The Small Farms Team, comprising WAC and Delaware County Soil and Water District staff, prioritized this farm’s stream buffers as the first job to tackle. They developed a riparian buffer project to exclude livestock from the stream, and planned and executed a CREP fencing project to develop an alternative watering system for the animals. The result is 3.5 acres of stream buffer protection. After taking time this winter to choose native species for the buffer area, planting will take place this spring. The cattle feeding area was also moved away from the stream to a higher pasture. Future plans for the farm include a covered manure pile area to prevent nutrient runoff from the horse operation.

John and Laura describe their operation as a “rare breed farm,” but it’s clear that while they’re keeping the genetic heritage of this livestock alive, their farm is filling other important niches: providing agricultural jobs for 3 full-time employees; as a source for Tamworth piglets at an affordable price for regional meat producers; and demonstrating the benefits of a well-managed small farm operation in keeping farmland as a preferred watershed land use. Future WAC opportunities for this farm include possible participation in the forest roads program, which could reduce potential erosion on a driving trail system for the Suffolk horses, and marketing support through WAC’s Catskill Region web-listing at www.farmtotable.org.