Joan O'Connor
Demystifying the art of vermicomposting a.k.a. worm composting is Joan O’Connor ’s mission in life. “As long as you don’t freeze, bake, or drown the red wiggler worms (eisenia fetida), they are the most efficient yet simplest way to turn organic waste into rich garden compost,” she says.
Joan’s past life was that of a [...]

When Donald W. McLeod died in 1991, he left his seven acre apple orchard to his wife, Valerie, and two daughters, Kris and Becky. Valerie takes care of the books and works beside Kris everyday as together they share in the  belief that they share in the stewardship of their family’s land.  The in-laws and Becky work [...]

The self sufficiency that goes with farming is the legacy that both sides of Susan Cutting’s family handed down to their daughter. “Our aim is to feed ourselves, at least as far as we can take it,” she says. And that noble Yankee trait is exactly what Susan and her husband Keith, hope for their [...]

Leslie van Berkum with her husband, Peter, is a full partner in the success of Van Berkum Nursery in Deerfield, New Hampshire. Her primary responsibilities are sales (primarily wholesale), marketing, trade shows, photography, and human resources for a staff of 10-30 depending on the season. She serves as the first woman president of the New [...]