Happenings

This guy. . .

Wilson Alvarez – Woodland Steward

This guy wants to teach YOU to transform degraded woodlands into healthy, biodiverse, productive habitats through hands-on, ecologically sound techniques. The Woodland Steward Training Program is a part-time program is designed for landowners, land stewards, activists, naturalists, and outdoor enthusiasts. No previous experience required. The program runs from April through October 2019. Topics covered include:

Forest ecology
Historical land uses and misuses
Land regeneration design and implementation
Disturbance-based forest management
Agroforestry system design, installation, and maintenance
Coppicing
Riparian buffer design, installation, and maintenance
Cultivating woodland plants
Invasive species management
Designing habitat for keystone species
Water movement
Mapping
Use of hand tools
Tree and plant identification
Animal tracking
Insect identification
Data collection

For more information and an application, visit our website.

Upcoming events:

2019 Horn Farm Vegetable CSA – Early bird discount of $25 available until January 31st!
Betsy’s Flowers at the Farm Flower CSA – Yes, I want flowers! Early bird discount until January 31.
Regenerative Farming Internship
Woodland Steward Training Program

February 9 – Introduction to Lacto-Fermentation (waitlist)
March 23 – Wilderness Skills: The Art of Seeing & Nature Observation
March 30 – Wilderness Skills: Shelter Building & Finding Water
April 13 – Wilderness Skills: Ancient Art of Fire by Friction
April 20 – Wilderness Skills: Foraging, Hunting & Trapping
April 27 – Wilderness Skills: Advanced Primitive Hunting Techniques

See you at the farm!

Photo credits: Michelle Johnsen

2016 was the year we first offered a Farm Internship. That year we welcomed four interns: Andrew (who has since become our Field Manager), Joshua, Miranda, and Betsy. Having owned a successful wellness business for 25 years, Betsy was ready for a career change and was drawn to learn to farm. Our internship is open to adults of all ages. Over the years we’ve had participants whose ages have ranged from 17 to 64. Betsy completed a two year internship before deciding to open her farm business. Betsy’s Flowers at the Farm is part of our Incubator Farm. We are pleased to announce that Betsy’s Flowers at the Farm is starting her second season of operation.  She’s offering weekly or biweekly fresh flower bouquets for pick up at the Horn Farm.

Why buy local, organic flowers?
They Are Truly Local
Almost 80% of fresh flowers sold in the United States are not grown in North America, but in Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, the Netherlands, and Israel. Shipping flowers from those countries to the United States incurs huge transportation, energy, refrigeration, and storage costs, leaving an enormous carbon footprint. These floral materials often carry residue of chemical pesticides or fungicides.

They Are Truly Fresh
Imported flowers are often cut a week or more before they arrive in a customer’s hands. During this time, quality and vase life decline. Locally-grown flowers can be cut in the morning and on your dining room table that evening.

They Are Responsibly Grown
Betsy uses responsible farming methods like integrated pest management, diverse cropping systems, and low-input fertilization programs. Her farm encourages biodiversity, soil health, and water conservation.

They Smell Better
Many commodity-type flowers have been bred for uniformity to fit into a box, and the stem strength to hold up in that box for long-distance travel, usually losing their natural fragrance in the process. Locally-grown flowers are produced in greater varieties, providing a wide range of colors, forms, and scents.

They Support Small Farmers and the Local Economy
The production and sale of locally-grown cut flowers provides employment and contributes to a community’s economy.

They Make You Feel Better!
Flowers reduce stress and improve your mood. Flowers can be connected to a time, a place, a person, a season, an event. They have a story and you are part of it.

Shares are available on a weekly or bi-weekly basis. Find our more and purchase your share at: Betsy’s Flowers at the Farm.

Upcoming events:

2019 Horn Farm Vegetable CSA – Early bird discount of $25 available until January 31st!
Betsy’s Flowers at the Farm Flower CSA – Yes, I want flowers!

