applewood farm is the result of over eight years of hard work and dedication by Dave and Laura Shea and their commitment to locally-sourced, sustainably-grown foods. After years of serving wonderful, organic products to their loyal customers at applewood restaurant in Park Slope, Brooklyn, the Sheas decided to break ground on their own little farm in East Chatham, New York. The two-acre farm is home to a flock of laying hens, Landrace-Yorkshire-Duroc pigs, Boer-Sanaan goats, two dogs, two cats, a Dutch bunny, two beautiful gardens, a tiny pond, and the Shea family. They overlook the beautiful Berkshires and are just a two-and-a-half hour drive up the scenic Taconic Parkway from New York City.
applewood farm 
I have spent at least an hour here this morning and now must get out and get my day going, but not before telling you how much fun I had! If you are interested, I am following two other farm related blogs that you might enjoy, but don’t want to bomb your space with links unless you say it is OK. They are as different as night and day, but a gold mine when it comes to good organic practice. BONUS? They are both good reads like your blog too!
Suggestion: Could you add a widget in your sidebar so that we (me and your other followers) can follow you via email? The reader feature is great on wordpress, but it can tend to get too overfull, and hence, good blogs get overlooked. For blogs I want to really follow closely email is the way to go. Well, for me at any rate. 😉
Thanks!
It is okay! Thanks for reading and commenting. I always feel like no one reads the blog and then I’ll run into someone who says they’ve been reading it since I started (but I have no idea because they don’t comment). I blame social media for training me to require feedback at all times 😉 I also really enjoyed reading your blog. We seem very like-minded. I’d be happy to take your recommendations on other good reads.
I did add the widget. Didn’t know I could do that! Thanks for teaching me how to do this!
Cecilia at The Kitchens Garden (aka: the Farmy) is here: http://thekitchensgarden.com/
Cecilia has many of the animals you keep, and a few more besides!
Then there is Bill at Practicing Resurrection: http://practicingresurrection.wordpress.com/
He is an organic farmer who also shares your interests in goats, chickens and gardening.
The two of them have the same ideology about clean farming, but are as different as night and day! 😀
I really have enjoyed reading your blog thus far! Your tag line was something that caught my eye. We came from an urban area and have been in a rural setting for the last five years.
I just wanted to take a moment to say ‘hi’ and that I look forward to reading more about applewood farm.
Thanks so much! I really appreciate hearing from folks who find this blog! I’ve had fun writing it.
I stopped by to thank you for following my blog – an hour ago. I have done a little home gardening, so can appreciate and sympathize with the weeding. But “broody” hens and “bearding” hives – who knew? Thanks for sharing your experiences. What a fun read!
Thanks, Daniela! We never stop learning. We have discovered so many crazy things since we started farming! Thanks for reading 🙂
Great to have found your blog… it’s great reading about your experiences, the highs and the lows, especially as a novice ‘farmer’ (we have only one crop though).
Thanks for reading and commenting! There are many highs and lows, to be sure. Things are always interesting though 🙂
Just found your blog- can’t remember exactly how- but it had something to do with my research regarding other small farm blogs as my husband and I (and our 4 small children) are about to “test farm” for a year or two on 23 acres. (We will likely only farm on 2-5 acres of it and graze our animals on the rest). We both have farm experience but have been busy with city life for far too long. We are renting for a year or two and (God willing) will re- learn the ropes enough to commit to a piece of land of our own. Now I feel like I’m in “Farm School”! (you should see my library stash!) and your blog is one of my “classes”. I LOVE it! I’ve got notes upon notes in my “Farm School Notebook” — yep, I’m nerdy like that, and did in fact label my notebook that– from your various blog posts. Thank you for sharing your wealth of knowledge!
Wow. Thanks, Stephanie. That sure is a day-making comment! We are definitely learning as we go, so I’m really glad to know it’s helping others to share the lessons learned. Sometimes I’m sure no one is reading this blog, so thanks also for the reassurance! Good luck with your farm; I look forward to reading all about your adventures, too!
GREAT BLOG!!! I will follow to see what else is in store!
I hope you like awards because I am about to nominate your AWESOME blog! Email me at belmontrooster@centurylink.net.
Congradulations! I have just nominated your blog for the Shine On Award. Here is a link to my post where you have been nominated: http://thebelmontrooster.wordpress.com/2013/12/14/my-shine-on-award-2/.
Thank you so much! I think (but am not certain) that I did all the follow-up steps correctly. Certainly feel free to tell me if I haven’t. Thanks again!
Love your blog…feeling very sad today after reading about Maggie Estep…she’s the reason I started following your blog!
I don’t know who you are or how I stumbled upon this blog, but I just wanted to say it’s absolutely absorbing and delightful! I find myself laughing out loud and eagerly looking forward to the next exciting installment of the glamorous life on your farm! As a transplanted Miamian doing the urban farm thing in Portland OR, I’m pondering moving to your neck of the woods to pursue the same. Then again, after reading your blog, I’m thinking twice now….thrice even.
Thanks for the beautiful and inspiring writing! Lulu
PS I’m sorry about your friend Maggie.
Just wanted to say how much I’ve enjoyed reading your blog. We started out on our own farm adventure in December, and your posts really made me chuckle… especially about checking a pig’s lady parts.
Well, I am addicted! Like yourself, I owned a restaurant too! In Florida, mind you, but I now have a farm with my husband and kids. I am also blogging about our experience and our love for farm tokitchen. Looking forward to learning from your mistakes! 😊
This is my blog: farmskitchen. com, check it out, I am a newb so I will happily accept advice!
Simca
Just found your blog today and I’m really enjoying what I’ve read so far. I, too, live on two acres, but we don’t farm.My son has raised garden beds for what we like to have very fresh and we get more locally raised foods from farmers’ markets. I am a retired teacher and am now the mom person for seven rescue cats. Murphy, my 20 lb orange tabby is on my lap helping me type. The other six are enjoying weak winter sunshine in northern KY. I hope you are feeling well again after your cancer surgery. God bless you and your family. Thanks for blogging. I mostly grew up on my grandparents’ farm, where my mom and I lived while my dad was in the Army during WWII. My brother and I had lots of fun on the farm and I miss it.