Recapping the first six months of 2024
As we wind down the first half of the year, I would like to give a recap of what we have been working on at Acres U.S.A. and send a heartfelt thanks to all of our current and new subscribers.
When I bought Acres U.S.A., I knew it had a rich history with a lot of goodwill, but I did not fully appreciate just how special this organization is. Practically every time I talk with a subscriber or author or advertiser, they regale me with how much they’ve gained from Acres U.S.A. over the years. It fills me with pride, but also a great sense of responsibility to continue this important work.
Selfishly, the best part of my role has been talking to the authors, contributors and well-known practitioners who I have learned from since I started my journey in ecological agriculture. I am on a mission to find the best practices to create successful farming ecosystems that work within the ecological principles set forth by Charles Walters. The practices we preach today are the same in substance as those that have been taught in Acres U.S.A. materials for the past 50-plus years. It is our job now to make sure we find the economic solutions that can carry these practices forward another 50 years.
We have successfully brought the magazine online to a wider audience at our member site (https://members.acresusa.com). We have gotten the business “under control” and have seen increasing monthly subscriber numbers. We are building partnerships with other organizations that share the same vision. We have established the core group of speakers for Eco-Ag ’24.
We are excited to bring the 49th edition of the Acres U.S.A. Eco-Ag conference to Madison, Wisconsin, this December. We chose a new location for this event because, most of us being from rural communities, it feels like a disconnect to convene to talk about natural farming methods at an inner-city venue. I think our location this year — on the outskirts of Madison, which is a regional hub more than a major city — will be more welcoming to folks like me who don’t always appreciate traffic and crowded cities.
Our lineup of speakers is top notch. Gabe Brown, Allen Williams, John Kempf, Mark Shepard, Dan Kittredge, Gary Zimmer, Nasha Winters and others will highlight the event. By the time you read this, in July, we will have more headliners released. We have stacked a lineup, and we’re confident that you will receive huge value from not just getting to listen to these ecological farming experts, but also by having the opportunity to speak with them and ask them the specific questions you have about your own operation.
Our goal — for our conference, for this magazine, and for all of our content — is to get back to the basics, to focus on ecological practices, and to avoid social and political buzz topics. I truly believe we are doing this. The magazine is our core product, a place where new ideas and information flourish (this often means the reintroduction of “new” ideas that are really old). The incorporation of our new member site means an even wider distribution of this kind of classic — and groundbreaking — knowledge. Keep sending us feedback on how we can make your experience as a subscriber even better.
On a personal note, our growing season has gotten off to a great start with plenty of precipitation, which our area desperately needed. We planted more than 3,000 seedling chestnut, honey locust, apple, red oak, walnut, white pine and white spruce trees. I hope this mix will create a silvopasture system that can help supply cover in the summer and winter while also providing additional livestock feed.
My wife also had our second child in February — a girl, joining our son, who’s now two. So we’re plenty busy here in the Henry home and farm! Speaking of the farm, we are remodeling our machine shed into a new warehouse for Acres U.S.A., and we hope to remodel our old dairy barn into office space. I love the thought that 50-plus years after Charles Walters founded this company, it is headquartered on a practicing eco-farm that I think he would be proud of.
I hope you are experiencing great growing conditions so far this year. We’re looking forward to seeing you in Madison this December!
Taylor Henry is the owner and CEO of Acres U.S.A.