2019 Regenerative Farming Internship

2019 Woodland Steward Training Program

February 9 – Introduction to Lacto-Fermentation (waitlist)
March 23 – Wilderness Skills: The Art of Seeing & Nature Observation
March 30 – Wilderness Skills: Shelter Building & Finding Water
April 13 – Wilderness Skills: Ancient Art of Fire by Friction
April 20 – Wilderness Skills: Foraging, Hunting & Trapping
April 27 – Wilderness Skills: Advanced Primitive Hunting Techniques

From Bones to Bloom: Ecological Design Course March 3 – May 26
Friends and colleagues of ours will be teaching a Permaculture Design Course featuring the Horn Farm as one of the on-site “class rooms”. A class on regenerative ecology for the 21st century landscape with Robyn Mello, Wilson Alvarez, and Benjamin Weiss. This course will embody the permaculture principle: “design from patterns to details.” Students will begin at the foundation of ecological design by understanding ecological concepts and principles, learning to deeply observe natural patterns. During the course, we’ll take students on a journey through ever more detailed aspects of ecological design, developing towards a tool-kit of land-based techniques for building a new paradigm of community and economy.
Click here for full class description and registration

See you at the farm!

Photo credit for Betsy’s Flowers at the Farm: Michelle Johnsen

Though we still have kale, spinach and wild greens on the farm, we’re already looking forward to having a share of fresh vegetables each week. 2019 marks the fourth year of our farming internship. Learning to grow fresh vegetables organically has always been at the heart of the program. In addition to learning to grow annual vegetables, Horn Farm interns get practice in establishing perennial crop systems and in ecological restoration methods that enhance the overall health of the farm. We’ve already filled our 2019 Beekeeper Training program and the Foraging Intensive, so if you’re interested in the regenerative farming internship, contact us soon!

Our farm fresh vegetables are available to the community primarily through our CSA program. CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture. In the CSA model, members of the community pledge support to a farm, with the grower and consumers sharing the risks and benefits of food production. Each shareholder pays a fee at the beginning of the season in exchange for a weekly share of the harvest. The farmer benefits from the financial support at the beginning of the season and the shareholders benefit from knowing they have a reliable, weekly supply of fresh, seasonal, organically grown produce.

We have the following items on our growing schedule this year: Arugula, Basil, Beans, Beets, Broccoli, Cabbage, Carrots, Cantaloupe, Celery, Cilantro, Cucumbers, Dandelion Greens, Dill, Eggplant, Garlic, Green Onions & Bulb Onions, Kale, Kohlrabi, Lettuce, Parsley, Peas, Peppers (Hot & Sweet), Potatoes, Radishes, Spinach, Squash (Summer & Winter), Strawberries, Sweet Potatoes, Swiss Chard, Tomatillos, Tomatoes, Turnips, Watermelon, various herbs, and more.

The CSA season lasts 22 weeks beginning in late May or early June until October or early November. Shares are available for pick up on Tuesdays at the Horn Farm from 2:30-6:30 PM.

Cost: $675 Full Share (Weekly Pickup) or $365 Half Share (Biweekly Pickup) – Early bird discount of $25 available until January 31st!

Our first class of the year takes place on February 9:  Introduction to Lacto-fermentation Lacto-fermentation is the ancient art of preserving vegetables using salt. The use of salt in an anaerobic environment inhibits pathogenic bacterial growth and allows only the lactic acid bacteria to thrive, converting natural sugars of vegetables into zingy, tangy, sour, umami!

Usually preservation happens BEFORE the lean times of winter, but this intro course will prep you for the upcoming bountiful harvests of the spring and summer seasons as well as help get your palate through the rest of those bland winter doldrums with the creation of a zesty and healthful side dish/condiment.

This is an interactive workshop geared for the newbie fermenter and will begin by priming your palette with samples of fermentations made by the facilitators whilst discussing the health benefits of lacto-fermented foods. Space is limited, so register today!

Upcoming events:

2019 Regenerative Farming Internship

February 9 – Introduction to Lacto-Fermentation
March 23 – Wilderness Skills: The Art of Seeing & Nature Observation
March 30 – Wilderness Skills: Shelter Building & Finding Water
April 13 – Wilderness Skills: Ancient Art of Fire by Friction
April 20 – Wilderness Skills: Foraging, Hunting & Trapping
April 27 – Wilderness Skills: Advanced Primitive Hunting Techniques

From Bones to Bloom: Ecological Design Course March 3 – May 26
Friends and colleagues of ours will be teaching a Permaculture Design Course featuring the Horn Farm as one of the on-site “class rooms”. A class on regenerative ecology for the 21st century landscape with Robyn Mello, Wilson Alvarez, and Benjamin Weiss. This course will embody the permaculture principle: “design from patterns to details.” Students will begin at the foundation of ecological design by understanding ecological concepts and principles, learning to deeply observe natural patterns. During the course, we’ll take students on a journey through ever more detailed aspects of ecological design, developing towards a tool-kit of land-based techniques for building a new paradigm of community and economy.
Click here for full class description and registration

See you at the farm!