Drive through Albion, Maine and you may be lucky enough to see a team of draft horses hard at work plowing a field, with their person in tow, directing the whole endeavor. Using actual horse pulled machinery may seem like a thing of the past, but some smaller-scale, stewardship-minded farmers are finding they really do prefer and enjoy this century-old method of farming and hope to keep the practice alive and well. Justin Morace and his wife, Nell Finnigan, are the young couple doing just that at Ironwood Farm. This upcoming season will be their fourth on the farm, cultivating land the old-fashioned way and growing an array of fresh produce.

Nell went to school to study agriculture, but Justin actually worked in print design and web development until he jumped out of the tech world and into the equine arena. Neither of them had any previous farming experience, but they decided to pursue a dream that combined their passions for both horses and agriculture. Initially, the two began working and learning from their friends at Misty Brook Farm. When a forgotten and deteriorating livestock farm down the road came up for sale, they jumped at the chance to start something of their own and Ironwood Farm was born.

MOFGA organic certification was a key piece of this vision and once this was accomplished Nell and Justin were off and running (or plowing, as the case may be). Their choice to use horses in cultivating their 14 acres of tillable land instead of fuel-powered machinery is a decision that the couple has not regretted, and is one that has brought them loyal customers from all over Maine who love their back to basics approach. They have found that the personal connection with the horses and with the land, along with the slower pace of work, provides them with the opportunity to more fully notice, appreciate, and enjoy the little things in life. The physical work may be hard but the rewards of that extra effort far outweigh any negatives. The ability to labor together as a family and truly enjoy the fruits (and vegetables) of one’s effort is just the pay-off they had hoped for.