Farming | The Natural Farmer

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Spring 2025
Draft Animal Power

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Image: Michael Glos and his team, Kingbird Farm, NY

Read our issue on draft power! Are you looking to incorporate animals on your farm? This is the perfect issue to read all the tips and tricks of draft power. Check out our website we updated it to include our instagram link!https://www.thenaturalfarmer.org

Dream of farming with horses? Learn about the intuitive relationships between humans and animals in the latest issue on Draft Power. Written by Maggie Smith of Tiding Farm

Looking for writers for our latest issues! Reach out today

Calling all writers!!!!! Write for Natural farmer, we would love your input!
#writers https://online.fliphtml5.com/uhauf/rnlj/#google_vignette

Check out the NOFA farmer of the year message. For some inspiration and advice. In the latest issue of Natural Farmer

Ever wondered about how to incorporate draft power on to your farm?
Read all about oxen power on the farm in our latest issue.

Learn new tips and techniques of draft power! Read our newest issue on Draft Power! https://www.thenaturalfarmer.org

Read about how to incorporate herbs and draft power! HHF farm in beautiful New York works the land growing functional herbs along with using horse power….. read more on TNF latest issue on draft power! https://www.thenaturalfarmer.org

Interested in growing out your own food in your backyard? Check out our latest book review!!!
#bookreview#storeypublishing

Check out our cover story all about how to use draft power on a small scale farm!! All about sustainable farming and draft power.
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Check out the latest Natural Farmer! It’s all about draft power! Great way to learn more.
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Check out The Natural Farmer for the latest book reviews! https://online.fliphtml5.com/uhauf/rnlj/#p=51

Check out our Draft Power issue!!!Happy Earth Day!!!
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Read our latest issue on policy! The Natural Farmer link here!!! https://online.fliphtml5.com/uhauf/oldd/#p=12

Check out the article https://online.fliphtml5.com/uhauf/oldd/#p=12

Read the latest Natural Farmer for our book reviews on Cannabis Farming and The Whole Okra.

Is Red your favorite color for tomatoes? Check out the latest copy of The Natural Farmer to read more!
#tomatoes

Check out the latest copy of The Natural Farmer!!!

Neptune's Harvest Fertilizer is turning seafood by-products into organic fertilizer, closing the loop on waste and fostering healthier soil and crops. By utilizing fish remains, or "gurry," from their seafood processing, Ocean Crest Seafoods (parent company of Neptune’s Harvest) creates nutrient-rich fertilizers that replenish the soil and improve plant health. Their products, made from wild-caught fish and crab shells, not only eliminate waste but also reduce the need for pesticides and synthetic chemicals. The result is more resilient crops and a healthier environment. Learn more about how Neptune's Harvest is contributing to sustainable farming on our website.

The Black Rice Project is reclaiming a lost heritage while rejuvenating the land and uplifting Black farmers in the Southeast. Founded by Konda Mason, the initiative is centered on fostering racial equity through regenerative agriculture, specifically rice farming. With the help of local farmers, the project is restoring ancestral knowledge, reviving food traditions, and creating new economic opportunities. By cultivating specialty rice varieties using sustainable techniques, the project is not only reviving a crucial part of American agricultural history, but also empowering a new generation of Black farmers. Read more here https://www.thenaturalfarmer.org/post/cover-article-the-black-farmers-growing-rice

🌿 This International Women’s Day, we honor the women shaping sustainable agriculture with powerful, hands-on work. Across small farms, many women are reviving traditional practices like draft animal power — working alongside horses, mules, and oxen to till the land, grow food, and build strong, local communities.

These women are not only preserving the environment with eco-friendly methods, but also ensuring that their farms thrive through mentorship, shared knowledge, and a deep commitment to nurturing the land. By combining time-tested wisdom with fresh perspectives, they’re paving the way for a more sustainable, community-focused future.

To the women farming with love, care, and a deep sense of purpose — your work is a vital force in our world. 💪🌾 Check out all that they do in our most recent issue on Draft Animal Power.

#WomensDay #WomenInFarming #DraftAnimalPower #SustainableAg #FarmingWithPurpose #LocalFood #StrongWomen

In its inaugural season, the New Hampshire Mycological Society is cultivating a community of fungi enthusiasts, eager to share their passion for mushrooms and the ecosystems they nourish. Through foraging walks, workshops, and exploration, this new group aims to deepen understanding of the diverse fungal world, from the peculiar dog turd fungus to the stunning blue-green elf cup. With a growing interest in mushrooms, the society hopes to inspire sustainable practices and a deeper connection to nature, expanding like mycelium across the state.

