Stewardship
Receive news and resources as they are released by joining our newsletter.
How is the Changing Climate Affecting Your Farm? by Jonathan Lambert As many are certainly aware, the earth’s climate and weather are always in flux. However, the rate of change in climate conditions and severe weather events we are seeing today is far beyond what previous generations have had to face, and is having a noticeable…
Read Moreby Julianne Lovergine This farmer worked his way across the country and back, finally landing in Vermont. From Massachusetts, to California, to Tennessee, this farmer worked his way across the country and back, finally landing in Vermont. “I missed the seasons in New England,” he says. Together, Sam Burr and his wife Eugenie Doyle searched…
Read MoreOne definition of soil health is the continued capacity of soil to function as a vital living ecosystem that sustains plants, animals, and humans. This definition speaks to the importance of managing soils so they are sustainable for future generations. To do this, we need to remember that soil isn’t an inert growing medium, but…
Read MoreRiparian buffers prevent erosion, improve water quality, and build the resiliency of native habitats. Native trees and shrubs intertwine with one another, keeping 350-acres of flood plain intact along the banks of the Winooski River, best known as the Intervale. Located within the city limits of Vermont’s urban metropolis (42,000), Burlington boasts a solid urban…
Read MoreThe Better System: Pasture-Raised, Ethical Meats by Rebecca Thistlethwaite & Jim Dunlop What do we mean by the term “ethical” meats in the subtitle? In our minds, ethical meats come from producers who want their animals to live comfortable lives and to die as quickly and as humanely as possible. These animals get to exhibit their…
Read Moreby John M. Thurgood Imagine a world with healthy and abundant food, thriving farmers, and clean lakes and streams. Is this an unrealistic vision? It seems with our abundant resources and knowledge, it should be possible. Why isn’t it? I think the root cause is the belief we need to control nature — to take…
Read MoreBy Mike Fedison and Doug DeCandia Small, well-cared for pieces of land have the potential to feed and heal the world. One of the hurdles to realizing this potential is the inadvertent stress we as growers impose upon the plants in our gardens and on our farms. There’s much we can learn from the wild spaces…
Read MoreBy Kimberly Hagen Sharing is almost always a good practice. It’s just not cool to take the last cookie on the plate, or the last beer in the six-pack (especially after a day of haying) without offering to share it with others. The generosity of the gesture will often return tenfold. And that is the…
Read MoreMarjorie Susman and Marian Pollack pioneered the artisanal cheese making movement. The cyclical rhythm of nature is the foundation that supports Marjorie Susman and Marian Pollack of Orb Weaver Farm. Like the cyclical pattern of a spider’s web, Orb Weaver farm engages the seasonal activities on the farm. In the words of Marjorie “sowing, harvesting…
Read More
Enhancing wetland areas on your farm can bring a whole new community of wildlife to your land. The title in layman’s terms is really pronounced, “Whatta ya wanna do that for”, driving my spellcheck into utter meltdown. It’s a common phrase used by folks who don’t understand a decision, idea or action. It’s exactly what farmers (and…
Read More
Subscribe to the Small Farms Quarterly
Browse the online archive and subscribe to get each new issue when it's released.
Join the Small Farms Newsletter
To start your subscription and start receiving content, you will need to complete our full sign-up form on the following page.
