Natural Farming
| Biodynamic & Organic |
Only to him who stands where the barley
stands and listens well, will it speak and
tell, for his sake, what man is.
-- Masanobu Fukuoka, 1985
stands and listens well, will it speak and
tell, for his sake, what man is.
-- Masanobu Fukuoka, 1985
A Little About Our Farming
For much of the past few years, we have concentrated time and energy to the study and
implementation of organic farming, natural horsemanship, as well as restoring the farm
buildings, soil and immediate surroundings.
The past few growing seasons our family and guests have grown and eaten: mesclun
mixes (including arugula, various mustard cresses, radicchio, bok choi, tat-soi, mizuna,
chicory, endive), garlic, basil, dill, sage, apple mint, dandelion greens, squash (delicata,
buttercup, kuri, Romanesca zucchini, yellow crookneck), kale (lacinato, Russian, and
curly), Swiss chard, spinach, cabbage, leeks, potatoes, sweet peppers, corn, beets,
radishes, daikon, broccoli, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, blueberries, raspberries,
strawberries, tomatoes, pumpkins, and true watercress (in & around our forest stream).
The 100% organic seeds that we use are carefully placed into the organic soil in a rich
seed nest of Vermont Compost's Fort Vee organic compost. Our farm (which in the past
century-plus, has been a sheep farm, a dairy farm, and a soft-woods forest) has, to the
very best of our knowledge, not had chemical fertilizers added to it. We water our crops
with our well water (and the gentle, non-acidic rain), and then they are bathed in the rich
mountaintop air.
We've been experimenting with growing some of our vegetables with companion plants --
such as marigolds, buckwheat, and flax (and nasturtiums with our mesclun mixes). The
results in taste and energy (and eye-appeal) are spectacular, plus they attract bees and
pollinators. Transplants from our indoor greenhouse are carefully placed in our outdoor
beds into little pockets of Vermont Compost's Fort Vee, and top-dressed with Vermont
Compost's Compost Plus.
Stephanie, our gardener/photographer/web master, has been gardening since 1955.
She also works with wildflowers, perennials (with a focus on daylilies & heritage varieties
of plants), and woodland plants -- especially ones with multiple uses. Her ancestors
were goatherds, weavers and woodcarvers/cabinet makers in the foothills of the French
Pyrenees mountains.
The Bourdelles are passionate caretakers of Mother Earth and Her rich abundant
natural gifts to us all. Marc's foster father, his first agriculture teacher, spent the first
eleven years of his life on his family's farm. Marc's stepmother, Mary Barto -- a pure
Appalachian -- "never left the family farm." Marc's passion/love of horses and
horsemanship was enthusiastically supported in his early childhood. His childhood
For much of the past few years, we have concentrated time and energy to the study and
implementation of organic farming, natural horsemanship, as well as restoring the farm
buildings, soil and immediate surroundings.
The past few growing seasons our family and guests have grown and eaten: mesclun
mixes (including arugula, various mustard cresses, radicchio, bok choi, tat-soi, mizuna,
chicory, endive), garlic, basil, dill, sage, apple mint, dandelion greens, squash (delicata,
buttercup, kuri, Romanesca zucchini, yellow crookneck), kale (lacinato, Russian, and
curly), Swiss chard, spinach, cabbage, leeks, potatoes, sweet peppers, corn, beets,
radishes, daikon, broccoli, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, blueberries, raspberries,
strawberries, tomatoes, pumpkins, and true watercress (in & around our forest stream).
The 100% organic seeds that we use are carefully placed into the organic soil in a rich
seed nest of Vermont Compost's Fort Vee organic compost. Our farm (which in the past
century-plus, has been a sheep farm, a dairy farm, and a soft-woods forest) has, to the
very best of our knowledge, not had chemical fertilizers added to it. We water our crops
with our well water (and the gentle, non-acidic rain), and then they are bathed in the rich
mountaintop air.
We've been experimenting with growing some of our vegetables with companion plants --
such as marigolds, buckwheat, and flax (and nasturtiums with our mesclun mixes). The
results in taste and energy (and eye-appeal) are spectacular, plus they attract bees and
pollinators. Transplants from our indoor greenhouse are carefully placed in our outdoor
beds into little pockets of Vermont Compost's Fort Vee, and top-dressed with Vermont
Compost's Compost Plus.
Stephanie, our gardener/photographer/web master, has been gardening since 1955.
She also works with wildflowers, perennials (with a focus on daylilies & heritage varieties
of plants), and woodland plants -- especially ones with multiple uses. Her ancestors
were goatherds, weavers and woodcarvers/cabinet makers in the foothills of the French
Pyrenees mountains.
The Bourdelles are passionate caretakers of Mother Earth and Her rich abundant
natural gifts to us all. Marc's foster father, his first agriculture teacher, spent the first
eleven years of his life on his family's farm. Marc's stepmother, Mary Barto -- a pure
Appalachian -- "never left the family farm." Marc's passion/love of horses and
horsemanship was enthusiastically supported in his early childhood. His childhood
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"The greatest fine
art of the future,
will be the making
of a comfortable
living on a small
piece of land."
President
Abraham Lincoln
dream was to have a self-sustaining
vegetable and horse farm. He grew
up in rural America, surrounded by
nature; then he began his studies of
organic lifestyles in the mid-70's,
while living and studying with Michio
Kushi. He began his studies of Tai
Chi [Bagua] and Chi Gung in the
mid-70's, and continued his studies
well into the mid-1990s when he
began part-time teaching. Marc has
studied with many energy healing
teachers.
vegetable and horse farm. He grew
up in rural America, surrounded by
nature; then he began his studies of
organic lifestyles in the mid-70's,
while living and studying with Michio
Kushi. He began his studies of Tai
Chi [Bagua] and Chi Gung in the
mid-70's, and continued his studies
well into the mid-1990s when he
began part-time teaching. Marc has
studied with many energy healing
teachers.
Our rich, healthy soil produces
vibrant colors in the frogs here
vibrant colors in the frogs here