Ocean-Friendly Farming: how to think about the ocean when you’re farming 1,000 miles away from a coast

This presentation will introduce and discuss the concept of a land-to-sea movement, and how protecting local watersheds through regenerative farming practices has broader implications in the global water cycle. The choices made inland have an impact on what happens at sea, and vice versa. At Inland Ocean Coalition, a Boulder, CO based organization, we stand by the reality that we are all downstream of each other. Even from the Rocky Mountain Front Range, we all rely on a healthy ocean, and its protection can no longer be seen as solely a coastal issue.

Inland Ocean Coalition’s Ocean-Friendly Farming program exists to recognize, promote, and support landowners who use Ocean-Friendly land practices – these can be any combination of conservation practices that benefit the environment and the ocean. There is no one way to be an Ocean-Friendly Farmer, as regional differences and diverse requirements for ecological land practices vary throughout the country.

This presentation will seek to share some of the techniques and approaches Inland Ocean Coalition’s current Ocean-Friendly Farmers are applying on their land, discuss important reasons why farmers and ranchers should consider the ocean in their land management practices, and open a call to interested audiences to become part of the Ocean-Friendly Farming network.

We will discuss dead zones, water-saving techniques, grassroots organizing, and the creation of a farmer-to-farmer peer network to spread ocean-friendly practices across the US and better include farmers and food systems as a part of the Inland Ocean movement.

Questions? Contact Haley Stein at haley@inlandoceancoalition.org.

Speakers:
Haley Stein, Communications and Fundraising Coordinator for Inland Ocean Coalition – born and raised in Lexington, Kentucky, Haley maintains her status as “Kentucky Proud” even now living on the opposite end of the Appalachian mountain range in rural Eastern Maine. Haley has a passion for locally sourcing provisions, and has previously worked at the Union Square Greenmarket in New York City. Until recently, Haley worked with NASDA, interfacing with farmers across Washington County, Maine to collect data on crop yield and pricing.

Mia Glover, Programs Manager for Inland Ocean Coalition – Mia Glover is a PhD student at SUNY ESF specializing in environmental science, focusing on climate resilience and community-centered research. Her work uses ecological modeling, drone-based remote sensing, and Traditional Ecological Knowledge to address critical conservation issues in the Pacific region. With extensive experience working alongside Indigenous and local communities in Fiji, and New York, Mia collaborates closely with community leaders to ensure that research processes are culturally appropriate and community-driven. Her recent projects examine the intersection of colonization, climate change, and human access to vital ecosystem services, specifically focusing on seafood justice and climate adaptation. As a scholar and advocate, Mia is committed to integrating Indigenous perspectives into environmental policy and fostering sustainable, culturally relevant adaptation strategies. Her work with the Inland Ocean Coalition furthers her dedication to conservation, advocacy, and community empowerment.

Seth Watkins, Pinhook Farms – ​​Seth Watkins is the fourth generation of his family to care for Pinhook Farm in Iowa, a beef cattle operation established by his Great Grandfather in 1848. Watkins states that it is a focus on Stewardship first (not production) that is the reason Pinhook Farm has stayed in business for the last 173 years. Seth’s philosophy is that when we embrace stewardship and social equity anything is possible.

Scott Pigeon and David Garland, Queens Farms – Queens Farms is a Certified Naturally Grown, no-till market farm located in New York’s Hudson Valley region and Astoria, New York City. Their farmland is in Dutchess County, New York and their herbs and figs are grown in New York City. Their produce supports a small CSA serving families in northwest Queens. Scott and David believe in the importance of regenerative agriculture practices and leaving the land better than they found it. As residents of New York City, they appreciate that their waterways play an outsized role in their lives and helping ensure the safety and quality of their waterways is no less important for them than for the land on which they farm.

Alice and Karel Starek, Golden Hoof – ​​Based in Boulder, CO, The Golden Hoof Farm is owned by Alice & Karel whom have always been on a quest to discover the ‘Good Life’- a life inherently filled with meaning, purpose and of course, good food. It’s only recently that they decided to do it on a farm. Since childhood, Alice has struggled with digestive issues and Karel has recently developed an autoimmune disease; they also soon discovered that they had Celiac Disease. Through their new interest in great, healthy food, their longstanding desire to be a part of the solution, and their inability to get what they were looking for at grocery stores or restaurants, they realized that they wanted to grow food for themselves and others and that they wanted to eat food they could grow regeneratively on their farm. Farming & Ranching Practices: Holistic Management primarily using cattle and sheep in a rotational grazing system on approximately 200 acres of leased land. They raise pigs on food waste from the community, free range chickens, ducks, turkeys and geese on their 26 acre home farm. These animals use a deep bedding system to create high quality compost with their “waste” to feed the fruit and vegetable gardens which are grown free of pesticides and fungicides using nurse crops, cover crops and minimal tillage.