The Farm In Motion

READY OR NOT, HERE IT COMES

"No winter lasts forever; no spring skips its turn." -Hal Borland

Spring does not wait for anyone; it jumps right in and starts changing things up. After what was one of the coldest and seemingly longest winters in recent memory here in the Hudson Valley, we are finally on our way out on the other side. The ground is thawing, the snow turns to rain, and everything you thought was solid starts to slide. The animals pay no mind to the calendar, and neither does the mud. This is spring- and we're ready for it.

The retreat of winter marks a welcome shift on this new path we’ve begun at Northaven. But just around the bend, a fresh set of challenges awaits- each carrying its own kind of beauty and reward.

What sets Northaven apart is our multifaceted approach. Every piece of the farm- livestock, pasture, soil, and people; is part of a larger living system. As spring unfolds, these enterprises begin working in sync, forming a regenerative rhythm that grows stronger with each passing season.

ON THE MOVE

For the winter- we had our chickens staying close around the barns, our cows in the most convenient parts of our pastures, and our pigs safe and warm inside their barn. Everyone is fairly anxious for a change in scenery, and ready for some fresh ground and spring grass no less.

First up- our lovely hens, and their somewhat stubborn male guardians (who were picking a fight with Eric about installing the new automated chicken door last week)!  The area where they'd spent the winter had served its purpose; turned up, fertilized, and picked clean, it was time to keep things moving.

For the early spring, we tucked them behind the house inside an old wooden fence patched with poultry netting, and dropped a well aged round bale right in the middle. They dove in as happy as could be, scratching and fluffing like they knew the plan. We will keep them here for a few weeks; close to the horse fence for a quick hot wire and near the spigot for water. Next up will be a bigger move out into the pasture, following behind our cattle in a tightly choreographed integration of these two enterprises. Although a bit farther of a walk for our eggs, the nutrition they'll gain, and land they will help regenerate, will be well worth that walk.

READY FOR MAE

The cows were ready for a shift too, and with calving season around the corner we wanted to be sure we were staying ahead of mother nature as best as we could.

We’d been feeding our herd in a low section of pasture; easy access, good water, tight fencing. Yet once the ground thawed and the rains hit, that whole section turned to soup. Knee-deep, boot-sucking, axle-burying mud. Before this got past the point of overwhelming, especially for the animals, we pulled them uphill closer to the barn, where the ground holds better and access with our machinery is more reliable. Easier on us, easier on them, and no more digging tires out of the mud every time we need to drop hay.

As quickly as we could get the ladies (and gentlemen) to this new pasture, nature did her thing again and without much warning one of our Devon mothers Mayra, welcomed a new baby calf - Mae.

Mae is a few days old as of writing this, and she is out in the pasture like she owns the place, making friends and soaking up the spring sun. With two more girls expected to calf in the coming weeks, we are excited to welcome more life to the farm. Keep an eye on our social media for updates!

PATIENCE IS A... PIG

The pigs- well, pigs are always trickier. We need them to churn up pasture, but we also need that shed in play for shelter and for loading come May. So we laid out a loop, counter-clockwise, letting them graze and root their way around and back again. Not pretty, but it works, as long as we stay a step ahead.

Our 23 little ones are about to graduate to the big pasture. With weaning and castration set for tomorrow, they’ll be out under the spring sun- rooting, exploring, and living their best farm lives. This crew will help us kick off a new chapter: reclaiming parts of the farm that haven’t yet felt the regenerative magic of these two-foot-tall rototillers.

The land here sat quiet for years. Bringing it back to life takes time, maybe as much as it spent asleep. But these stout, stubborn little workers are one of the most efficient tools we have. With patience, movement, and manure, they’ll help us build soil, grow grass, and restore health to the ground. And in return, they’ll help us bring incredibly nutrient-dense food to your table.

GOT MILK?

Things are moving right along on the dairy parlor front. With warmer weather settling in, we’re just weeks away from breaking ground and beginning construction in earnest.

One of the big milestones we mentioned earlier was lining up a dairy equipment installer and submitting our DMC-1517- the official Application to Install or Modify Milk Handling Equipment on a Dairy Farm. We sent this 5 page form and our drawing off to the state last week, and now we’re waiting on formal approval for our milk house and parlor design.

One step closer to bringing this vision to life.

Click here to sign up for our dairy interest list!

A STEP AHEAD

We’re thrilled to announce an upcoming partnership with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology on a unique research project taking place right here at our farm. While we can’t share too many details just yet, we’re eager to bring you along on this journey.

This collaboration has the potential to make a real impact- not just for our animals and the quality of our products, but for the future of regenerative agriculture. Stay tuned this summer as we begin to share more about this groundbreaking work.

Speaking of new beginnings, we’re trying something different with the farm store. For the first time, we’ll be opening with regular hours- Thursday through Saturday, just a few hours each day. No appointments, no fuss. Just a sign out front and an open door.

Spring feels like the right time to take a chance, shake things up, and see what grows.

 

Thank you, as always, for your support and commitment—we truly couldn’t do this without you alongside us on the journey.

If you ever have questions, thoughts to share, or just want to say hello, we’d love to hear from you. Give us a call at 845-982-2101 or send an email to hello@northavenpastures.com.

-Cameron, Eric, Kim & Sue