbelt?
7 work parties, more than 75 volunteers, and 11 dumpsters. That’s our fire clean-up effort by the numbers. Of course, the numbers don’t tell anything close to the full story. While it is undeniably depressing to watch your life’s work leave the farm in dumpsters, our friends, families, neighbors, and customers have made it impossible … More With Full Hearts
When the building attached to our home caught on fire near midnight on Thurs Nov 4, the first responders were the only difference between losing something and losing everything. That structure, built by our hands, contained my farm store, all of our farm storage and workshop, and most importantly, an apartment where our dear friends … More The Safety Net We Take for Granted
Here in the humid Northeast, we are blessed with water, especially so in this monsoon Summer. A quick scan of the news headlines reveals how lucky we are to have an abundance of this resource, as drought-induced wildfires rage globally and unprecedented restrictions on water use face farmers and cities in the Western US. But … More Farm Makeover: Water Water Everywhere
My pig-headedness (I prefer to call it persistence) has been a useful life trait in some ways: it supplies me with energy to carry on when all signs suggest I should have stopped miles ago. But it can also get me into trouble, as when I set my sights on something that is not actually … More From Pie-in-the-Sky to Pragmatic
Our culture has always had a fascination with group performances. There is synergy—even magic—in the collective movement of a dance troupe, or an orchestra playing music together. When it’s done well, it is a visual and auditory feast. But if someone is having a bad day and gets off rhythm or misses a cue, the … More Farm Choreography
I’m as likely as anyone to complain about the long dark Winter, but I also appreciate how this season lends itself to introspection. The long nights give us time to reflect on what’s going well and what needs to change. For me this is a dangerous time, when my passion overtakes reason as I lay … More Reflecting on the Past, Planning for the Future
As we slide toward November, the farm to-do list still threatens to drown us. While I can’t speak for all farmers, I believe this is a common feeling in Fall. We are all operating on an uncertain, though certainly short, timeline before the freeze sets in. Before equipment disappears under a blanket of snow, or … More Burnout
After 6 years of planning, working our tails off, and investing most of our savings, Shelterbelt Farm is finally starting to resemble our vision. … More Settling in for the Long Haul
Here’s the quick 2015 update for those who don’t want all the details: No pigs this year (!) But we will have meat chickens The beginning of our orchard is planted–picture apples and pears in 3 years! We got a grant to build a new 30’x72′ hoophouse for 4-season production Beef cattle arrive this Fall … More Major Additions–and Deletions–on our Evolving Farm
Shelterbelt Farm 