Dive into their story and the incredible benefits fungi bring to our environment. #Fungi #Mycology #CommunityScience.

🌸 Launched in 2021, the Massachusetts Pollinator Network (MAPN) is bringing together advocates, educators, and communities to protect and nurture native pollinators. From bumblebees to butterflies, these vital creatures face an urgent biodiversity crisis exacerbated by habitat loss and pesticide use. MAPN is helping individuals and organizations create healthy environments for pollinators through education, policy support, and practical resources.
Here are a few quick tips to get started:
✅ Plant native species (at least 70%)—trees, shrubs, and flowers that are pesticide-free.
✅ Minimize soil disruption and avoid pesticides.
✅ Leave leaves in place for wintering insects and leave dead tree trunks standing.
✅ Provide shallow water dishes for bees and other wildlife.
✅ Limit outdoor lighting to protect nocturnal pollinators.
Read the full article to discover how you can help support pollinators in your own backyard and beyond. #Pollinators #Biodiversity #NativePlants Massachusetts Pollinator Network

🍄 Mushrooms are more than just a forest curiosity—they’re vital to our ecosystems and communities. As mycophiles step up to document, protect, and reclaim indigenous knowledge, the growing movement challenges colonial legacies in science. Dive into the full story on how fungi are shaping both the environment and our understanding of it. Learn more when you read the full article on our site, "The Wisdom of Fungi Inspires Community Conservation" by Reina Gattuso.

Image: Sneha Ganguly, speaking to a group during a foray. Photo by Reina Gattuso
#Fungi #CommunityScience #mycologyphotography

"The Heirloom Collard Project is working to regenerate and reintroduce collard diversity into local food systems through a diverse network of community-based seed stewards. The aim is to develop relationships—including traditions around growing, cooking, and eating collards--with these varieties beyond the standard seed catalog transactions so that they can re-exist in communities without the threat of extinction." Read the full article by Christ Smith on our site: https://www.thenaturalfarmer.org/post/cover-story-from-heirloom-to-ultracross-a-journey-of-collard-diversity

"Imagine you’ve been tasked with developing a fish farm on a distant planet. The conditions outside your biosphere are harsh, unforgiving, and ever-changing. You’ve got access to water, but not much, and the quality of it is suspect due to unknown organisms lurking within. What inputs and outputs would you need to consider and plan for? How would you ensure the water was used wisely and your animals were healthy and productive?"

Read the full article by Brittany Peachey on our site. Brittany is the Aquaculture Operations Manager at Hudson Valley Fish Farm, a land-based recirculating aquaculture system in Hudson, New York, and a 2020 recipient of Hatchery International's Top 10 Under 40.

"My primary effort in hybridizing and seed production has been with passion flowers. I generally have at least 20 species/varieties of passion flowers in my greenhouse during the growing season. I actively cross certain plants that might produce interesting hybrids and pray for fruit. This rather random method has resulted in a few hybrids of interest. My favorite is a large white flower with a purple corona, Passiflora X ‘Paloma.’ Messing with the pollination of Passiflora ciliata has also resulted in some interesting selections."

Karma Glos has run Kingbird Farm in Richford, NY with her family, Michael and Rosemary, for over twenty years. They produce a diverse array of certified organically raised meats, produce, and plants. Read more about their approach to hybridizing flowers:
https://www.thenaturalfarmer.org/post/seed-passion

Draft animals are a sustainable and renewable way to do earth works and land use in your farms, fields and forests. Our Spring 2025 issue will highlight the ongoing efforts of people who are educating, mentoring, and building community around animal-power.

Why do you use draft animals? How have draft animals transformed your farm and landscape? What do you love about using them? What's hard about using them? Share a story or poem about your favorite draft animal. Submit your story on our site.

The Seed: A Poem by Olivia O'Dwyer and Noah Dest

We were born in the stars
as fire and dust
falling to Earth as seeds
scattered on barren rock

We are the spirits of creation

Sprouting from the primordial cocoon
the perilous inertia of dormancy now broken
Our fragile stems are lifted
curled and blanched
naked to the scorching sun

Digesting light prisms of the solar supreme
who ceaselessly summons fire to our blood
Mother's water rains down
and we drink
bowing with soft hearts and tearful eyes

At Midsummer's Eve
we dance with fireflies
our fallen star-kin
Entranced amidst a spectacle of lights
that same dance becomes a song

For whom do we sing?
With whom do we sing?

