DelNature Biennial Report 2016-2017 | Page 7

Preserve for land conservation, preservation, and wildlife habitat while producing healthy food for our community. Honoring our many years of conservation land-management strategies in the natural areas of Coverdale, the implementation of regenerative agricultural practices will mimic the natural processes that contribute to healthy soil, animals, and ecosystems. Phase One – Establishing Our Regenerative Agriculture Systems Regenerative Agriculture methods are a highly dynamic farm system that is constant motion, with grazing livestock working very small areas of pasture (approximately 1-2 acres) until they are moved into the next area of pasture with rotations of vegetation crops that require minimum inputs but produce maximum yields. Each component of the system is selected for its contributions to soil health. In 2017, we began Phase One of our master plan implementation, which included integrating our rotational grazing of livestock, the expansion of vegetable production, new programming for beginning and urban farmers. Developed through our preliminary work with the USDA Beginning Farmer and Rancher Program, Coverdale incorporated 6 on-farm training workshops for beginning and urban farmers on topics including season extension, high tunnel construction and use, and Integrated Pest Management (IMP). Over 60 farmers attended. Over the next 3 years, we will extend these workshops to include pasture-grazing poultry (egg-layers and turkey), animal husbandry, and other topics related to our regenerative agriculture program. Building on the success of our mobile chicken houses, which we fondly call “Egg-mobiles”, a pasture-raised turkey program was launched in 2017. Our rotational bird grazing now includes a variety of conventional and heritage breeds of turkeys which yielded 879 pounds of Thanksgiving turkey in 2017. Perhaps one of the most important elements of our master plan implementation is through the integration of the leader-follower system and the introduction of the leaders – our Red Devon cows. For Coverdale, the multi-species rotational grazing system is comprised of large ruminants (cows), followed by small ruminants (sheep), followed by poultry (a variety of heritage breeds of egg laying hens and turkeys). Farm staff has been working with each species separately to gain a good command of how each animal type performs in the field before blending them all together. Eventually, when visiting the farm, you will see large fields with cows in a small pasture followed by sheep behind them, followed by birds (hens and turkeys). Each class carries out their amazing services to the ecosystem to benefit the soil and increase biodiversity and overall health of the animal, providing nutrition density from the ground up. Looking Ahead Phase One of Coverdale Farm Regenerative Agriculture program will continue well into the next 3 years, as we continuously adapt our farming methods to work in concert with natural ecosystems, blending the lines between the nature preserve and our agriculture lands. Approximately 160 acres of Coverdale’s lands are now part of our Regenerative Agriculture program. In 2017, a board-led Coverdale Farm Preserve committee was formed. In 2018, a Coverdale Business & Operations Plan was developed to provide a 5-year business planning strategy to optimize production while providing opportunities for earned revenue in support of t he operations. Delaware Nature Society extends our sincere gratitude to the following foundations, organizations, and individuals who have contributed to Coverdale Farm Preserve Master Plan Phase One implementation initiatives: Crystal Trust Foundation, Patagonia, Harvest Market (Bob Kleszics & Karen Ashley), Peter Kjellerup & Mandy Cabot, Eric & Martha Lynn Brinsfield, Hank & Mary Davis, and Margaretta Frederick & Michael Martin. Visit us at DelNature.org/Coverdale to learn more. Photography by Jim White, DNS Senior Fellow for Land and Biodiversity Management 7 75 tons of produce grown at Coverdale Farm Preserve 7