Welcome to our third installment of the Stewardship Series, in which we highlight and share inspiring stories of a local land steward about once monthly. Jessica Bass and Adam McGrath are the owners & operators of Lazy Mule Farm, a draft-powered vegetable farm on Alder Slope in Wallowa County. Below you’ll hear their perspective as land stewards new to this region.

"Working with draft horses has its place in current society, and it is not just a novelty. We believe it can work well when done at the right scale. We do it because we enjoy building relationships with our stock but also because we like being up close and involved in what is happening on the farm. We don’t necessarily want or need to be farming a huge amount of land."

"The way we are farming with horses is not no-till, and it’s not low impact. The horses and the equipment are not as heavy, and we don't rely on fossil fuels as much. However, any time soil is turned up, broken, and mixed around with heavy equipment, the damage is done to the biology living in it. We are mindful of this and plan to minimize plowing, plant lots of cover crops which helps soil biology recover, and work by hand for most tasks in the vegetable garden."

"We hope to set an example by demonstrating that farming with draft animals is not just an old way of farming - that it really can work in a modern-day farm business model. We would encourage more local vegetable and other food producers and to plant the draft power seed in someone’s mind. To mentor others will keep the tradition alive."

"We are motivated by the journey of mastering a craft. We love working with equines in any capacity, and we love farming. This work is a way to combine those two passions in order to keep learning about them and improving our skills. Earning a living by doing work we enjoy (that keeps us active, healthy and gaining) makes sense to us in a world full of uncertainties. Watching our farm unfold and evolve is also hugely motivating. I love watching plants grow - from trees, to crops, to grass. It is amazing to observe everything that is happening and to know that you’re a part of that."

"Our farm is 19 acres of leased ground up on Alder Slope. Topographically it contains a wetland, an upland bench, and an irrigation ditch. We are actively keeping stock out of the wetland with a fence, and our vision is to plant wet-loving trees in that area to create more habitat for wildlife. We are working with the contour of the land and planting crops on the upland bench. All the lower pastures will be rotationally grazed to maximize feed and encourage grass growth. We’ll keep stock access to the irrigation ditch minimal and plant more trees along it to create a natural windbreak and more habitat. In our deer-fenced garden, we will plant many flowers to encourage pollinators."

"Through years of farming and exposure to both new and old ideas of farming, we have come to the conclusion that as humans we play an important role as caretakers of the land. As farmers, we are definitely having an impact, but we aim to lessen that impact as much as we can and practice methods that allow biological systems to continue doing their work, which in turn helps us out. Our hope is for this community to remain largely agricultural without major conventional development and that our focus on water conservation will keep precious resources clean and abundant so more small farms will pop up."