We’re Dave and Sylvia Toftness, farmers/owners of Bull Brook Keep. We started our farm over a dozen years ago, after full careers in other fields. We brought our experiences, skills and perspectives to our farm with the hope of welcoming visitors to our pastures. We look forward to conversing with you about sustainable agriculture, and to hear about your food journey
We use regenerative methods, like rotational grazing to manage our pastures. Working in harmony with nature, we attract wildlife and promote plant health across our 72 acres. This approach has encouraged the diversity of permanent pasture grasses, legumes and herbs. We’ve also noted that native trees and shrubs are doing well along the brook banks and on the high, drier ridges.
I (Sylvia) have had a life long interest in growing things. Even as a kid in the Bronx, I spent summers at my grandparents’ bungalow (no hot water, no TV), shadowing my grandmother as she gardened. Eight years ago, I began a more focused study of medicinal plants. These helpful plants were right under my feet as I moved the cattle from pasture to pasture every day. It’s been a real blessing to have discovered so many of these herbs, shrubs and trees on our pastures, along the fence-line, by the brook, and in the lawn. Most of these grow in your backyards and driveways.
We look forward to welcoming you to our farm and walking with you to get up close and personal with the leaves, flowers and fruit that emerge and ripen from early spring to late fall. These guided herb walks, called Herbal Safaris.
After getting acquainted with some plants, the next steps are harvesting and making remedies. I’ll hold two or more Remedy-Making classes during the season. (Private sessions are also available.) Also be on the lookout for delicious special events.
See the 2024 Calendar for dates, details, and to book your Safari, class, or event.
You can also stream or download any of the many dozen podcasts from my Deep Roots Radio shows produced Saturday mornings, 9:00-9:30AM Central Time, in the studios of WPCA Radio 93/1FM. Enjoy our conversations with farmers and ranchers, cooks and policy makers, lawyers and teachers, scientists and artists, herbalists, and investigative reporters, from all around the country.
Dave Toftness and Sylvia Burgos Toftness
Questions: Contact Sylvia, sylvia@bullbrookkeep.com, 651-238-8525.