Settling in for the Long Haul
January 13, 2016
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
Category: Building Our Farm
Major Additions–and Deletions–on our Evolving Farm
May 13, 2015
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
Hoophouse Haiku + End of our 4th Year
November 29, 2013
Freezing winds blow snow but in the cozy hoophouse we’re happy and warm -Derrin and his sheep With the passing of Thanksgiving we celebrate the end of our 4th year as Shelterbelt Farm. And so far our best one! With each year we get more infrastructure in place, restore more brush to pasture, and get … More Hoophouse Haiku + End of our 4th Year
Predators Beware
April 24, 2013
The livestock and farmers at Shelterbelt Farm can sleep a little easier at night knowing that Derin is here to protect them. Derin is a 2.5-year-old Akbash dog who has been guarding poultry in Virginia. Akbash and other types of guard dogs–the most common are Great Pyrhenes and Maremmas–have been bred for the purposes of … More Predators Beware
Mud Season
March 26, 2013
According to the calendar, Spring is here. Those of you living in warmer microclimates (like just 15 min. away in downtown Ithaca) may even be seeing all kinds of signs to corroborate the calendar’s claims. But here at Shelterbelt, we’re in that seasonal purgatory where there’s still little to show for the transition to Spring … More Mud Season
Daffodil harbingers
March 20, 2011
There’s still a lot of snow up here in the hills of Caroline, but who’s complaining? I can see bare ground in most places, and where there’s bare ground there will soon be grass, and flowers, and LIFE! The daffodils have poked their heads proudly up through the chilly soil to announce that Spring is … More Daffodil harbingers
Visible Progress
September 7, 2010
Gone are the days of parking by the side of the road and wading through waist-high goldenrod and wild raspberry when we visit our farm land. We now have a home base there: a driveway, pond, and the beginnings of a multi-purpose barn/apartment/workshop building. Nearly 16 months ago we salvaged a hemlock timber frame from … More Visible Progress
Off and running
June 4, 2010
It’s been a while since our last update. We had a major scramble as the trees, bees, and chicks all arrived around the same time (who planned that, anyway??) and of course, finishing the chickens’ pasture shelters took about three times longer than we thought it would. But the trees are in the ground – … More Off and running
Countdown to critter arrival
March 16, 2010
We’ve got a few seeds in the ground, and a few flats started indoors. We’ve planted some trees (for shelterbelts, of course) and have delighted in the spring flowers and the fact that our hens are laying more regularly now. But in 17 days, our farm season will really get off the ground with the … More Countdown to critter arrival
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