Village Roots Barn Raising

Village Roots is a family owned and operated, regenerative farm on the Orchard Hill Community in East Alstead, NH.

When we moved to Orchard Hill in 2004, we had a vision. We wanted to sink our roots, learn from our watershed, grow food and share the yield. A year later we founded Village Roots CSA (with our then growing partner Mary Ellen Sheehan. Thank you Mary Ellen!) We imagined the potential of restoring topsoil by growing a bounty of healthy crops to feed our family and our community. We had no capital to start this operation, just loads of desire, energy and ideas. Importantly, we envisioned that this path would be our life and our livelihood.

What began as a vegetable CSA (Community Supported Agriculture), gradually became a more diversified operation, as we incorporated more cover crops, perennials (such as fruits, herbs, nuts and living mulches) and importantly, animals. Fourteen years later, we sell most of our meats and produce directly to our customers through a variety of CSA options. Its a diversified farm here on the hill, with an emphasis on regenerative practices and hands on learning opportunities. In recent years our pasture raised animal operation has become our bread and butter. We followed a community need for sustainably and ethically raised and processed meats. We met that need; with the additional outcome of building more soil through our pasture management strategies than we could of through vegetable production alone. Now we raise heritage lamb, pork and beef, as well as Freedom Ranger broiler chickens, heritage turkeys, ducks and rabbits. Let’s say, life is bustling here during the growing season!

In 2013 we established Village Roots Permaculture as the education extension of our work. We have always shared our techniques and experiences with others and as trained educators we have taught about sustainable agriculture, homesteading and permaculture at The Orchard School, Calendula Garden, LEAF Charter School, Keene State College, Colby Sawyer College and Antioch University. We have always offered on farm workshops and since 2013 have taught and coordinated a bi-annual, 90-hour Permaculture Design and Certification (PDC) course with educators and practitioners from across the Northeast.

Currently, one of our challenges is that we need more covered space; for our animals in winter, for tool and equipment storage, hay, grain and for a walk in cooler. Raising a barn would address all these needs, as well as creating covered space for food processing, building projects, equipment maintenance and educational workshops. It would also greatly improve our overall efficiency and quality of life. No more tools and hay stored under tarps for the winter!

The beauty of a barn raising is that it is a community endeavor. We’ll mill the wood and cut the timbers. You help by contributing to the campaign that will pay for our roof, siding, site work, gravel, electric and much needed refrigeration. Then you show up on raising day, if you wish, and we raise the frame together. In return, we will offer you a variety of rewards to reimburse you for your contribution.

Please consider donating now and reach out to three other people who you know support the cause of more local food, that is sustainably and humanly raised.

We dream of day where human-scale, efficient and regenerative farms are everywhere (we recognize that the Monadnock Region has a good start on this path!); where our local economy is productive and increasingly self-reliant; where food is healthy and fresh; where land is used wisely for homes, forests and food; and where farmers are reimbursed for their work. Your support helps ensure that another family farm can survive and continue an enduring legacy of food production in our region.

We look forward to growing food for you.

Marty, Ellen and Joules