Unbound Glory Farm
- 2 days ago
- 4 min read
by Cris Cadiz
When I first met Courtney and Adam Squire on their farm, Unbound Glory in Pomfret, about ten years ago, it looked very different. It was beautiful, as all farms are to me, lush fields full of healthy produce. Feathery carrot tops gently waved in arrow straight rows. Hearty dark green and frilly purple kale marched alongside. Garlic, onions, lettuce, radishes and more grew in neat, predictable lines all separated by weed-free dirt paths. This young couple who moved to The Last Green Valley from Philadelphia were in love with their new careers as farmers and paying meticulous attention to their efforts.
Courtney and Adam had 20 combined years of experience on the other end of the food system, working their way up to management at Whole Foods Market. After raising bees and covering every square inch of their city yard with flowers and vegetables, they were ready to escape grocery retail for a chance to nourish the community directly from the soil.
Today at Unbound Glory, swaths of produce curve and undulate along gentle slopes of hilltop acreage. In early spring, beds of brilliant crimson clover protect bare soil from wind, sun and rain. By June, this cover crop dies back to become mulch that feeds the soil and keeps weeds at bay. Pollinator plantings (purple coneflower, garlic chives, yarrow, hyssop) flank vegetables, offering food and shelter all year long for bees, butterflies, and other insects plus gorgeous blossoms throughout the growing season. Opaque high tunnels and mounded Hügel beds are semi-permanent landmarks alongside the fields. On select weekends the smell of wood smoke permeates the air as they fire up their brick oven to make delicious wood-fired pizza featuring veggies grown just yards away.
Unbound Glory Farm has evolved in a decade. What hasn’t changed is Courtney and Adam’s deep respect for the land, a commitment to taking care of it so it can take care of us. With a lot of reading, research, and learning from other local farmer, UConn Extension and USDA programs, they have evolved from following organic practices to regenerative ones. Unlike organic standards, which are regulated by the government, regenerative practices can mean different things to different farmers. The foundation for all regenerative farmers is a focus on soil health, increasing biodiversity and working in harmony with nature. It also helps the land be more resilient in the face of climate change.
Over the years, Courtney and Adam have learned what it takes to nurture the earth rather than bend it to their will. Instead of plowing--churning the earth every season, disturbing the delicate microbiome within the soil and compacting the earth with heavy machinery so that water eventually can’t soak in--they practice no-till farming. Rather than planting ruler-straight rows that allow rain to wash soil away, their rows flow in curves that follow the natural counter of the land. This allows water to stay where it falls, soak into the earth where it’s needed. Rather than spray with chemicals to wage war against pests and disease, they keep the needs of the whole ecosystem in mind, so everything thrives--meaning insect pests have predators that eat them. Pollinator plantings welcome beneficial insects to help plants create balance. They plant cover crops that keep down weeds and when they die become healthy mulch that holds moisture and feeds the earth as it breaks down.
It’s taken a decade of learning and trial and error for them to develop satisfactory regenerative growing methods. Along the way, they have generously given back to their community, which they value equally to taking care of the land. They have shared not just healthy, delicious food but knowledge and experience. Courtney and Adam are natural teachers. They have given presentations, hosted tours, participated in agricultural conferences but are most proud of their internship program.
Unbound Glory has housed, fed and educated dozens of interns over the years. “We like to leverage our experience in the food industry to help mentor those interested in agriculture, either farming or working in policy,” says Courtney. As higher education has added agriculture programs, they have gotten many more applicants—60 for this growing season. “We will teach them everything we can, from hands-on seeding, weeding, cultivating, harvesting, processing to how to work within a farm system, marketing to be profitable plus knowledge about soil science and pollinators… People can learn on whatever level they want. Even how to cook with the vegetables we grow and contribute to a healthy lifestyle.”
Besides non-traditional farming techniques, Unbound Glory stands out for its unique CSA model (order online, pick up weekly, only buy what you want, no obligation). They also enjoy growing unique veggies (cardoons, artichokes, Italian escarole and radicchios) and heirloom varieties. Finally, they LOVE to cook. After a stint with a food truck (that customers loved but wasn’t sustainable for Courtney and Adam), they acquired a wood fired pizza oven and started making delicious, thin crust pizzas using organic flour mixed with freshly milled local whole wheat, local cheese and meats and showcasing their own seasonal vegetables. Unbound Glory Farm offers pizza on select dates. You must pre-order (get on their e-mail list) and be quick, because it sells out every time.
“We love to cook,” says Courtney. “We love eating healthy food. We are obsessed with vegetables and love sharing that with everyone around us.”
Visit unboundgloryfarm.com to learn more.