Now we become heavy and wise
swelling yet, somehow, contracting
From out of ether comes the knowledge of ages
to pour into this ripening vessel

Weaving five elements in urgent gestation
to render a sacred concentration
Finally, the world folds in
to welcome the birth of a new light

We were born in the stars
as fire and dust
falling to Earth as seeds
scattered on fertile soil

We are the spirits of creation

Bhoomi Devi Seeds is a no-till seed farm and company in Midcoast Maine, learn more about our open-pollinated seed offerings at bhoomideviseeds.com.

In 2020, driven by a shared desire to reconnect with their ancestral roots and protect Iraq’s endangered agricultural heritage, a group of individuals from the Iraqi diaspora came together to form the Iraqi Seed Collective. The idea sparked when two of the founding members met through an online cooking class hosted by Awafi Kitchen, an Iraqi Jewish restaurant pop-up created by Annabel. For Ali Ruxin, one of the founders, the connection between seed-saving and cultural identity had always been latent but suddenly became clear. "I had always been passionate about preserving seeds, but I hadn’t yet understood how it tied into my own identity and practices. As that connection deepened, I reached out to Annabel. It felt like a way to merge two vital parts of my life—growing, nurturing, and sharing—and to be part of a community that was doing the same," Ali reflects.

Through the collective's work, they are not just preserving seeds, but also cultivating a sense of belonging and continuity for future generations, ensuring that Iraq's agricultural traditions are not lost to time. Read the full article about their collective:

Happy world kindness day (yes it's a thing)! In the spirit of kindness we wanted to highlight sacrifice for communal well being, the ultimate kindness, by sharing an article by Natalia de Cuba Romero about the @shinnecockkelpfarmers, a multi-generational collective of six women. These members of the Shinnecock Nation are cultivating seaweed–a traditional food and medicine of their people–to once again work in partnership with the land, sea and sky to provide sustenance, rebalance the nitrogen and carbon levels in the bay, and create new green jobs for the next seven generations and beyond. @nofanewyork
Read the full, and very beautiful, article on our site. NOFA-NY Learn more here:

The Natural Farmer is looking for new advertisers. Want to highlight your products? Selling land? Need a new farm hand? Consider placing ads in our upcoming Winter 2025 issue. Visit our site for more info.

The Natural Farmer (TNF) is the newspaper of the Northeast Organic Farming Association. TNF covers news of the organic movement nationally and internationally and features stories about farmers, homesteaders, and gardeners, especially those from the 7 NOFA member states: Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, New Jersey, and Vermont. TNF is mailed quarterly to more than 5,000 farms, homes, and businesses across the Northeast and beyond.

Draft animals are a sustainable and renewable way to do earth works and land use in your farms, fields and forests. The Spring 2025 issue will highlight the ongoing efforts of people who are educating, mentoring, and building community around animal-power.

Why do you use draft animals? how have draft animals transformed your farm and landscape? What do you love about using them? What's hard about using them? Share a story or poem about your favorite draft animal. Submission Deadline: Feb 1st. Learn more info on our site!

People feel connected to NOFA because of our shared love of the land and farming and because we’ve gotten to know each other over the 50 years we’ve been around–from gathering at conferences to sharing best practices on farm tours to reading about each other’s farms. We at The Natural Farmer want to highlight the people who make up NOFA. Read about Richard Robinson, of @hopestillfarm, Massachusetts.

Check out our link!

Want us to share your story? Have a farmer you’d like to interview? Contact TNF@NOFA.org if you’d like to be interviewed or interview somebody and get published in TNF. @nofamass

Ever wondered why marigolds, or cempasúchil, are the iconic flower of Día de los Muertos? Día de los Muertos is a vibrant Mexican tradition celebrating and honoring deceased loved ones, where families create colorful altars and offerings to welcome the spirits back for a joyful reunion.

This symbol of the marigold traces back to pre-Hispanic Aztec rituals tied to the goddess Mictecacihuatl, the Lady of the Dead, a key figure in beliefs surrounding death and the underworld, Mictlan. She and her husband, Mictlantecuhtli, were thought to oversee the dead. Some interpretations of the legend say Mictecacihuatl allowed spirits to travel back to earth to reconnect with their family members. The musky fragrance of this bright flower is said to lead souls from their burial place to their family homes. For years these flowers can be seen adorning ofrendas (altars) for adults, children and even pets.

