Sunday, April 22, 2018

News from the Woods
a monthly digest of resources, events, and people in forestry & agroforestry from Wellspring Forest Farm www.WellspringForestFarm.com

Spring 2018

Greetings:
We are eager for Spring as I am sure many of you are, yet this slow transition is a good thing for many of the trees and wildlife in the woods. We’ve been working to cultivate patience and enjoy the downtown before what is sure to be another abundant season.

We’ve been sharing lots of photos from the farm and are now doing a weekly video update from the farm on our Instagram page; check it out and follow to keep up with our activities! https://www.instagram.com/wellspringforestfarmschool/

 This e-news update, we share more about upcoming events with Steve in several locations around the Northeast, celebrate and give thanks for support of our SILVOPASTURE book Kickstarter campaign, and link to our free foraging articles to get you ready to search for the hidden treasures of the forest

Enjoy and Happy Spring!
Steve & Elizabeth

Upcoming Events in NY and VT

Enjoy a weekend retreat with lodging, great food, and activities at a beautiful center nestled in the hills of the Hudson Valley….


​GIFTS FROM THE FOREST
May 11 – 13 at the OMEGA Center for Sustainable Living in Rhinebeck NY

The workshop includes several guided walks in the forest, tree ID, and inoculated mushroom logs, medicines, and plants to take home!

LEARN MORE:
https://www.eomega.org/workshops/gifts-from-the-forest-0




Join us at Sterling College in Vermont for an in depth look at mushroom cultivation, tree syrups, and silvopasture systems for the farm and homestead…

PROFITABLE AGROFORESTRY FOR HOMESTEADS & FARMS
June 4 - 6 at Sterling College in Craftsbury Common, VT

This workshop includes the basic production needs, economics, and forest management skills for agroforestry systems with the best potential in the Northeast.

LEARN MORE:
https://sterlingcollege.edu/course/farming-woods-profitable-agroforestry-homesteads-farms




Visit Wellspring Forest Farm and Edible Acres and learn practical skills in plant propagation, mushroom inoculation, and more…

 
GROWING A WOODLAND FARM & HOMESTEAD
June 22 - 24 at Wellspring Forest Farm & Edible Acres, Ithaca NY

Join Steve Gabriel and Sean Dembrosky for in-depth tours and hands-on practice and gain a ton of experience and ideas for your own productive land projects.

LEARN MORE:
http://events.wellspringforestfarm.com



THANK YOU!
Our recent Kickstater campaign was an overwhelming success thanks to the generous support of our backers who pledged $10,600 to help us support contributors to the book, publish an easy-to-access resource library, and develop an online course for practitioners. Our deepest thanks to those who pledged support!

During the project, we offered a series of FREE webinars about several aspects of Silvopasture, the combination of trees, livestock, and forages that offers one of the most promising solutions to climate change. The recordings of these presentations are available at http://silvopasturebook.com/ under “Video and Audio”

The book will be out June 21 -- Copies can be pre-ordered though our farm website:

https://tinyurl.com/OrderSilvopastureBook



Free Articles Prep You for the Foraging Season
Check out the “Media” page on our farm website for a number of free articles that have relevance as we head into the season of life in the forest. More articles and video can be found on this page: http://media.wellspringforestfarm.com

Wild Leeks Welcome us to Spring, But Need Careful Harvesting

LINK TO ARTICLE  


Getting Stared in Wild Foraging Mushrooms


​

LINK TO ARTICLE     

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Quote of the Month:
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Trees are sanctuaries. Whoever knows how to speak to them, whoever knows how to listen to them, can learn the truth. They do not preach learning and precepts, they preach, undeterred by particulars, the ancient law of life.


A tree says: My strength is trust. I know nothing about my fathers, I know nothing about the thousand children that every year spring out of me. I live out the secret of my seed to the very end, and I care for nothing else. I trust that God is in me. I trust that my labor is holy. Out of this trust I live.

- Herman Hesse 
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“News from the Woods” is brought to you by:

Wellspring Forest Farm & School
leaving forests in our footsteps

Steve & Elizabeth Gabriel
Mecklenburg, NY
www.WellspringForestFarm.com
farmers@wellspringforestfarmcom


Let us know what you think!
To subscribe, please visit news.wellspringforestfarm.com and simply enter your email. Or you can email stevegabrielfarmer@gmail.com with “SUBSCRIBE” as the subject line, and we will add you to the list!

To unsubscribe, please send an email with the subject “UNSUBSCRIBE ME” to stevegabrielfarmer@gmail.com
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Saturday, February 17, 2018

Winter 2018 "News from the Woods" - New year, new classes, new book!

News from the Woods
a monthly digest of resources, events, and people in forestry & agroforestry
Winter 2018


 www.WellspringForestFarm.com
Greetings:

Welcoming to Maple Season! Each year, we renew our commitment to stewarding the forest-based ecosystems and farming practices that we see as so critical to a healthy planet. The sap from the trees (and the forthcoming syrup) reminds us of the gifts of the forest that we call home. 

We have lots of exciting things to announce in this issue, including our 2018 list of classes and workshops, the release of our second book in June, and a new free article for download about the wonders of the Black Locust tree.

