Today, at 57 years old, I Became a Farmer

I have been running summer camps in Maryland for children since 1984.  In 2002 I purchased a wonderful 115-acre farm and started yet another great ACA-accredited summer camp.  The old farmstead was rundown and had been neglected for decades.  As we spruced the place up to prepare for children, I realized that there was potential for environmental restoration and saw the need to minimize the human footprint on this land.  A 10 KW windmill and 15 KW of solar panels soon followed and have shown mixed results over time.  Within the first 6 years of ownership came an opportunity to engage in a wetland restoration and the installation of a 9-acre riparian buffer to protect the local water shed.  All of this was made possible with the assistance of grant opportunities through soil conservation and the department of public works.

I found myself becoming a champion of environmental land stewardship and the farm is emerging as a demonstration site for best land practices.  I am an uneducated environmentalist, but I am learning.

Agricultural sustainability and healthy food production has become the next step in the progression of this facility.  Today, I hired a wonderful young man as my farm manager. At age 25 he will serve as my mentor and I, at 57, am his student.

First on the agenda is deer fencing and a quick trip to Southern States to buy 62 ten-foot posts, 990 feet of galvanized fencing, and chicken wire to keep rabbits and other critters away from the vegetables.

Tomorrow we will review the vegetables to be planted and in the soil in the coming weeks.  We will hoop houses and install a 96-foot tunnel greenhouse this Summer.

The goal is to grow crops profitably and to teach our campers, students from the surrounding counties, and community members about the importance of taking care of our land and minimizing our footprint on it.  Our successes and failures will follow.