modern farmer / issue 8 / summer 2015
features
28
Deer and Moose Feeding
54
The Accidental Dairy Farmer Seattle chef Kurt Timmermeister wanted little more than a rustic retreat when he bought four neglected acres on nearby Vashon Island. Then a cow named Dinah changed everything.
by Miranda Silva
64
72
78
How to choose the right breeds, give your hatchlings a strong start, and house and feed these lovable, egg-laying fowl.
Biodynamic pioneer Alan Chadwick turned America on to radical growing methods—influencing everyone from Alice Waters to winemakers Fetzer and Frey. So how come you’ve never heard of him?
Photographer Gabriele Fanelli rides along with modern Italian cowboys keeping an ancient practice alive.
Your Complete Guide to Raising Ducks
by Thomas Christopher
78
The High Priest of Hippie Horticulture
Andiamo, Little Dogies, Andiamo!
By James Rodewald
by Sara Solovitch Beautiful Farm with the Local Organic
86
Change Menus, Change Lives Fourteen chefs— each with a cause—gather in Louisiana to cook a free-form feast and formulate a plan for revolutionizing the way we farm and eat. Plus: recipes from their collaborative dinner. by Monica Michael Williams
SUMMER . 2015 / 6
departments
13
Meet the Modern Farmers From Eggplant to quail eggs, New York to New Mexico, these entrepreneurs bring a fresh approach to agriculture.
26. Lake brothers runs the biggest lettuce farm in Northern.
by Jessica Leigh Hester
columns & commentary
23
Field Notes
31
Summer’s best new books, products we dig, a vegan farmstay, and seven non-produce CSAs. Plus: Vermouth moves to the top shelf.
41
The Modern Farmer Handbook cropped: blackberries blueprint: three-bin composters tools: farmers favorites how to: save tomato seeds
Phosphorus: Too Much of a Good Thing? 21. Nutritional value analysis of fruits from nutritionists
agronomics: secrets of CSA success
Midwest Farmers and university scientists work together to reduce the runoff polluting our lakes.
by Brian Barth
34
Where Utopia Meets Suburbia The recent surge in planned agricultural communities begs the question: Has the back-to-theland spirit of the 1960s settled down in a cul-de-sac?
by Jay Feldman
38
Teach a Girl to Farm… A Seattle-based nonprofit gives young women in West Bengal, India, the skills to grow food for their families, transforming lives in the process. 54. Holly, an 8-week-old Jersey cow, peeks out from Kurt Timmermeister’s barn.
by Melissa Allison 7
modern farmer / issue 8 / summer 2015
28. Deer and Moose Feeding
54
72
Seattle chef Kurt Timmermeister wanted little more than a rustic retreat when he bought four neglected acres on nearby Vashon Island. Then a cow named Dinah changed everything.
Biodynamic pioneer Alan Chadwick turned America on to radical growing methods—influencing everyone from Alice Waters to winemakers Fetzer and Frey. So how come you’ve never heard of him?
The Accidental Dairy Farmer
features
by Miranda Silva
The High Priest of Hippie Horticulture
by Sara Solovitch
78
64
86
Your Complete Guide to Raising Ducks
Change Menus, Change Lives
Photographer Gabriele Fanelli rides along with modern Italian cowboys keeping an ancient practice alive.
How to choose the right breeds, give your hatchlings a strong start, and house and feed these lovable, egg-laying fowl.
By James Rodewald
by Thomas Christopher
Fourteen chefs— each with a cause—gather in Louisiana to cook a free-form feast and formulate a plan for revolutionizing the way we farm and eat. Plus: recipes from their collaborative dinner.
Andiamo, Little Dogies, Andiamo!
SUMMER . 2015 / 6
by Monica Michael Williams
departments
13
Meet the Modern Farmers From Eggplant to quail eggs, New York to New Mexico, these entrepreneurs bring a fresh approach to agriculture.
26. Lake brothers runs the biggest lettuce farm in Northern.
by Jessica Leigh Hester
columns & commentary
23
Field Notes
31
Summer’s best new books, products we dig, a vegan farmstay, and seven non-produce CSAs. Plus: Vermouth moves to the top shelf.
Phosphorus: Too Much of a Good Thing? Midwest Farmers and university scientists work together to reduce the runoff polluting our lakes.
41
The Modern Farmer Handbook cropped: blackberries blueprint: three-bin composters tools: farmers favorites how to: save tomato seeds
21. Nutritional value analysis of fruits from nutritionists
agronomics: secrets of CSA success
by Brian Barth
34
Where Utopia Meets Suburbia The recent surge in planned agricultural communities begs the question: Has the back-to-theland spirit of the 1960s settled down in a cul-de-sac?
by Jay Feldman
38
Teach a Girl to Farm… A Seattle-based nonprofit gives young women in West Bengal, India, the skills to grow food for their families, transforming lives in the process.
by Melissa Allison 54. Holly, an 8-week-old Jersey cow, peeks out from Kurt Timmermeister’s barn. 7
modern farmer / issue 8 / summer 2015
28 | Deer and Moose Feeding
features 54 | The Accidental Dairy Farmer Seattle chef Kurt Timmermeister wanted little more than a rustic retreat when he bought four neglected acres on nearby Vashon Island. Then a cow named Dinah changed everything. by Miranda Silva 64 | Your Complete Guide to Raising Ducks How to choose the right breeds, give your hatchlings a strong start, and house and feed these lovable, egg-laying fowl.
by Thomas Christopher
72 | The High Priest of Hippie Horticulture Biodynamic pioneer Alan Chadwick turned America on to radical growing methods—influencing everyone from Alice Waters to winemakers Fetzer and Frey. So how come you’ve never heard of him?
78 | Andiamo, Little Dogies, Andiamo! Photographer Gabriele Fanelli rides along with modern Italian cowboys keeping an ancient practice alive.
By James Rodewald
86 | Change Menus, Change Lives Fourteen chefs— each with a cause—gather in Louisiana to cook a free-form feast and formulate a plan for revolutionizing the way we farm and eat. Plus: recipes from their collaborative dinner.
by Monica Michael Williams
by Sara Solovitch
SUMMER . 2015 / 6
54 | Holly, an 8-week-old Jersey cow, peeks out from Kurt Tim mermeister’s barn.
departments 23 | Field Notes Summer’s best new books, products we dig, a vegan farmstay, and seven non-produce CSAs. Plus: Vermouth moves to the top shelf.
41 | The Modern Farmer Handbook cropped: blackberries blueprint: three-bin composters tools: farmers favorites how to: save tomato seeds
agronomics: secrets of CSA success
13 | Meet the Modern Farmers From Eggplant to quail eggs, New York to New Mexico, these entrepreneurs bring a fresh approach to agriculture.
by Jessica Leigh Hester
columns & commentary 26 | Lake brothers runs the biggest lettuce farm in Northern.
34 | Where Utopia Meets Suburbia The recent surge in planned agricultural communities begs the question: Has the back-to-the-land spirit of the 1960s settled down in a cul-de-sac?
31 | Phosphorus: Too Much of a Good Thing? Midwest Farmers and university scientists work together to reduce the runoff polluting our lakes.
by Brian Barth
by Jay Feldman
38 | Teach a Girl to Farm‌ A Seattle-based nonprofit gives young women in West Bengal, India, the skills to grow food for their families, transforming lives in the process.
by Melissa Allison
78 | Beautiful Farm with the Local Organic Fresh 7