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Farm Happenings at Saint Isidore Homestead and Permaculture
Year Seven
Most permaculture experts agree that in year seven the systems reach maturity and become stable. It gives me great joy to look at our first garden area, what we call "The Permaculture Garden," and confirm that, indeed, the system has become stable, resilient, and productive. In today's picture you see... read more »
2022: The Year of Mature Soil and Great Food
It takes about seven years for a permaculture system to mature. That's when most fruit trees begin to produce, when interactions between animal and plant species become harmonious, and when the soil turns so rich in nutrients and life that a handful of soil typically contains more living organisms... read more »
Thank You
It's a bittersweet feeling for us to close our summer 2021 CSA season. Despite the persistent drought, some crop failures, and some logistical challenges (all still in the context of the pandemic) we are blessed to have had an excellent growing season. We have also been blessed with an awesome farm crew... read more »
Adaptability and Resilience
Friends, this has been a very good season for us. We have grown a lot of food despite the drought, pest issues, and some plant disease. The beauty of growing at a small scale and a wide variety of crops lies in adaptability and resilience. This growing season we were pleased to always have something... read more »
Farm Happenings for August 30, 2021
Some of you have heard us say that we primarily grow soil and the rest just happens. We believe our crops are nutritionally dense because they nurture themselves from a nutritionally-dense soil. So, yes, we believe in healthy soil and we take our soil very seriously. By healthy soil we mean a living... read more »
Winds of Fall...
Even though our melons are late this year, finally making their appearance in some of your boxes this week to reassure us that we are still in the summer season, the first of the winter squashes is also starting to come off the field. I'm pleased to introduce this variety of acorn squash, Starry Night,... read more »
What we do and why we do it.
We started farming six years ago because my wife and I wanted to make sure that we were eating the best possible food available. At the time one of our children was struggling with severe eczema and it seemed that every physician we saw was only prescribing medicine to alleviate the symptoms but not... read more »
Bean Beetles Win (this time...)
Ever since we started our market garden seven years ago green beans have been problematic. And for the past two years it's been almost impossible to grow them. Our main problem has been the Mexican Bean beetle (Epilachna varivestis). They reproduce fast, the hibernate in the ground, and they have no... read more »
Tomato King
Tomato is arguably the most popular summer fruit. From home gardeners to commercial growers, a great amount of planning and care usually is devoted to this crop. And rightly so. Not only the countless varieties of tomatoes render virtually endless variations of flavor, but, combine the culinary possibilities... read more »
About the farm
We are a small family farm located in Grottoes, Virginia, serving the city of Harrisonburg and the counties of Rockingham, Augusta, and Greene. We produce high-quality food using sustainable practices and ethical principles of care for the common good. Having witnessed the healing power of good food in dealing with family health issues, we started farming in 2015 in an effort to sharing with others the benefits of fresh, nutritionally-dense food, grown in a clean environment, using integrative agricultural methods. We believe that in order for food to be healthful, the environment in which it grows has to be healthy. To that end, we integrate animal and plant systems in ways that, in their natural interactions, they create an ecological balance leading to abundance and quality.
We grow over 50 different vegetable crops, perennial vegetables and fruits, and raise pastured pork, as well as ducks and chickens, for meat and eggs.
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We grow over 50 different vegetable crops, perennial vegetables and fruits, and raise pastured pork, as well as ducks and chickens, for meat and eggs.