North Branch Farm

life from the earth

the way into the past

can be the way into the future,

we visit a farm

where the farmers choose draft animals

for the working of the land,

manure and cover crops to build up the loam,

diversification of product to fit the vagaries of the market, 

CSA for winter vegetables,

high bush blueberries for a future pick-your-own,

a large orchard, too,

dairy cows to turn grasses into milk,

and all of it certified organic,

now they’re building a cheese cave,

where a room, underground, 

will stay at the right temperature and humidity

without machines and electricity,

so that milk can become and stay cheese,

and cheese draw buyers to pay the bills,

they use tractors and trucks when they must,

but they let sun and nature, plant and animal,

work with them when those ways can open,

and their footprint is gentler upon the earth,

the new and shiny can blind us to the better tried and true,

there is wisdom in those who bring us tomorrow,

and much of that wisdom can come 

from being eldered by yesterday.

North Branch Farm, Monroe, ME

blog:  northbranchfarm.monroe@gmail.com

by Henry H. Walker

July 17, ’14