Square Roots Farm began in 2010 on four acres of leased land, with a small vegetable CSA and pastured broilers, pigs, and turkeys. We have since added laying hens and beef cattle, and bought our own 185 acre farm in Lanesborough. In 2018, we will grow a small number of vegetables and raise about 2,000 broilers, 175 turkeys, and 25 pigs on pasture; we’ll also maintain a flock of 1,000 pastured laying hens and manage a growing herd of ~25 100% grass fed beef cattle. We work to grow healthy food for people across all income levels in our community in a restorative, practical, and sustainable way.

Diversifying a farm operation offers many benefits; multiple products allow us to reach a broad range of customers, diversification protects against disease or disaster, and carefully managing a livestock community can drastically improve marginal or neglected land. With multiple species of animals and plants to tend to, it’s also intensely interesting and constantly challenging.

Our visit will include an overview of the farm and will focus on our grazing practices and infrastructure. You’ll visit all of the animal groups and see how they rotate through the pastures, building fertility and working as a community to promote healthy pasture conditions and grow more and better grass – as well as better products. Take a close look at the systems and equipment that make diversified rotational grazing possible – fencing, water lines, egg mobiles, pasture pens – and discuss how different types of land call for different kinds of animal impact. We’ll also touch on integrating livestock with vegetable production, and we’ll give a brief overview of winter practices.