The bright, creative thinking and dedicated, diligent work of Chris Farmer and Brian Love are the stuff of future Earthaven legends. Folks are always wanting to know what amazing things they’ve been up to. Considering their plan for Gateway Field, we will probably not be disappointed, as it promises to maximize their potential.

In these times, we need people with legendary resolve, tireless energy, multi-dimensional intelligence and a strong work ethic. While growing with remarkable success, Earthaven is still facing huge insufficiencies, not the least of which is a lack of inherited skills.

The homesteader skills of our great grandparents have been lost. Now, the skill a ten-year-old would have taken for granted a century ago, we must gain through trial and error. Of course, many people at Earthaven have resolve, energy, intelligence and a good work ethic (not necessarily in legendary quantity). Nonetheless, we have been slow in tackling the far-reaching problem of dependable alternative energy. Most of us have been entirely occupied with other important work, including the building of our own living spaces, that we often have just had to go on the hope that eventually someone with the right skills and knowledge would take it on.

Thank goodness, Brian and Farmer are doing just that! In their own words, they have already begun the intensive project of creating an integrated system where logging, milling, and building residues provide power for biofuel production… [with their] wastes…used as high-protein feed supplements for pasture-raised livestock [that]…fertilize the field…for vegetable cultivation.”

It will be a while before the whole program is in place and producing. In the eight plus years that Farmer has been at Earthaven, he has been doing what neede to be done while planning and preparing for this project. This time was not wasted.

Though Brian arrived on the scene just four years ago, he truly hit the ground running. His brilliance, exuberance, and physical endurance were just the support Farmer needed to renew his resolve. Helping him to make use of the things he had learned in his years at Eathaven.

In our last two issues, we wrote about our new “Sweat Equity” policy and also about “Sustainable Systems” (which focused primarily on Farmer and Brian’s work truck/power source). These articles described how these men established the foundation that would allow them to carry out their plans within the limiting context of a self-supporting, off-the-grid community such as ours. In the relatively short time since they signed their lease for the Gateway field, they have cleared the acreage, processed and stored the wood, acquired their water tanks, built an impressive barn, plowed under their first two cover crops, planted a third cover crop, and constructed a significantly-sized pond. Therefore, in spite of insufficiencies (or because they are so aware of them), Farmer and Brian are helping us to face a more promising future.

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Lee gave us this information about the breed:

Dexters originated in Ireland’s rugged countryside near County Kerry. In England, their popularity grew both with commoners, who could keep this small cow on the commons for grazing, and with royalty for the novelty of its small size. Before refrigeration, the smaller size was valuable for raising an ongoing supply of beef without excess. As one of the world’s smallest bovines, the Dexter (sometimes still called the “Irish Dexter” because of its origins) is considered by many owners today to be the ideal homestead or or small holder’s breed. They are dual purpose, raised for milk and meat. A milking Dexter cow can produce 1.5 to 2.5 gallons per day, which is more Milk for its weight than any other breed. The milk’s butterfat content is 4 to 5 percent. It is possible to get yields of cream up to one quart per gallon. Animals raised for beef mature in 18 months and results in small cuts of high quality lean meat, graded choice, with little waste. The Dexters’ small size combined with the ability to produce well isn’t the only trait that makes them well suited for homesteaders and smallholders. Like many of the older breeds, they are extremely hardy. Thriving in both hot and cold weather, they can be outdoors year-round with simple shelter, and need less pasture and feed than other breeds.

The fence Lee and Mihaly worked so hard to provide may not be as aesthetically pleasing as the barn and rock work. However, it is essential for keeping in myriad animals. These animals will contribute to the productivity of the farm in the future. It already contains many new inhabitants, around 150 pullet hens have arrived and will soon be in full production. They may greatly reduce the number of eggs we need to bring in from off the land. Thank you Lee and Mihaly, for putting so much effort into furthering sustainability at Earthaven!

For more info about Breeds go to: The American Livestock Breeds Conservancy @http://www.albc-usa.org/

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