This week was a tough one on the farm. We had to put down our beloved farm dog, Mapacha. She came with the property when we moved in eight years ago, so sometimes she made us feel like we were her tenants and we had to abide by her rules. But most of the time she was the sweetest dog and her playful company made for many great family memories. She was a pet, she was a guard dog, she could round up our flocks, and she would chase unwelcome visitors. One time she smelled of skunk for about three weeks, despite all the different concoctions we tried on to get rid of it. Mapacha was an awesome farm dog and we miss her greatly.
Back to Farm Happenings at Saint Isidore Homestead and Permaculture
A tribute to Mapacha
About the farm
We are a small family farm located in Grottoes, Virginia, serving the city of Harrisonburg and the counties of Rockingham, Augusta, and Greene. We produce high-quality food using sustainable practices and ethical principles of care for the common good. Having witnessed the healing power of good food in dealing with family health issues, we started farming in 2015 in an effort to sharing with others the benefits of fresh, nutritionally-dense food, grown in a clean environment, using integrative agricultural methods. We believe that in order for food to be healthful, the environment in which it grows has to be healthy. To that end, we integrate animal and plant systems in ways that, in their natural interactions, they create an ecological balance leading to abundance and quality.
We grow over 50 different vegetable crops, perennial vegetables and fruits, and raise pastured pork, as well as ducks and chickens, for meat and eggs.
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We grow over 50 different vegetable crops, perennial vegetables and fruits, and raise pastured pork, as well as ducks and chickens, for meat and eggs.