5 minute read
Return to the Land at Hidden Creek Farm
Return to the Land at Hidden Creek Farm
Story and photos by John E. Ross
Hidden Creek Farm is sequestered among the gentle foothills of Brushy Mountain a couple miles northwest of Delaplane on the road to Scuffleburg. Here and there on its green pastures dusted with buttercups, russet cattle graze and ewes watch their newborn lambs cavort on their spindly legs.
At Hidden Creek, tranquility reigns. But beneath there beats a vitality of regeneration, of renewal not just of the land and its livestock but for all those who labor and visit here. Each of the farm’s staff of seven personify renewal in their own way.
Andrea and Dendy Young bought the farm in 2015 “to escape from the chaos of the city,” as Andrea put it. They knew nothing of farming. Andrea’s background is in conflict analysis and resolution, where she focused on the implications for societies where pregnant women and their children could not access adequate nutrition. Dendy is a highly successful serial entrepreneur focused on tech startups in healthcare and security.
Their vision is to engage in responsible, regenerative agriculture nurturing healthy soil to raise nutrient-dense meats and produce free of pathogens and artificial chemicals, all the while minimizing environmental harm.
Soils of the farm’s 558 acres hold the key to accomplishing their environmental goals, Andrea said. While not as rich in nutrients as those in floodplains or on lands underlain by limestone, the soils on Hidden Creek Farm have sustained native Americans for millennia. Over the ages, these same soils had provided pasture for elk and bison.
How herds of elk and bison foraged, how they spread nutrients as they grazed, how their hoof prints optimized natural soil aeration and hydration all held clues to domestic species that would thrive at Hidden Creek, according to Andrea.
During their first year, the Youngs devoted themselves to getting to know their farm, its terrain, its waters, and how these relate to surrounding forests and farms. They cleared areas of invasive ailanthus, autumn olives, and choking vines and stored chipped remains as compost.
They selected breeds that would thrive on natural pasture; weather days of record high and low temperatures associated with climate change; and produce superlative meat, dairy, and eggs free of additives.
For cattle, they chose Red Polls. The breed originated in East Anglia, Great Britian, in the 1860s and is known for the quality of both meat and milk. Higher in protein and butterfat than other breeds, milk from Red Polls provides excellent nourishment for calves and makes exceptional cheese and yogurt.
Andrea described their cattle as “gentle,” easily led from pasture to pasture. Red Polls are more resistant to heat stress than widely popular Black Angus because their hides absorb less radiant energy from sun. In addition, the breed is highly genetically resistant to salmonella and E. coli bacteria, resulting in a healthier herd and safer meat.
Similar thinking led to their choice of Katahdin sheep. Developed in Maine, they shed their hair naturally rather that being sheared annually for wool. Known for the caliber of their meat, Katadins also are noted for high fertility, mothering ability, and resistance to parasites.
Pasturing cattle and sheep together enhance soil regeneration due to the different shapes of their hooves. Both are cloven-hooved. Each hoof has two toes rimmed with relatively sharply pointed horn. Cattle and sheep step differently as they graze. Sheep walk on their tiptoes, creating sharp incisions in the soil. Cattle hooves are wider. Each step creates a flattish impression. Together they create a patchwork of compression and release beneficial elements to soil similar to those of native elk and bison.
None of the livestock at Hidden Creek is fed grain. In addition to rotating sheep and cattle among pastures, the farm practices bale grazing, allowing livestock to be raised almost entirely outdoors. Chickens, as you’d expect, are free-range. Chicken coops on wheels are moved through pastures allowing fowl to feed on parasites, insects, and other natural nutrients. Their droppings naturally fertilize the soil.
In addition to selling meat, eggs, and a wide range of fresh, sustainably raised vegetables, Hidden Creek’s Farm offers curated artisanal specialties such as lemon herb butter and raw wild honey. Hidden Creek products are also available at the Whole Ox in Marshall, EverGRO in Upperville, and the Locke Store in Millwood.
Guests are always welcome at Hidden Creek by appointment. Throughout the year the farm offers farm tours, special events, and workshops. Three 18th century log cabins and a farm house loft, operated as airbnbs, accommodate overnight guests.
Details: https://www.hiddencreekfarmllc.com/
