Tenacious Acres
Connecting Environmental Stewardship to the equestrian Art
Part of our classical philosophy is that we need to not only help horses and riders become their best, but we also need to take care of our environment. Tenacious Acres Restorative Agriculture is our outreach program geared toward rare breed conservation, growing specialty crops, and educating the community in restorative gardening techniques. We focus on rare breeds of horses, primarily Lipizzans and Kerry Bog Ponies (as well as classic-type Lusitanos), but we also use other species for partner-farming. Our approach incorporates the use of endangered breeds of goats and poultry, such as the San Clemente Island Goat. We’ll be selling dried herbs and other farm products, and we’re in the process of developing online course and in-person workshops. Many of these courses will be available at a discount for those who struggle with food security, and produce that isn’t sold will be donated to local food banks.
Part of caring for the horses includes caring for their environment. We are passionate about holistic farm management, using partner animals and gardens for enrichment and property management. Our San Clemente Island Goats assist with weed control and forest management, and our poultry eat nuisance bugs and pests. The horses also play an important part, creating a carbon sink in the soil through their waste. Our goal is to be as green as possible in the near future, and we are establishing solar power at our new facility and looking for other ways to “go green.” However, we also believe that a working farm can be beautiful and picturesque, and we hope to capture this efficient beauty in our facility’s set-up. We have several projects in the works, including new gardens, agroforestry, and river-friendly agriculture. Stay tuned for more updates!
THE SAN CLEMENTE ISLAND GOAT:
A critically endangered breed.
We are honored to be stewards of the rare San Clemente Island Goat, a critically endangered breed from off the cost of California. The San Clemente Island Goat was discovered on San Clemente Island, though their origins are not completely certain. They have since been removed from the island and are maintained by a small number of passionate breeders around the country. This special breed is a smaller, more deer-like breed with a quiet temperament and beautiful colors. While they are like the Mustang of the goat world, they produce excellent milk with high butterfat content. Their fiber is now now being studied for cashmere quality. Our goats help us maintain the property through “goatscaping.” While they have horns, they are very diligent and sweet-tempered. The bucks famously have large, twisting horns, a gentle disposition, and a much less stinky odor than other breeds. Our flock consists of several different bloodlines, including Rivetti, New Hampshire, and Ahrensberg. We hope to explore some of their different purposes, such as milk and cashmere production. We have kids available from 2025!
Our Poultry:
Geese, Ducks, chickens, and more.
Our poultry program is currently on hold while we rebuild after our move from NC to NY. However, we hope to reinstate our poultry flocks with critically endangered breeds and other beautiful birds to help with pest management and to provide farm-fresh eggs.