Farming was the original reason for settling on Shelter Island in 1651. Re-establishing our community’s agricultural heritage in a sustainable way is a compelling priority as we launch a new era at Sylvester Manor.
Today, we actively cultivate four acres in fruits, vegetables and flowers visible in our picturesque Windmill Field on Manwaring Road. We raise a flock of Rhode Island Red chickens that we rotate through our vegetable field. The chickens eat vegetable leftovers and help lower our pest pressure in the field while providing natural fertilizer for the soil. We also raise hogs to help combat nonnative invasive species and improve forest health. In 2012, 83 acres of farmland were permanently protected through town and county preservation programs.
Our farm practices are guided by a conservation plan approved by the Natural Resources Conservation Service and funded in part by a USDA EQIP grant. Another USDA grant is funding the development of a forestry management plan for over 150 acres of woodland. We are excited to develop agricultural practices in our woods that are productive but also mitigate invasive species that are plaguing so many protected open spaces.
17,000 Pounds of Scraps & Counting!
Islanders responded enthusiastically to Sylvester Manor’s invitation to all residents to bring household food scraps to the bins at Windmill Field, to be cycled into compost to boost soil health and food production. So far in 2024 we’ve received eight and a half tons of community food waste, more than double last year’s total! It’s a smelly job, but we love it!
In addition, White Oak Farm & Gardens and local Arborist Dan Clark each contribute ten or more truckloads of leaves and wood chips every fall, providing the carbon needed to balance the nitrogen from food scraps. These inputs all are vital to the success of our composting program and our no till fields, and we could not accomplish either program without this donated material.
Diverting this waste from the Town Recycling & Transfer Station saves disposal costs for households and businesses, and reduces Sylvester Manor’s soil amendment expenses. The Town about breaks even – the reduced disposal fees collected are offset by savings from not transferring the waste off Island to a distant landfill. There’s value, also, in the methane not produced by landfilling the food waste. Globally, methane from food waste is a leading source of greenhouse gas emissions – it is created in landfills when buried food breaks down without oxygen, while food waste composted above ground does not produce methane.
Keeping Island nutrients on the Island, cycling them back into locally grown food, reducing emissions – it’s a Win-Win-Win! Keep those scraps coming! 24/7 you can dump them out of any handy container into the multiple bins at the Sylvester Manor Farmstand parking area. Thank you for your contributions!
Post Office Box 2029
80 North Ferry Road
Shelter Island, NY 11964 info@sylvestermanor.org 631.749.0626
