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News and Updates from Sanborn Mills Farm
A Commitment to Sustainable Agriculture
The term “sustainable” has become a buzzword in recent years, often used to signal eco-consciousness and responsibility. While it’s a powerful concept, its frequent use in marketing can sometimes dilute its meaning. At its core, sustainability is about balancing the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs. Here at Sanborn Mills Farm, we strive to go beyond the buzzword by putting sustainability into action through tangible practices like soil health management, seed saving, and animal-powered farming. For us, the word choice isn’t as important as the commitment to protect our environment and grow delicious food for our community.
Every vegetable you enjoy is the result of dedication to sustainable growing practices. We grow all our produce without using commercial fertilizers, herbicides, or pesticides, ensuring that everything we harvest is natural and healthy for you and the environment.
We rely on traditional farming methods powered by oxen and horses. From plowing and disking to planting and cultivating, these hardworking animals help us maintain the land in a way that minimizes our environmental footprint. Fertilizing our crops is equally natural, with manure from our own farm animals enriching the soil. This manure is applied to garden beds using the same draft power that keeps our farm running.
We take great care in managing pests and weeds without resorting to chemicals. Pests are controlled through crop rotation, the strategic use of companion plants, and simple but effective hand-picking. Weeds are managed with careful cultivation by draft power, complemented by hand-weeding efforts to ensure a clean and healthy growing environment.
While we don’t use heated hoop houses, we’ve found ways to stretch the growing season. By beginning in early March, we get a head start on planting, and our efforts extend vegetable production all the way to mid-November for some crops.
Seed saving is another cornerstone of our farming philosophy. Each year, we carefully preserve seeds from crops like sugar pumpkins, butternut squash, green and yellow beans, Jacobs cattle beans, and cucumbers. By doing so, we maintain a connection to heritage varieties while ensuring future harvests are perfectly adapted to our land.
Through these time-honored and eco-friendly methods, Sanborn Mills continues to provide fresh, nutritious produce to our community and workshop students while nurturing the soil and the environment.
Happy National Cookie Day!
The Moment you’ve all been waiting for. Kelly’s famous Cookie Recipe!!! If you have had the opportunity to attend a workshop or a farm-to-table lunch you have most likely had the pleasure of tasting Kelly’s famous cookies. In honor of National Cookie Day we decided to share the recipe with you. It is simple but don’t be fooled, these are special cookies!
Kelly’s Famous Chocolate Chip Cookies
4 ½ Cups of AP Flour
2 t Baking Soda
2 t Salt
2 t vanilla bean paste
4 Sticks Butter
1 ½ Cup of Raw Sugar or White Sugar
1 ½ Cups of Brown Sugar
4 Eggs
5 Cups of Chocolate Chips (Can also add nuts, dried cranberries ect.)
Sprinkle of Sea Salt to finish
- Preheat Oven to 350
- Cream together softened butter and sugars until smooth, add eggs and vanilla until combined.
- Add dry ingredients and mix until just combined and then add your mix-ins. Only mix a few more times to avoid overmixing.
- Scoop onto parchment sheet tray and chill in walk-in for at least 20 mins.
Bake at 350 for about 12 mins.
Makes about 15- 4oz cookies or 30- 2oz cookies.
A Successful 2025 Workshop Season Launch!
We’re thrilled to announce that our 2025 Workshop Launch was a success, despite a few computer glitches. We deeply appreciate your patience and support as we kick off this year’s program. With nearly 130 workshops planned, 2025 is set to be our biggest year yet, and we can’t wait to welcome students back to the farm starting in April. Thank you for being part of this exciting journey with us! Check out the website for our full list of workshops.
Winter Market & Wreath Sale This Saturday
Consider Supporting Sanborn Mills Farm
Join us in preserving the rich traditions of craft and community at Sanborn Mills Farm Craft Education Center. Your donation directly supports our hands-on workshops, skilled instructors, and the upkeep of this historic farm, ensuring we continue to inspire creativity and connection through craft education. Whether you’re a former student cherishing memories made here or a future participant eager to learn, your generosity will empower others to experience the joy of making and the spirit of togetherness. Every gift, large or small, makes a meaningful impact. Together, let’s keep the craft alive!
Sanborn Mills Farm | www.sanbornmills.org
Sanborn Mills Farm | 7097 Sanborn Road | Loudon, NH 03307 US