Metta Earth Farm, LLC is the farm and retreat business, which hosts the nonprofit programs of the institute, as well as the work of other land based enterprises that serve the larger community. This entity is set up to function as a worker owned cooperative business for future residents.
- The farm provides a large percentage of organically grown, nutrient dense food for guest, team, and resident meals both fresh in season and preserved for the long winters.
- As a working farm and permaculture site, Metta Earth Farm facilitates educational experiences in carbon farming, restorative agriculture, plant medicine, and regenerative food systems.
- MEF attends to accommodations and teaching spaces, creating beautiful, healthy, and clean sanctuary environments for all the programs.
- The farm also regularly offers food to the larger community with a small CSA, seasonal farmstand, small store, occasional sales to local schools and other markets, and seasonal donations to local food shelves.
The farm is located on Metta Earth’s 158 acres of mixed woodlands, fields, and pastures. The small scale diversified farm utilizes all 35 acres of pasture and field with some use of the forest land as well. The farm includes a restored timber frame heritage barn, a greenhouse, chicken tractors used in rotational grazing, a one-acre biodynamically nourished garden, various other flower and herb gardens, and a run-in animal shelter. MEF owns flocks of heritage breed animals, including a herd of Milking Shorthorn cows, a flock of Icelandic sheep, laying hens, bees, and two lovable barn cats.
Continuing Lifeways
With the enjoyment and embodiment of a life close to the land, MEF residents work together to nourish community and explore the rejuvenation of ecologically committed village culture. By intertwining the paths of gardeners, farmers, permaculturists, homesteaders, cooks, herbalists, beekeepers, laundry tenders, hand- crafters, those in this endeavor may find meaning in the humble tasks of land and home steward- ship, practicing mindfulness, beauty making, and the creation of art in the daily round.
Through wholesome, land based lifeways, these stewards are teachers and educators passionate about creating sanctuaries for experiential learning, living, and loving. With a fierce commitment to vital, healthfully grown food, they want to support learning communities in permaculture, biodynamic gardening, and organic, restorative agriculture. The hosting of all the MEI programs is guided by this intent.
