Forming a Vinculum
- Mr. and Mrs. McKee
- Feb 17, 2016
- 2 min read
The honor and responsibilities for caretaking and developing a viable farm are now squarely on our shoulders. In our first year here, we've discerned a niche in the local market, that we also find fascinating and fulfilling to cultivate: Mushrooms! We are currently in the middle of an ambitious project to convert the historic barns to be suitable for mushroom and microgreen cultivation all year long, yet be efficient, prosperous and in line with our values (permaculture strategies, regenerative agriculture techniques, practical physics, and wise routines).
We now heat with local wood, having installed a wood furnace into the largest workspace. A very large window and door now offer natural light in both the office and main workspace. We chose a synthetic spray foam for a thick and efficient insulation. Although we would have preferred a straw or similar alternative, this was the best long-term and moisture-proof choice for us now (the high humidity required for mushroom growth limited our options quite a bit).
Our 5, 10, and 25 year plans for generating more food systems, native plant and insect habitat and our own power sources have grown more defined over the Winter. Our future plans include a biodiesel farm truck, compostable packaging, outdoor mushroom growing, native fruit and nut orchard/native species habitat, firewood cultivation and installing solar panels.
We will soon be filming with our Go Pro Camera to share the information of mushroom cultivation and homestead farming.
Future products development is perhaps the most exciting venture, but I'll save those plans to share later.
:0)
Our homestead farm has been occupied since pre-colonial America and we seek both to make it thrive once again for the good of our community and family, and be easily handed off to a future farmer; We are only a link in the golden chain.
To see historical photos, visit the Historic Farm page on our website.
Modern photos can be found on our Instagram account.
