Category Archives: Updates

Reintroducing this blog

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As you can see from the history, this blog has languished for a while. Well, it will no more.

What prompted the absence and the change?

It started with the fact that I got really sick two and a half years ago–in fact, so sick I almost died–and I’ve spent the time since recovering. I’m now recovered enough that I am am able to get back into what my wife, Keba, and I set out to do with our farm, Innisfree on the Stillwater.

Further, beyond my work on the farm, I am also working to develop myself as a freelance writer, and it turns out having a solid portfolio is an important part of that process. It seems to me that writing about what I am doing is a great way to populate that portfolio, so here we are.

My goal is to post here at least once a week, or more often if some subject spurs me to write more. I hope you’ll join me for the journey.

DLH

Please excuse the mess

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Really, it’s more of a metaphorical mess as we go about the business of steering the beast that is Innisfree on the Stillwater in a new direction.

What does that direction look like? Well, we’re now share-cropping organic row crops, raising wool and meat sheep instead of cattle, and transitioning to perennial permiculture over annual monoculture.

The goal is to make our farm a model for what the future of sustainable farming can look like. Until then, it might seem like a mess.

DLH

So, I’m still here and kicking

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It’s been quite a year at Innisfree on the Stillwater. After more than two years of health struggles, we decided to sell off our cattle herd and change directions some. Our 90 acres of crop ground is now certified organic, and we’re adding 10 more acres of former pasture to that number in the coming year. We’re now raising small herds of Shetland fiber sheep and a mixed herd of hair meat sheep. We’re taking a step back from a lot of our customer facing efforts in order to regroup and see where the future lies.

We’re not done, but we are changing. We haven’t quite settled out the future yet, but we know it will involve this place. More will follow.

DLH