RealEyes Homesteads main focus is on Permaculture which teaches how to use plant and animal systems as tools. For example, Levi and Brenda use their livestock (hogs and poultry) to restore their pastures. When they first arrived, the land was quite degraded, with exposed sandy soils, 0.0% organic matter (OM) and very low nutrient and mineral content. It was also overrun with the invasive spotted knapweed. Through rotational grazing of their pigs and broadcasting cover crops over the last 5 years, they are successfully displacing the knapweed, increasing plant cover, diversity, and soil OM, and will soon be able to support grazers like Cattle on their renewed pastures. Enjoy a homestead tour and a conversation about this low cost, low maintenance farming system and more.

ABOUT TWILIGHT TOURS

Get a snapshot of a farm other than your own. This is an opportunity for area small farmers and wanna-be-farmers to learn from one another’s practices through a series of tours and farmer-led workshops. This year’s season will focus on “tools in action” — with a loose definition of the word tools. Animals as tools, water as a tool, hands as tools; come out and learn about innovations on the farms in your community.  

Twilight Tours begin at dusk, around 6pm. Pre-registration requested, but not required. You can find all the Twilight Tours on the Crosshatch Events page. For more information, or to RSVP call (231) 622-5252 or email Jen Harris.