posted 10 years ago
Hello all,
I am starting an endeavor to restore a house built in 1750 near washington, DC on an old tobacco plantation. There are about 200 acres currently downhill from the uphill home site that are being farmed conventionally using well irrigation for cucumbers, squash, tomatoes, greens, and more. The fields are row cropped, mounded and wrapped with plastic with water pipe running the length.
I am attacking two small abandonded fields next to the house where I have been living for past 8 months that total an acre. There is a larger field that runs the length a creek that cuts through the property as well that I could use, but it is very rocky, slopy, and rolling that totals 2.5 acres. There is another 10+ acres woodland. I envision a farm community that would involve visitors/clients coming to the farm in some capacity (helping with harvest, education, etc) in an attempt to draw attention to the preservation of the house. Im hoping the farm and people can help save the house, basically, but im totally flexible on whatever acheives that goal in long term sustainable way.
My question is how I could best design my operation to utilize the waste of the larger farm? There are multiple fields of wasted, rejected veggies after each season. They plough the waste back into the fields, make their mounds, and wrap in plastic every spring. Is this is a suitable pasture situation where i bring in a herd of animals and let the eat the waste? Should I be interested in collecting the waste for my composting efforts (they use fertilizer and pesticides)?
Any suggestions would be much appreciated. Thanks in advance.