Dear Friend,

The nights are growing cooler and there is a wisp of fall in the air. Summer has flown by! American Farmland Trust recently hosted our first Learning Circle with funding from the National Fish & Wildlife Federation at Zeliff Farm in Middleport. This father-daughter team are pioneers in biological farming methods, doing innovative work to improve soil health and make their farm economically and environmentally sustainable. Our Learning Circle participants got a first-hand look at their composting systems and perennial pastureland recently converted from conventional row crops. I included some photos below.

In this newsletter, you will find our latest Demo Farm Case Study, highlighting the regenerative agriculture success of Janette Veazey-Post from Lamb Farms in Oakfield. I also included a video we put together last year so you can hear Janette discussing why she prioritizes soil health systems on their 12,000+ acres across western New York. The work of Janette and the Zeliff family inspires us all to be better stewards of the land and shows us why women are such important drivers of successful agriculture.

To learn more about these innovative land management systems, I encourage you to attend an upcoming field day highlighted below under the New York Soil Health & Climate Resiliency Field Day Series. We are also planning two more Learning Circles for 2023 that will take place at our women-powered Demonstration Farms in the Genesee River Valley. And if you need a break from all that learning, I encourage you to attend the Women in Ag Social at Woodlawn Distilling on August 29th, sponsored by Assemblywoman Marjorie Byrnes.

Take good care,

Stephanie Castle
Women for the Land New York Program Manager
American Farmland Trust

Lamb Farms, Inc. Case Study Report

Achieving Economic & Environmental Goals through Soil Health

Lamb Farms was founded in western New York in 1966 by Leslie and Gordan Lamb and Jim Veazey. Today the farm spans 8,499 owned acres, and 4,245 rented acres, supporting 10,000 dairy cows and replacements across four farmsteads. They practice a nine-year rotation of four years of corn silage/grain, one year of wheat, and four years of alfalfa on 12,544 acres. Lamb Farms, Inc. is currently a member of AFT's Genesee River Demonstration Farms Network. 

Janette Veazey Post, the farm’s crop manager since 2012, became interested in soil health practices to achieve farm goals, "to produce the highest quality milk in an environmentally and cow friendly manner, while building a strong team and creating a positive image in our community,” says Janette. Currently, the farm strip-tills all their corn, now 4,500 acres, and practices vertical tillage on all 5,000 acres of alfalfa and occasionally wheat, when conditions are favorable. In 2018 they adopted cover cropping on 3,500 acres and now plant a mix of triticale, clover, and radish.

Analysts applied a marginal approach using Lamb Farms’ Farm Credit East (FCE) economic database from 2009 to 2021 to answer the question, "Can soil health practices be adopted while maintaining or improving economic performance?" The farm’s profit averaged $57/acre/year or $726,408 more annually compared to the pre-soil health period, achieving a 61% return on investment. Janette's soil health practices also resulted in a 102% reduction in total greenhouse gas emissions, which corresponds to taking eleven cars off the road each year. 

Photos from AFT's August New York Women for the Land Learning Circle

See You There! 

Our Women for the Land New York website will be up and running next month. We will post farmer stories, photos, and upcoming events there. Please mark your calendar for the last two Learning Circles of 2023. Dates, times, and locations will be sent via email a few weeks prior to each event.

September: Chainsaw and Tractor Safety Course for Women with Ontario SWCD at Firecreek Farms in Livonia

October/November: Beginning Farmer Resources & Mentorship at Wild Hill Farm in Ionia

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This is your last chance to enter into our brand new America’s Farmers Market Celebration™ Merchandise Giveaway – to win some amazing items like t-shirts, aprons, baby bibs, hats, water bottles, and more, while showing your love for farmers markets! Deadline To Enter: THIS Sunday, August 27, 2023

Here's how you can enter to win:

Step 1: Vote for Your Favorite Farmers Market
Head to markets.farmland.org and cast your vote for your favorite farmers market by Sunday, August 27th. When you vote, you're not only showing your support but also giving these dedicated farmers markets the chance to take home a piece of the America’s Farmers Market Celebration™ $15,000 prize pool and earn the national recognition they truly deserve.

Step 2: Sign Up for Our AFMC Email Newsletter via the Opt-In on the Voting Submission Form
We're dedicated to highlighting the important role farmers markets play in communities across the nation and celebrating the farmers, staff, and volunteers that make markets happen. By signing up for our email newsletters, you'll receive timely updates on farmers market standings nationally, statewide, regionally, and final winners, while hearing heartwarming stories from our local farming heroes.

Photo Credits: Rebecca Drobis, Lamb Farms Inc, Stephanie Castle

No Farms No Food® is a trademark of American Farmland Trust

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