Tractor turned windrows at Sylvester Manor Educational Farm’s compost site. (Credit: Cristina Consentino)
The Nature Conservancy’s Mashomack Preserve and Sylvester Manor Educational Farm are working together to establish a closed loop system of carbon cycling on Shelter Island.
This partnership will optimize the use of the Preserve’s supply of carbon-rich materials (leaves and wood chips) by turning them into compost at Sylvester Manor.
Sylvester Manor currently cultivates three acres of vegetables and plans to expand their crop production by an additional three acres in 2021. Under the direction of Director of Farm Operations Cristina Cosentino, the farm will transition towards regenerative vegetable production and reduced tillage, a farming practice that seeks to disturb soil as little as possible.