Above, Stonehurst is home not only to our Vermont Woods Studios VWS furniture showroom but also to a 109 acre woodland we manage for environmental conservation. Our commitment to forest and wildlife preservation has again been recognized as exemplary by the Sustainable Furnishings Council SFC and National Wildlife Federation NWF. Read more about our sustainable furniture award below.
VWS Earned Top Award on The 2022 Wood Furniture Scorecard
Much of the food grown in our edible landscape is perennial. We have fruit trees, nut trees, and long-lived and self-seeding greens: sochan, nettle, wood sorrel and lamb’s quarters, to name a few. Once established as part of the landscape, perennials and self-seeders won’t rely (much) on human hands. Convenient! But annual crops are an important part of the landscape, too. Inter-cropping the annuals with the perennials can be beneficial to both.
Preparing the ground for sowing corn
This year I wanted to make a “milpa.” This is a term for the ancient practice of interplanting corn and other plants in a way that benefits the ecosystem. It’s commonly called the “three sisters” although we have more than three sisters, and even a few cousins 🙂 Wild raspberries and strawberries, yarrow and goldenrod for the bees, and many greens, including lamb quarters, lady thumb, and sheep sorrel, all play their parts.
Preparations for cornfield. Photo taken last November
We mow the meadow, so creeping perennials with robust root systems tend to win out. Last November, in order to kill the grass we cut a 30′ x 30′ section as low as possible to the ground, and then mulched heavily with grass clippings, leaves, and wood chips from a hardwood we felled nearby. This worked well to delay the emergence of grass in spring, but it didn’t kill it completely.
One block of emerging popcorn
Later on, loads of compost were added on top to block out sun from the creepers and feed the crops we wanted to encourage. Overplanting, and then thinning, can discourage weeds. It also keeps the ground shady and moist for the young plants.
Knee-high!
Corn needs to be planted in dense blocks to encourage pollination. It emerged after Spring rains–no watering needed. The corn is now in the reproductive stage, with tassels releasing pollen daily and cobs thickening as the kernels develop.
Our meadow “milpa” in late July. Winter squash, beans, nettle, and of course corn.
So far so good! Stay tuned and we will see what we get.
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Vermont Woods Studios was selected for Daniela’s article because of our expertise in sustainable furnishings. All of our furniture is made in Vermont, using sustainably harvested North American wood and local craftsmanship. Shown above is one of our best sellers, the Classic Shaker Dining Table in solid walnut wood with matching walnut dining chairs.
Save 20% Storewide* at our Memorial Day Furniture Sale
During our Memorial Day Furniture Sale, you’ll find great deals on solid wood furniture for every room in your home and still have plenty of time to enjoy all your Memorial Day holiday activities. Save 20% off our bedroom furniture, kitchen and dining furniture, home office desks, file cabinets and bookcases and occasional furniture. Start your summer on the right note knowing that you’re getting the best quality fine American made furniture at the best price.
Yes! All furniture stores should care about endangered species and everyone working at a furniture store should receive training as to why. Your furniture is made with natural resources that are often taken illegally from the habitats of your favorite, iconic animals. Many of them, for example tigers, orangutans and chimpanzees are on the brink of extinction and they need our help. At Vermont Woods Studios, we use only sustainably harvested wood from well managed North American forests. We also plant trees in animal habitats that are suffering from illegal deforestation.
Remembering Those Who Sacrificed Everything for Us
Memorial Day is a time of remembrance, honoring those heroes who gave their lives in service to our country. The simple act of planting a tree can honor their legacy for generations.
These mature maple trees are among hundreds that grace the property where our furniture showroom lives in Southeastern Vermont. Every year at this time, we have thousands of maple seedlings that spring up, hoping to out-compete other plants on the property. This year we decided to nurture some of those seedlings for our customers and our community. We think there are infinite reasons to plant a tree, but Memorial Day seems particularly relevant.
Salesperson Alex with a butterfly taking cover from the rain, last summer
Each spring, Monarch Butterflies return to North America from their winter habitat. You may know about our tree-planting partnership with Forest for Monarchs in Michoacan, Mexico, but Monarchs need our support here in Vermont, too.
Milkweed is the host plant of the Monarch Butterfly. Mature Monarchs lay their eggs on the underside of the leaves of the plant, and larval caterpillars rely on the plant for the entirety of their diet at this stage of life.
Founder and CEO Peggy Farabaugh harvesting milkweed seed pods in the fall for spring sowing
Every year, we start milkweed seeds indoors, and also direct-sow them outdoors, in order to support the Monarchs. This year, we are also starting milkweed plants in small cells we have made out of rolled newspaper for ease of distributing them to the community. If these plants are to make a comeback in southern Vermont, they will need to be planted more broadly than just our 109 acres.
Salesperson Sean Henry separating milkweed plant starts from a tray of seedlings
Many in our small town of Vernon, Vermont have said that the milkweed plants which return every year will be the lasting legacy of founder and CEO Peggy Farabaugh. We are so proud of her!
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This year, we received a truckload of compost from a local rancher (the father of our fantastic intern Whitney—if you received a package of wood samples last year, she may have sent them to you). Tractor load by tractor load we are moving the compost to sunny spots on the property. Placing compost directly onto the grass eliminates the need for labor-intensive tilling.
Copeland’s Astrid Bed embodies natural modernism. Each bed is handcrafted and displays the subtle characteristics of real wood that bring out the luxurious feel of this authentic design. Where’s the best place to buy it? Read on.
You Love it. Now Learn How to Buy Copeland Furniture Online.
Above, Stonehurst is home not only to our Vermont Woods Studios VWS furniture showroom but also to a 109 acre woodland we manage for environmental conservation. Our commitment to forest and wildlife preservation has again been recognized as exemplary by the Sustainable Furnishings Council SFC and National Wildlife Federation NWF. Read more about our sustainable furniture award below.