Among all the class offerings, we are excited to offer our first ONLINE COURSE accessible anywhere in the world. The class is called “Foundations of Forest Stewardship” and runs from April 2 through May 7 with weekly live webinars. Read on for more information. 

We also continue to develop our understanding of the cultural narrative and the elements of social justice that are an essential part of this work. To this end, we’ve adopted new policies to support participation in our programs. Please see http:/policy.wellspringforestfarm.com for more.
As the trees start to thaw and the sap begins to flow, we begin another cycle and wish for each of you a healthy and abundant growing season.


For the trees,
Steve & Elizabeth

ON THE FARM

2018 CLASSES AND EVENTS

Learn more and register at http://events.wellspringforestfarm.com/

2018 New York MAPLE WEEKEND, March 17 & 18, 10am - 4pm at the farm
Join us for tours of the farm and sugarshack, taste sap and syrup. On Sunday we will do a hands-on mushroom inoculation workshop. Visit our Facebook event page for updated vendors and activities: https://www.facebook.com/events/143534439650034/


Foundations of Forest Stewardship (Online Course), April 2 – May 7
This course explores the ecology of woodlands and exposes participants to the wide range of opportunities to engage in both responsible management and productive use including mushroom cultivation, tapping trees for saps, and raising livestock amongst the trees.


Gifts From the Forest, May 11 - May 13 at the OMEGA Center in Rhinebeck, NY
We learn to observe the forest and find natural patterns to replicate in our own farms, gardens, or yards. Walk the woods to explore trees, plants, and mushrooms and learn proper planting techniques, how to inoculate logs that can easily grow shitake mushrooms at home, and how to make medicinal tinctures. Access to above online course FREE with registration.


Profitable Agroforestry for Homesteads & Farms, June 4 – 6 Sterling College, VT
This course will offer you skills to sustainably care for your woodlot and focus on log-grown mushrooms, tree saps and syrups, and silvopasture (grazing animals in the forest) as three of the best options for both the homestead and farm scale. Access to above online course FREE with registration.


Growing a Woodland Farm & Homestead, June 22 - 24 in Ithaca, NY
Explore growing edible mushrooms, perennial vegetables, berries, and nuts in temperate woodlands on both a homestead and farm scale. This course is facilitated by Steve Gabriel of Wellspring Forest Farm, along with Sean Dembrosky of Edible Acres Nursery. Access to above online course FREE with registration.


Fungi Foraging and Cultivation, September 22 – 24 in Mecklenburg, NY
Explore the wondrous world of fungi and learn how to grow and forage mushrooms with Farming the Woods co-author Steve Gabriel and Olga Tzogas Smugtown Mushrooms. Access to above online course FREE with registration.

Silvopasture in Practice, October 6 – 8 in Mecklenburg, NY
During this course we will work closely with active silvopasture farms including Wellspring Forest Farm (sheep) and Angus Glen Farm (cows) and teach both the planning and practice of silvopasture. We will focus primarily on systems for ruminants but touch on options and considerations for pigs and poultry. Access to above online course FREE with registration.


IN THE WOODS


SILVOPASTURE BOOK TO BE RELEASED IN JUNE, 2017

Our newest book, titled “Silvopasture: A Guide to Managing Pasture Animals, Forage Crops, and Trees in a Temperate Farm Ecosystem” is scheduled for release this coming June.

There is good evidence that Silvopasture systems are among the best in addressing a rapidly changing climate. The recent New York Times Best Seller book DRAWDOWN rated Silvopasture #9 among ALL solutions to climate change.

We have launched a KICKSTARTER campaign to help provide stipends to writers, researchers, and farmers who contributed to the book. The funds also help us continue the work and develop much needed tools and resources for those interested in implementing Silvopasture on landscapes.
SUPPORT the campaign and get great perks like signed copies of the book, access to our workshops, and more! 





NEW FREE ARTICLE POSTED AT OUR WEBSITE

We have a new article for download at the farm website. We write about one of the best multi-use trees in agroforestry: Black Locust. Learn about its history, use, and methods for best care and propagation. 

You can download the article at http://media.wellspringforestfarm.com

There are many other free articles there for you to enjoy, so check out the whole collection! One relevant to the coming season is “Tapping Maple for Sap”.




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Quote of the Month:
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We must keep these waters for wild rice,
these trees for maple syrup,
our lakes for fish,
and our land and aquifers for all of our relatives - whether they have fins, roots, wings, or paws.

- Winona LaDuke
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“News from the Woods” is brought to you by:

Wellspring Forest Farm & School
leaving forests in our footsteps

Steve & Elizabeth Gabriel
Mecklenburg, NY
www.WellspringForestFarm.com
farmers@wellspringforestfarmcom


Let us know what you think!
To subscribe, please visit news.wellspringforestfarm.com and simply enter your email. Or you can email stevegabrielfarmer@gmail.com with “SUBSCRIBE” as the subject line, and we will add you to the list!

To unsubscribe, please send an email with the subject “UNSUBSCRIBE ME” to stevegabrielfarmer@gmail.com



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