The Lewisburg West Virginia weekly newspaper, The Mountain Messenger reports on the opening of the seasonal farmers' market in Lewisburg (after June 18, look in the archive for "Locals Look to Farmers' Market for Safe Food", June 9, 2007, issue). Among the new vendors is a farmer practicing biodiversity in land use and farming techniques. Here is an extended extract from the article:
Among vendors fairly new to the market are Andrew and Karline Faust of Wild Meadow Farm in Pocahontas County.
Their approach to farming is anything but conventional. Andrew is certified in permaculture design, and pursues biodiversity in land use. The couple moved onto their modest farm four years ago.
They built a straw-bale house, and use wood for cooking and heating. A spring house keeps food stuff cool, and their water system is gravity-fed. 'We're at the headwaters,' he expanded, 'and we're good stewards of down-stream aquatic systems.'
Solar panels provide hot water, and a generator drives power tools during construction and supplements a battery bank. 'We use only hand tools,' Faust explained, 'to limit fossil fuel input. We're fairly energy independent. We collaborate with what's available in nature. You can create abundance by living in a fairly low-tech way, and you can have a high quality of life with low-energy input.'
They call their farm The Center for Bioregional Living and their motto is 'Learning to live well with the earth.' They can be reached at (304) 653-8582. Details of their offerings are posted on their website: www.homebiome.com"
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