Of all the strategies farmers could employ to both sequester carbon AND shield their farms from climate-changed-induced weather chaos, what do you think is at the top of the list? I’ll give you a hint: it involves livestock, pasture, and trees. But wait, aren’t livestock one of the big contributors to climate change? That’s a … More Trees, Glorious Trees
At the end of last year, my mailbox filled with seed catalogs. And I, like every veggie grower I know, delighted in perusing the bright colors and optimistic descriptions during long dark wintry evenings. Dreaming of the summer abundance is a time-tested winter survival technique employed by thousands of gardeners and farmers living in cold … More Let Your Garden Go to Seed!
Shelterbelt Farm is located in the stunning rolling hills of the Town of Caroline. Caroline’s history and identity is as a farming community, though the farming happening here now is only a tiny fraction of what it used to be. In the 1950’s there were over 150 dairy farms in the Town, while now there’s … More Future of Farming in Caroline
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?
Of all the strategies farmers could employ to both sequester carbon AND shield their farms from climate-changed-induced weather chaos, what do you think is at the top of the list? I’ll give you a hint: it involves livestock, pasture, and trees. But wait, aren’t livestock one of the big contributors to climate change? That’s a … More Coming Soon to Shelterbelt: The Power of Trees
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
Social media allows people to curate an image of themselves they want to project to the world, and it is almost never the full picture of what is going on in that person’s life. The same can be said of farming. Instagram is full of magazine-cover-worthy images of #farmlife; rugged, attractive farmers, fat healthy animals, … More The Full Picture of Farming
There aren’t many good things to say about the pandemic that has dragged on for 7 months with no end in sight. One silver lining for almost every small-scale farmer I’ve spoken with: customers have been flocking to buy local food this year, especially meat and eggs. If you are one of those customers, thank … More Where’s the Meat?
Black lives matter to us. This is an invitation to civil, thoughtful dialogue about racism. I don’t pretend to know many of the answers, but I’ve been working to educate myself, and to overcome the fears that have kept me silent on this issue. If you too have felt paralyzed by the repeated murders of … More Do Black Lives Matter to You?
We are all getting a taste for what it might feel like to inhabit a science fiction novel. Or, as one meme said, maybe this is what life would look like it if was written by a 4th grader: “There was this virus, and the whole world ran out of toilet paper. Yeah, and there … More Local Food Isn’t a Privilege; It’s a Necessity
Shelterbelt Farm 