Episode 198: Dan McManus

Published: July 22, 2014, 9:21 p.m.

b'This weeks featured farmer: Dan McManus, Common Hands Farm, Hudson Valley, NY. Dan has lived much of his life in and around biodynamic farm communities, first during his early years in South Australia, and then as a teen in New York, working on and apprenticing under numerous farms. After working and managing his own masonry business for ten years, he desired to put these skills to a more creative use, and began traveling with mentor and teacher Johannes Matthiessen building social sculptures all over the world. He has also studied tracking and primitive skills in VT and holds a certificate in Permaculture Design. Through his studies in associative economics, social-threefolding and peer-lead learning models, Dans passion for working and learning with others continues to grow. Now the owner and head farmer of a large CSA outside of Hudson, Common Hands Farm, he works with his partner Tess on 20 acres of land growing vegetables, fruit, herbs, flowers, small grains. Together they supply 5 farmers markets, local restaurants and wholesale accounts, and a 140 member CSA locally and in Brooklyn. There is so much beauty and possibility in merging organic farming with the health of our local communities, and Dan feels blessed to be part of this movement. This program was brought to you by Heritage Foods USA. The goal behind our entire farm is to help pave the road for not just our farms but many farms -- to serve our most local communities. [01:00] --Dan McManus on Greenhorns Radio'