The first stage in our conversion to creating a sustainable agricultural system began on Wednesday April 8. Before describing what happened on April 8, it may be useful to explain how we developed the implementation plan.

The planning process began in December 2007 when I attended the ACRES organic farming conference in Louisville, KY with Robert E. Lee Memorial Association board member, Franny Kansteiner. Franny and her husband Walter have an organic farm at their Upperville, VA home. In addition to the conference, Franny also arranged visits to several other organic farms in Fauquier and Loudoun County, Virginia. We also met with Amish farmers in Pennsylvania. One of the many things I learned from these conferences and visits, aside from the conviction that this was something that Stratford needed to do, was that it was also highly complex and that there were many different ways to create and manage a sustainable and organic farm. I also concluded with our limited staff, sorting out all the details would be difficult and time-consuming. This makes us similar to the millions of Americans who flock to Whole Foods and local farm markets in search of organic vegetables, fruits and meats and probably don’t entirely understand what makes organic different from non-organic produced food – only that it is somehow “better.” If this describes you, we hope that this new program will provide some answers.

After the overwhelming experience with conferences, books and farm visits we were encouraged by a meeting with Reuben Stoltzfus in Ronks, PA in May 2008. Reuben is Amish, but operates a business that caters to his Amish neighbors and others that want to manage their farms sustainably. His company, Lancaster Agricultural Products (Lancaster Ag), provides both advice and a variety of organic fertilizers, additives and medicines that can resolve everything from soil fertility to dry cow disease. For those who think of the Amish only in terms of their plain dress and avoidance of modern amenities, think again. Reuben has developed a reputation as one of the principal advocates of organic farming and has the business to prove it.

We met with Reuben in his office. The office bore an unsettling similarity to something you might see in any modern corporation: big mahogany desk with a large bookcase to match along with richly upholstered furniture. His modern building was part salesroom, part warehouse and part office space. Since I grew up and attended college in southeastern Pennsylvania, I had some experience with the Amish. This is not what I imagined. There was even a telephone on his desk. There was also a computer, but secured out of site in a separate room. I was afraid to ask if they took credit cards. Franny Kansteiner joined me at this meeting, but Reuben spoke mostly with me. There are some aspects of Amish culture that will not be so easily changed.

Reuben introduced us to two scholars well known for their expertise in soil fertility and livestock management: Dan Skow and Paul Detloff. They were both from the Midwest, but have been long-time associates or Reuben and were in town to participate in a free conference Reuben was sponsoring the next day. They made a strong case for how their organic management philosophy could benefit us and suggested I stay for the conferecne where I could learn about it. Franny had to go back to Virginia, but I agreed to stay and participate. When I arrived back at Lancaster Ag the next morning, it was joined by about 150 Amishmen. The meeting included a number of interesting sessions, and I got a lot out of all of them but especially the talk by Dan and Paul. It also provided for some interesting interactions with the Amish. A lunch was served, very much in the traditional Pennsylvania style. Among the non-Amish in attendance, Reuben introduced me to two people: Bill Wolf and Luke Howard who he felt could be most helpful in enabling us to create and implement a plan. Bill is the principal of Wolf DiMatteo & Associates; a firm that specializes in helping people like Stratford Hall develop sustainable farm management plans, among many other things. Luke is one of Bill’s associates and manages a very successful 77 acre sustainable farm on the Eastern Shore.

Stratford Hall has retained Wolf DiMatteo to assist us with this project and it is with their expertise and advice that enabled us to advance this program.