Our Summer 2024 issue, Aquaculture, is making waves. Read the articles (FOR FREE!) now on our website. Do you receive The Natural Farmer? For only $20 a year, you can get our current issues in print, (it's a different experience that we recommend.)
Image : Sean Barrett, Montauk Seaweed Company, NY @montaukseaweedco

The Natural Farmer, the Northeast Organic Farming Association (NOFA) newspaper, is seeking stories highlighting the varied experiences of farmers of color. We're interested in a range of topics, including articles about your unique cultural techniques and practices that inform your approach as a farmer/ gardener/ homesteader.

TNF is seeking narratives encompassing celebratory moments, challenges confronting BIPOC farmers in a predominantly white-controlled sector, historical examinations of agriculture and land appropriation in the US, explorations of ecology intertwined with cultural traditions in farming, analyses of political dynamics affecting BIPOC growers, and accounts spotlighting community, grassroots initiatives led by farmers of color, and other topics of choice by farmers of color.

Submission deadline is November 1, 2024. Compensation available. For more information visit: https://www.thenaturalfarmer.org/submit-an-article

Do you have a story of triumph, a milestone, or a moment of joy in your farming journey? We're seeking submissions by farmers of color for our Winter issue highlighting the experiences of Black, Indigenous and Farmers of Color. Submission deadline is November 1, 2024. Compensation available. Learn more at www.TheNaturalFarmer.org.

"Organic farming is grounded in the principle and reality of a vibrant, living earth supporting healthy plant-animal-human communities," said writer Will Brinton in the Spring issue article "The Dilemma of Organic Growers Selling Their Soil into Carbon Markets." Read this article and more on our site.

"A father of five and an aircraft mechanic with the U.S. Air Force Reserve, Kyle Smith is also a Black farmer, which only roughly 2% of the U.S. farming population can claim. It is a statistic that he seems personally motivated to change. “Helping the community, old farmers, new farmers, is very important, especially for Black farmers like myself, to be able to keep our legacy going,” he said.'@smithpoultry

Kyle’s interest in reclaiming farming as a viable business is to support his family today while honoring those who came before him - his farming mentors and Southern ancestors, as his parents are from the Carolinas. So much of the context about farming was lost during the migration of Black populations from the deep South to Northern regions, Kyle explains. He is clearly farming for change, often teaching and sharing experiences with other Black farmers in the region, bolstering their ability to succeed as best he can. It is intrinsic to his own farm’s mission, which is to “grow, teach and sustain."'

Read more about Kyle's experience adapting to markets and growing his business o our site. Toggle to our link in bio or see all available articles under 'Recent Issues'.

Grassroots groups and organizations within agriculture are critical. Have a story to share about community resilience, solidarity, or grassroots efforts in farming? We’re calling for submissions that highlight voices of farmers that are Black, Indigenous and People of Color and grassroots initiatives by BIPOC farmers in our upcoming issue on Farmers of Color. Submission deadline is November 1, 2024. Compensation available. Learn more at www.TheNaturalFarmer.org.

Can family dairy farms thrive in the emerging raw milk market 🐄💰? In our Spring issue, authors and experts @markmcafee_, Sarah Smith, @Dr Joseph Heckman, and @barefootbranded explore how raw milk offers a sustainable solution for farmers, helping them escape the struggles of low prices and mega-dairy competition.

According to them, raw milk not only supports local economies but also caters to the growing demand for unprocessed, nutritious foods, better animal welfare, enhanced immune support, and more.

Curious about how this could reshape the future of dairy farming and your food choices? Read the full article on our site for insights on the rising trend of raw milk and how it's transforming lives.

#RawMilk #SustainableFarming #DairyInnovation #SupportLocalFarms #HealthyLiving

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The Natural Farmer

The newspaper of the Northeast Organic Farming Association.

We cover news of sustainable agriculture and the organic movement nationally and internationally, especially those from the seven NOFA-chapter states - Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, and Vermont.

We feature articles about organic farming techniques, certification issues, environmental developments as they impact farmers and growers, issues of food justice and inequalities in the food system and their impact on farmers of color, migrant farmers, and other marginalized groups, and other topics of interest to the Northeast organic community.

The Natural Farmer is published quarterly in March, June, September, and December. After nearly 30 years as a tabloid-style newspaper, in 2025, TNF will be printed as a full-color magazine. Each issue highlights a particular theme and general how-to essays, technical articles, or personal farming stories. While subscribers receive the paper in the mail each quarter, past issues are posted online and available at no charge. Donations are appreciated to support our work.

Please note that the opinions expressed by advertisers and writers herein do not necessarily reflect the views of the Northeast Organic Farming Association or its chapters.

*We publish each issue online one season after it goes to print. This gives reading priority to readers who receive the hard copy of TNF in the mail.

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