By Robert Karp Every bioregion needs a vital biodynamic farm and educational center that anchors the creative light of the sun, moon, and stars deep into the body and soul of the local geography and community. If Daphne Kingsley and Cameron Genter have their way, the Front Range of Colorado will soon have such a center. I had the great pleasure recently of visiting and touring their aptly named Light Root Community Farm in the scenic foothills of the Rocky Mountains just outside Boulder, Colorado. On a modest 40 acres of rented land, Daphne and Cameron have indeed put down a powerful tap root for this vision.
While visiting in their milk house and member pick-up center, Daphne told me how she and Cameron met at Live Power farm in Covelo, California, nearly 20 years ago, and fell in love there with biodynamics, draft horses, and one another. They have been pursuing their agricultural visions ever since, in places as far off as Vermont, New York, and Wisconsin, patiently growing the capacities and connections they need to realize a powerful biodynamic vision. They moved to their current farm in the winter of 2015 and quickly transformed the land into a draft horse-powered, micro-dairy that delivers delicious raw milk, eggs, and grass-fed beef to over 130 members. They also host numerous educational events for children and families, as well as a biodynamic study group for adults. While we were talking, a number of parents and their children from the local Shining Mountain Waldorf School stopped to pick up their weekly share, and they looked as wholesome and happy as the milk itself!
On this strong foundation, Daphne and Cameron are now seeking to expand their horizons by relocating Light Root to an historic 160-acre farm that will allow them to grow a model biodynamic farm and educational center on the front range of Colorado, just a few minutes’ drive from Boulder, one of the country’s most dynamic seedbeds for new thinking around food, sustainability, and spirituality. If not there, where? To learn more about Daphne and Cameron and their vision, check out their website.
Robert Karp is Co-Director of the Biodynamic Association and a long-time social entrepreneur in the sustainable food and farming movement. He is also the founder of New Spirit Farmland Partnerships, LLC, which helps organic and sustainable farmers acquire farmland by linking them with ethical investors.
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