Adam Farnham | Good dirt!
/What's your connection to the land?
I am an avid equestrian. Healthy land is important for horse health. Similarly, proper horsekeeping is a benefit to the land.
What actions have you taken as a steward that you're most proud of and/or that you feel have made the biggest difference?
I have set up manure composting systems. These turn what would be a waste product into a valuable resource for the health of the land. I have watched runoff from my property decrease and the tilth increase over many years of compost application. This is amplified by rotational grazing and soil chemistry practices. I have sacrifice paddocks, which allow me to keep my horses mud-free during the rainy season. I have installed gutters/downspouts and a rainwater runoff collection and distribution system. This keeps water out of the roads and barn while eliminating runoff to neighboring properties. I have installed a rain garden, which scrubs out coliforms and returns clean runoff to the water table. All of these practices are 'puzzle pieces' which maximize the health of my horses as well as benefiting the land and water.
What’s your hope for the next 75 years? And/or what advice do you have for those next 75 years?
That human impacts on the environment will be largely positive, and this will be reflected in improved living conditions for all of us. We have come a long way from the days when the waters and air were badly fouled. We have some distance to go, and the investments made today will return dividends for generations to come.
Who are you?
- Name: Adam Farnham
- Where is home? Snohomish, WA
- Where are you from? Washington DC
