Sustainable methods are at the heart of our farm. To us, sustainability means not only integrated plant and animal practices, but financial and community systems too. Here are some of the ways, we implement sustainability:
Waste
Farmers who make compost or feed livestock (e.g., chickens, pigs) need food waste. Help make it easier: tell elected officials to deliver food waste to farmers, not landfill.
• We pick up organic scraps at Whole Foods Warehouse to feed our livestock and compost piles. (Currently seeking a Composting Workshare Member to help with this effort.)
• Vegetables with imperfections (called “seconds”) are given to volunteers in appreciation of their efforts.
Repurposing
Everyone has far too much stuff so we take pleasure in repurposing what others toss. Our dumpster diving has become a fine art:
• SXSW banners become signs, sunshades for livestock and tarps for equipment
• Truck poptop becomes airy housing for Guinea Hogs
• Egg cartons and plastic bags are donated each week by customers
• Children’s Garden décor is comprised of spools and stumps (in lieu of picnic tables); wood scraps became our Magic Treehouse.
Water
To make our operations as water and energy efficient as possible, we:
• Save and sell seed that is drought-tolerant
• Use drip irrigation technology so water is used as efficiently as possible
• Apply donated leaves, wood chips as mulch
• Opt not to plant certain crops when water is scarce
• Divert graywater, used to wash vegetables, into herb garden
• Rainwater is collected from the barn roof and stored in 100-year-old cisterns constructed by the Swedes who started this farm. (We’d love to harvest rainwater at our farm stand, but the shed roof is not strong enough.)
• Use shadecloth to lower soil temperatures
Energy
• We love our solar oven. No more hot kitchens. Get one!
• Constructed solar-powered pump for our well (we want all systems to be solar powered. Let us know of any grants that will help us do this.)
Buildings
Friends, please notify us whenever you’ve got yummy junk – tables, chairs, tools, rubber bands, (see our Wishlist). In addition:
• Skip gathered bricks (1,000s of them) to create floors in farm stand and processing area of barn.
• Walk-in cooler was constructed from one a farmer no longer needed
• Architects for Humanity is constructing a storage shed using earthbags. Come help and learn about this innovative, affordable building method.
• Be sure to visit our neighbor around the corner on FM 969 – the Center for Maximum Potential Building Systems – to see their off-the-grid sustainable buildings.
Community
• Folks are encouraged to use the farm for new purposes: Yoga in the hayloft, children’s birthday parties beside the barn, art classes, movie nights, cooking demonstrations. The farm is more than food, it is here to foster and sustain relationships.
Goals
• Composting toilet (instead of spending $85/month on a chemically-treated outhouse)
• All solar systems
• Regular deliveries of food waste and wood chips
