Pinerow Farm
Don and Tresea moved to Roscoe in 2004, essentially coming home (or close to it) after 15 years. Our 5 acre homestead was originally part of a conventional farm for many years, sweet corn and hay being the primary crops. The farm land was developed in the 1970’s, subdivided into 5acre plots.
Our intention was to grow a market garden so as not to have to mow the 5 acres of pasture and hopefully eliminate the need for Tresea to work off the farm. Our “zero” year was the year of the ’05 drought. Much of what we grew we canned or froze. In ’06 Don worked with David Cleverdon at Kinnikinnick Farm gaining a wealth of experience and knowledge in the workings of a market garden.
Also of great assistance was the Stateline Farm Beginnings® class offered through the Learning Center at Angelic Organics, Caledonia, IL. 2007 saw the addition of a production flock of Buff Orpington and Golden Comet laying hens raised on pasture and supplemented with an organic based feed. We grew a few meat chickens for ourselves and hope to expand this year to offer broilers to our customers.
Another wonderful addition to our farm was Tresea’s herd of Nubian dairy goats. From which, Tresea makes a luxurious milk based soap. We were very excited in February ’08 to have our vegetable operation certified “Naturally Grown” a grass-roots alternative to USDA Organic certification (www.naturallygrown.org).
Currently, Don has an off-farm job as adjunct music professor at Rock Valley College and free-lance musician, Tresea is currently working as a clinic LPN. Soon it is our hope that Tresea can work full-time at home with her goats and reintroduce herself to her two pottery wheels and kiln.
To see pictures of Pinerow Farm, click here.
