Written and Photographed by Karen Rifkin Before entering the fenced-in area of hedgerow plantings, a flock of friendly rams trot up, eagerly, to see if it’s feeding time. Realizing their exertion is for naught, they just as quickly disperse back into the field at the Hopland Research and Extension Center, a 5,358-acre working ranch and […]
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Cotton in Community: Field to Fashion with Acadian Brown Cotton
Written by Lauren Odom and with photography as noted This rich, intertwined story of an heirloom seed, an age-old tradition, and a bright future all began when Sharon Gordon Donnan, an experienced filmmaker, and textile conservator, spotted an old blanket while browsing at an antique sale in Washington, Louisiana. It was no ordinary blanket because […]
Read MoreTo Be Farming and Fortunate
Written by Marie Hoff & Photographed by Paige Green To arrive at Fortunate Farm, you have to drive along the California coast, either north or south, passing some of the most epic viewsheds to be seen on Coast Highway 1. The farm is hours away from any major city, and just south of Fort Bragg, […]
Read MoreTula: A Return to India’s Regenerative Cotton Roots
As part of our series on cotton in community, we are honored to share this article produced by Harpreet Singh, exploring the connections between cotton, colonialism, cloth production, and community-based economies. As Harpreet writes, tula is a Sanskrit word that means cotton and also means balance or equilibrium. The vision and approach of this work […]
Read MoreGrowing 50 Acres of Hemp in North Carolina: Field Notes from the One Acre Exchange
One Acre Exchange supports the development of an agricultural economy centering the sustainability of farmers, workers, and the planet. In North Carolina and beyond, we support farmers and artisans in the growth and development of industrial hemp because of its tremendous potential to revitalize local economies and regenerate the environment. Read past dispatches to learn […]
Read MoreCotton in Community: Reconnecting to Traditional Indian Farming Practices in the Prakriti Fibershed
Written by Esha Chhabra with supplemental reporting by Jess Daniels. Photography by Ashish Chandra and Nishanth Chopra, as noted. Nishanth Chopra grew up in a city that’s seeing record cancer rates. But it’s not a coincidence, he says. “I don’t think I would have been as passionate about organic farming and ethical supply chains if […]
Read MoreCrafting a Family Business with Milk & Honey 1860
Written & photographed by Sarah Lillegard Off the highway and along a dirt road in Butte Valley, California there is a large white house with a wraparound porch sitting at the front of forty acres. This house was built in 1860 and is now home to the Larson family and their farm business named for […]
Read MoreA Relationship of Trust with Sierra Rose Alpacas
Written and photographed by Sarah Lillegard except as noted Sadie, at a week old, is running around the paddock dodging other alpacas as she makes her way up the hill and around the barn. She is one of two crias, (pronounced “kree-ah”) born this season at Sierra Rose Alpacas. Watching her unfettered laps through the […]
Read MoreA Spinner’s Flock at Ewe & Me 2 Ranch
Written by Marie Hoff and photographed by Paige Green “Did you do crafts before you got into fiber arts?” I ask Bev Fleming, while looking at stacks of magazines covering subjects from quilting to bread baking to Christmas ornaments in her fiber studio. “Everything,” she responds immediately, without missing a beat. There is not a […]
Read MoreBackyard-Raised Fiber at Bungalow Farm Angora
Written and photographed by Sarah Lillegard Driving around the neighborhoods of a large city, it’s hard to imagine that one of the little bungalow houses is a small-scale urban fiber farm. But, tucked into a street of large trees and wonderful afternoon sun is Bungalow Farm Angora. From this house and home, Erin Maclean has […]
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