Shilofarm

Welcome!

Gracious – been forever since this was updated! — so here it is December of 2024, which means that all that remains for the farm work in this year is to finish selling out the hay from the barn – everything else that happens hereon is all about 2025. Here’s the big picture plan, for those of you who like the big picture plan:

One of the most important consquences of no cows is that the means of soil improvment has to shift from rotational grazing to specific tilth building – both in poor qualitiy fields and in the CSA garden. Here is the “Tilth Plan…“

As you can see… there are plans for the CSA, for the Hay, and for the woods. Detailed plans for the CSA are really what is next, which will be blasted out in a posting Real Soon Now. The major thing here is the goals – 6-8 members in the winter season, ramping up to maybe as many as 25 members in the main.

The tentative thinking is a set of two delivery days and a couple of late afternoon farm call options, but as mentioned, that is something to be determined. Almost for certain prices have to come up somewhat this year.

Hay is a very important growth (see what I did there?) area. The hayfields in 2024 were shockingly sick with reed canary grass, may it ever be cursed. After several converstations with the local pasture specialist, the plan is to do some plowing and replanting of the areas in the worst shape – those areas will have a later cutting of oats mixed with a legume, if all things work out.

And then there is the woods. Lots of possible product there, but it is the lowest on the totem pole till at least August. So.

Stay tuned

2024 CSA dates: A rough guide for 2025

FAQ (below link) updated 1/1/2023… tells you all about signing up.

For basic questions about the CSA, the two links following are most useful:

CSA and CSA FAQs – info specific to the CSA…

—– and so:

Boyce’s Shilofarm is more than just a CSA – it includes many different traditional farm elements that are from the time when a 80 acre farm was the sole means of support for a family. Well, retirement makes it possible for us to do that here, and we want to share it. So – here is what we do, and why we do it:

• The farm has a CSA, which is the main point of contact with the community. It also is something that keeps us going almost all year. 
• We raise hay. Quite a bit of it actually. There are a few hardy people who seem to enjoy helping us bring in the hay each summer.
• We have 26 acres of Forest (and a sawmill). It is a great place to get away from Urban/Suburban life for a walk.
• We have interesting farm places and things to let kids and adults experience hands-on what a farm is.

Check us out!