Natural Agriculture

Natural Agriculture's more than a technique of food production - it's a philosophy. See what makes it, and our farm, different from standard organic farming.

Our Farm

The CMF operates a farm following the Natural Agriculture method taught by the Japanese organization Shumei. The basic idea behind Natural Agriculture is to grow vegetables the way they would grow in Nature. This means that no agricultural chemicals of any sort are used. It also means that no manure or other soil additives used in organic farming are permitted. Only compost made from local leaves and grass can be added to the soil.

This imitates the process in which soil is enhanced in the forest floor, with leaves dropping each fall and slowly adding organic matter to the soil. The earth's forests and grasslands have flourished for thousands of years without man's intervention. We can learn from the natural processes that have ruled these natural environments, and grow the best food ever tasted by imitating these natural processes on our farm.

Our 4.5-acre Natural Agriculture farm is located in the middle of our Sugar Maples Center for Arts and Education campus. The farm includes a beautiful new Visitors Center, along with two 3,000-square-foot greenhouses. During growing season, visitors can purchase vegetables grown at the farm at a farmstand located on the Sugar Maples campus.

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