The Old Fort at Hesperus

The Old Fort at Hesperus uses many organic practices in its vegetable fields, including crop rotation, cover cropping, and organic soil amendments, and does not use synthetic herbicides or pesticides in those areas. Both drip and overhead irrigation are used to meet plant needs while conserving a limited water supply. High tunnels extend the growing season, and row covers are used for spring and fall planting. Each year, in partnership with Indigenous agricultural experts, the farm incorporates a Three Sisters plot and experiments with practices informed by Traditional Ecological Knowledge. The grass-fed beef herd grazes more than 5,000 acres under a rotational program, with genetics bred to finish on grass with no supplemental feed; all cattle are born and raised on the property. Farm staff are BQA (Beef Quality Assurance) certified and use low-stress handling techniques.