Salamander Springs Farm is an organic permaculture farm created from scratch utilizing permaculture principles and practice, by developing & recycling local resources, water, energy & nutrients. Since 2001, land once devoid of topsoil has produced an abundance of market crops without tillage, fertilizers or pesticides.

Grain and dry bean fields are grown in a continuous cover of crops, incorporating no-till relay cropping practices of the late Japanese rice farmer, Masanobu Fukuoka and more recent no-till practices for a small-scale farm. Cornfields are grown without tillage in '3-Sisters' polycultures with pole beans, pumpkins & squash, utilizing traditional Native American practices that Susana learned during 8 years working with Mayan farmers in Guatemala. Black turtle & pinto beans, popcorn & whole grain cornmeal are dried, shelled & processed on the farm, sold locally and on the website FARM PRODUCTS page. Since 2001 Susana has selected and bred a unique KY heirloom cornmeal corn she named "KY Rainbow dent which is sold on the website FARM PRODUCTS page and through the Virginia-based Southern Exposure Heirloom Seed Company.

The farm also produces a wide variety of vegetable crops on permanent beds, and fruits, nuts, berries, herbs, flowers, forest medicinals, ramps & mushrooms throughout the season. Other farm products include dried & packaged fruits, chilies, culinary herbs & teas from our solar food dehydrator, herbal salves and luffa sponges. Farm products are sold at Berea Farmers Markets, local stores & restaurants, Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) subscriptions the online store. The CSA runs May-October.

The most important resource at Salamander Springs Farm is our soil life & health. Nutrient dense food is grown in healthy, LIVING SOILS using permaculture practices--by cycling local resources--not with the input intensive, industrial-scale methods of USDA Organic. Invariably the first thing customers notice is the wonderful taste (and nutrient value) of our food as compared to supermarket "organic" foods.

Susana Lein homesteaded what became Salamander Springs Farm on 22 acres of hardwood Appalachian forest; In 2001, she cleared briars, locust & cedar trees on about 6 acres of degraded ridge-top meadow, started building soil and planting the fruit orchard, "food forest" & nut trees. After building a gravity-fed spring water system from the forest in 2002, an outhouse & an open-air kitchen shack from recycled/salvaged materials in 2003, Susana began camping on the land while building other outbuildings and a small passive solar house from locally harvested & milled wood. A second passive solar building houses the solar electric system & freezer in its north room while the south side serves as a potting shed. Clay dug for farm ponds and a rice paddy has been utilized for a beautiful earthen floor, clay "slip-straw" walls and natural plasters. The farm is totally off-grid, powered by a small solar electric system. In 2014, a small farmers' grant from Kentucky State University purchased a grain mill, rough lumber & roofing to build a small granary building, on which Susana is now building a porch addition for an improved community workshop and meals space.

MONTHLY FARM TOURS at Salamander Springs Farm: April to November, see website TOURS page for schedule.

HANDS-ON WORKSHOPS at Salamander Springs Farm: Cover crops, no-till practice, building healthy soils, appropriate off-grid and passive solar technologoies

See website WORKSHOPS page, www.salamandersprings.wixsite.com/farm/workshops)

Send email request to be added to our mailing list for workshop notification list. Updates on farm workshops & events are sent 2-3 times/year. Email to organize a workshop for your group/organization or on your land. www.salamandersprings.wixsite.com/farm/workshops)

The farm is completely off-grid without internet or social media. The website, email and workshop registrations are managed by a long-time customer & friend of the farm. We appreciate your patience with email replies!

For more information and links to films & published articles about Susana Lein & Salamander Springs Farm, go to website: www.salamandersprings.wixsite.com/farm/about