Name: Darby Weaver
Occupation: Biodynamic Farmer and Homesteader
Place of Residence: In the Southern Appalachian Mountains of Blairsville, Georgia
Background and Personal History: After receiving her degree in Sustainable Agriculture from Sterling College in the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont, Darby packed up her Northern roots and transplanted herself deep into the Southeastern red clay of the state of Georgia. Being young landless farmers, Darby and her husband, Elliot, were forced to land hop from property to property for years, managing farms and starting small businesses in an attempt to save up enough money to purchase a farm of their own. All of this running around from Piedmont to the Coast and finally to the Mountains built character and gave them experience in a lot of different growing conditions.
As of her birthday on February 17, 2015, Darby and Elliot were able to purchase their land after leasing it for 2 years. The land was formerly farmed by Hugh Lovel, world renowned biodynamic agricultural consultant and author of A Biodynamic Farm and Quantum Agriculture. Through Lovel’s mentorship, Darby has become extremely passionate and knowledgeable about biodynamic growing methods and ecological farming systems. Currently she teaches classes through The Homestead Atlanta, Georgia Organics, Young Harris College, and leads on farm educational opportunities for many organizations including the Waldorf Schools of Atlanta.
Sun Dog Farm itself is not only an ecologically managed biodynamic farm, it is also a working homestead. The goal of the farm is to maintain on-farm fertility while providing most everything Elliot and Darby need to survive. The excess produced is sold to a local CSA and at the Murphy, N.C., farmers market.
Darby raises all of her own meat, milk, wool, and eggs from the livestock component of her farm and the animals are rotationally grazed on her pasture every day. Produce is canned, frozen, or cured and seeds are saved for the following year’s plantings.
It is Darby’s goal to harmonize her homestead to the rhythm of the natural world and cosmos to ensure longevity and abundance. She cultivates her livelihood in tune with the needs of her bioregion and acknowledges the importance of biological diversity from the soil to the atmosphere.
More Places to Find Darby on the Web:
@TheSunDogFarmer on Twitter
@TheSunDogFarmer on Instagram
