At Chickadee Farm we have always tried to do with less to reduce our environmental footprint. Around the farm we reuse and repair things as much as possible. We also are off-grid and use a solar-power system to supply electricity. This makes us think hard about all of our electrical loads, and, as a result, we use DC-powered appliances wherever we can. We apply the same management principles to the farm’s water needs. We collect and filter rainwater for drinking and watering the herb plants in the spring and for household use. We supplement this water supply with a deep well, but because this is deep groundwater (from 300 feet down), we use it mostly in winter and during dry periods, when rain water is not available.

Chickadee Farm began as a mixed livestock farm primarily raising sheep (we also have goats, chickens, ponies, and a llama to guard the sheep). Our main focus now is herbal tea production, but we still raise enough sheep and goats to graze our pastures. About 15% of the farm is in herb garden, and the remainder is in pasture and hay land. The livestock are an essential component of the ecological sustainability of our farm.