December 2007

We've purchased land! Now begins the long process of building the farm, a house and cottage -- simple, low-energy natural homes that limit our fossil fuel use as well as other resources. We'll soon be busy clearing fields, improving the soil, planting crops, and building a barn. As the project progresses, we hope to produce the bulk of our food, grown using natural practices, enabling us to limit our dependence on outside sources, and to know where our food comes from. In time, we plan to grow enough to offer community supported agriculture (CSA) to the surrounding community. 

August 2006 - November 2007 

Argosy Farm first aspired to be an intentional community centered around a farm, but instead morphed into a smaller farmstead project after it became clear the obstacles for the bigger undertaking were too great. We had plenty of interest in the larger intentional community project, but found few were really willing to commit to the farm concept, preferring instead to hire a resident farmer. We'd seen examples in other communities where the "hired" farmer was overworked and undervalued. Eventually, we came to understand that most farmsteaders tended to be independent types not generally given to group endeavors. Thus, Argosy had to transition in order to meet the goals we'd set for ourselves -- self-sufficiency, affordability, sustainability.

During this period, we spent nearly every free weekend searching for "Mayberry" -- suitable land near a town that would offer small town ambiance, yet close enough to a larger metro area with big town amenities. We knew the land had to be affordable, have adequate water, provide a mix of fields and forest, offer paved road frontage and good south-facing slopes for passive solar building.

Our search took us through North Carolina, Virginia and even a brief jaunt to West Virginia. In the end, we wound up right back where we'd started near Hillsborough, NC, on a small but pretty 14 acre parcel very near one of the original 50 acre tracts we'd considered early on in the process.

Hillsborough is close to a number of universities, has a progressive local culture with good levels of concern for environmental sustainability, offers access to local farmers' markets, recreation, health care and off-farm jobs. It offers a long growing season and reasonably short winters with minimal heating requirements. And ultimately, it's where our hearts felt at ease.