Triform Farm: Power-washing and Barn Cleaning

Friday, May 8, 2009

Power-washing and Barn Cleaning

Quite a lot has been happening on the farm lately, so we haven't had much time for updating. The cows, steers, and calves are all out grazing in the fields now, and we've been working hard. Today we cleaned out the barn, and decided to share some photos with all of you. Tristin learned how to use the powerwasher for the first time, and Louisa got to put the powerwashing skills that she already had to good use, cleaning the mats from the dairy cows' stalls. These pictures are (from the top) Danny doing lime and woodchips in the barn that everyone helped to clean, Louisa powerwashing the tractor, Louisa powerwashing the mats, Tristin and Liva learning proper techniques from Martin, Tristin powerwashing on his own, Tristin learning to use the powerwasher, and Tristin getting help with his goggles.

-Liva Jostad-Laswell and Elijah Kent (photographers)

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About Triform Farm

Triform Farm is part of Triform Camphill Community. Triform, founded in 1979, is a residential and therapeutic community for young adults with special needs, located on 125 acres in New York's rural Columbia County. The mission of Triform is to build a vital community life that provides each person the possibility for healing, self-development and fulfillment of potential.

Triform Farm is a USDA Certified Organic and Demeter Certified Bio-dynamic farm. The farm consists of a hand-milked dairy herd, grass-fed beef herd, and heritage breed pigs. On the farm the young adults have an opportunity to gain practical work skills. Students come to the farm to experience working with the animals. They feed the cows, steers and pigs, muck out the barn, clean pens and provide bedding for the animals. They learn to use different tools and how to work as a team with the other members of the farm crew.

Some students go on to become farm apprentices. The apprentices work more full time on the farm and carry many of the daily responsibilities of running a small dairy. They learn how to milk the cows by hand, maintain the machinery, do building projects and repair work to the barn and animal pens, drive the farm golf cart, identify when animals are sick or in heat, and much, much, more. The apprentice program is about four years in length. In that time the young people gain a very broad knowledge of farming. Some go on to work on other farms. Even if they do not, the sense of responsibility, independence and empowerment they gain through land work carries over into other aspects of their lives.

The same can be said of many young co-workers who have come to Triform to volunteer for one year or many. They come with an interest in land work and leave with a very thorough training in biodynamic agriculture. Triform Farm is an exciting place to learn and gain strength and confidence through trying new things. Everyone soon finds that they not only know how to do a new task but have taken on the responsibility of making sure that job is maintained. They can each see that their contribution is vital to the running of the farm. In that way everyone shares in the ownership of Triform Farm.