Modeling Nature

We look to nature as our role model in the creation, development, and implementation of restorative processes as they relate to food, farming, and living. Biomimicry emulates nature’s time-tested patterns and strategies, as we create and support food and agricultural systems that are environmentally sound and socially responsible. In nature, nothing is considered waste. Waste for one is food for another. Striving to live by this belief, we value all of our resources and consider our impact with each decision we make.

The rhythms and cycles of nature are mirrored in the social fabric, land evolution, infrastructure development and business growth at RTB. Our organizational framework eschews conventional structures, favoring a more egalitarian and in(ter) dependent management style. Team members are encouraged to pursue interests and inspiration, while holding one another accountable to the collective vision and responsibilities. Cooperation makes waste a resource: our hoop houses are heated by manure beds and our composting toilets create nutrient-rich soil that will spread in the forest. Animal life is nature’s intelligence at its best: livestock mow the field and select the most nutritious food for themselves, chickens eat our pests, and pigs dig up invasives.

On the land, nature leads. In pursuit of balance and health, we adapt our work to the cyclical needs dictated by the seasons. Winter at RTB is a time of quiet reflection and planning for spring, when our community begins to awaken along with the thawing land. As ambient temperature rises, so does activity. In the summer, plants burst with hard labors’ fruits, animals grow full and strong as they graze verdant pastures, and the farm buzzes with conversation as educational events and farm tours punctuate long days. The autumn transition represents the culmination of all of our work, the closing of the loop. We savor the season’s harvest, preserve foods for winter hiatus and celebrate a season of growth alongside the greater community.