What is one of the main reasons folks are Returning to the Land?
Oct 30, 2023 3:13 pm
What's at the top of your list?
FOOD SECURITY?
One of the top items on our Return to the Land Checklist is existing infrastructure (like water, power, and existing structures) to make the transition to the land more efficient and less difficult - especially when implementing our food security measures. That's why the property here in Tennessee met our criteria with an existing 10,000 sqft pole barn, and hoop houses that needed some TLC....so we ordered some plastic and got busy!
Our members (& goats) helped to clear the briars and poison ivy and add some poles from the frame of the other 75ft hoop house, allowing us to expand the other 75ft hoop house frame to a full100 feet, both for food growing and all the chickens this winter. We inherited eight cows, a guinea hen, 5 chickens and one rooster when we took over stewardship of the property in July. With all the new additions, now we are at 20 chickens total + 2 guinea hens, 3 goats (2 girls are pregnant and due in the new year - we will take on milking after the babies wean), 5 ducks (mama, daddy & three ducklings which have grown super fast), 2 bunnies, 2 piglets (in a few weeks) - in a pig pen in the barn utilizing Joel Salatin/Korean Natural Farming Methods, which our neighbor, Farmer Blake has mastered and happy to educate others (more animal photos in next email)!
And we can't forget our 2 kittens (future barn cats) and 2 Great Pyrenees puppies to guard the ranch from predators, a core part of the animal ecosystem we are establishing. We also have a solid (but small) group of folks on the land - (builders/apprentices) all helping and passionate about learning and having food security. Sharing the workload makes a huge difference. We understand these are not the times for the 'lone wolf mentality' and we are better together in these endeavors. We work hard at a distance and welcome abundance through our daily practice with a focus on the positive future timeline.
Follow us on IG or Telegram for more day-to-day updates and video footage as we document our progress. Interested to learn more about Haven Village and potential Residential Membership? Go to havenearthtradeschool.net/tn - we will be booking reservations for guest visits in early Spring of 2024.
Hemp Hemp Hooray!
🌱 River & Imanee 🌿
