Farming on the Wild Side The Evolution of a Regenerative Organic Farm and Nursery, reviewed

We look at this book by Nancy J. Hayden and John P. Hayden, which covers a multi-decade perspective on the evolution of their thinking and attempts to farm in a sustainable and ecological way. Farming on the Wild Side is published by Chelsea Green publishing here.

The book’s blurb => 

One farm’s decades-long journey into regenerative agriculture—and how these methods enhance biodiversity, pollinators, and soil health

Northern Vermont’s Nancy and John Hayden have spent the last 25 years transforming their draft horse–powered, organic vegetable and livestock operation into an agroecological, regenerative, biodiverse, organic fruit farm, fruit nursery, and pollinator sanctuary. In Farming on the Wild Side they explain the philosophical and scientific principles that influenced them as they phased out sheep and potatoes and embraced apples, pears, stone fruits, and a wide variety of uncommon berry crops; turned much of their property into a semi-wild state; and adapted their marketing and sales strategies to the new century.

As the Haydens pursued their goals of enhancing biodiversity and regenerating their land, they incorporated agroforestry and permaculture principles into perennial fruit polycultures, a pollinator sanctuary, repurposed greenhouses for growing fruit, hügelkultur, and ecological “pest” management. Beyond the practical techniques and tips, this book also inspires readers to develop greater ecological literacy and respect for the mysteries of the global ecosystem.

Farming on the Wild Side tells a story about new ways to manage small farms and homesteads, about nurturing land, about ecology, about economics, and about things that we can all do to heal both the land and ourselves.

Review of Farming on the Wild Side

The Evolution of a Regenerative Organic Farm and Nursery

This is an engaging and open description of the Hayden’s journey, from motivated Peace Corp workers, in eastern and Western Africa, to integrated pest management and university lecturing, to then aiming to implement their ideas and beliefs on their own farm too. This book spans a journey of several decades on their farm. Their narrative is frank and willing to examine what has worked well, and what has been less successful.

Throughout the book there are great informative images which help to give a good sense of the locale and the land around them where they are based. These pictures are colourful and help to convey what they have been trying to achieve with their projects and various crops, fruiting bushes and other ventures they have tried out. The book aims to distill their experiences and insights learned, including some big picture reflections on how their goals and usage of the farm has changed over time, encapsulated in three distinct periods of initiatives they tried. John Hayden also reflects on ideas they tried out, and then quickly realised they were not things that they wanted to do repeatedly.

There are a lot of good startup ideas and approaches within this book, and you might get good value out of this book even if you never plan to actually farm or move to the country side. In these times where we need to embrace more resilience and self sufficiency this is an enjoyable and useful book to read.

About Nancy J. Hayden

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