The Groundswell Center for Local Food & Farming and the Cornell Small Farms Program have teamed up to create a new column called “Lessons from the Land,” which first appeared in the Fall 2016 issue of the Small Farm Quarterly.

“Lessons from the Land” captures and shares the stories of and lessons learned from farmers, homesteaders and land workers around New York and the Northeast.

Too often, farmers and homesteaders exist in isolation; working long hard days, both overcoming significant and unpredictable challenges and also witnessing earth’s abundance. Stories are a way to connect, unite, and share ideas, information and experiences.

We want to hear stories from growers of all types and sizes, on real topics, that matter!

Each issue has a theme (see below for upcoming topics). Submissions of 400 – 800 words may be submitted online at www.groundswellcenter.org/lessons-from-the-land. We will publish only nonfiction submissions. Feel free to submit your name, farm name, city and state or submit your piece as “anonymous” if it allows you to be more honest.

We reserve the right to edit your submission to meet space limitations or to be sensitive to privacy issues. We will share changes with you before publishing. Because of space limitations, we are unable to print all the submissions we receive. Selected entries will be published in each issue of the Small Farm Quarterly as well as online on the Groundswell Center and Small Farm Program websites. Selected authors will receive a one-year subscription to Small Farms Quarterly.