Connecting communities to the sources of their food
For more than 20 years, the Delaware Nature Society has owned and managed the 352-acre preserve, which is widely viewed as a model of best practices in biodiversity management. Set in the rolling hillside of New Castle County's Piedmont region, the preserve includes mature forest; floodplain meadows; early successional fields; and the stream valley of Burrows Run, a tributary of the Red Clay Creek.
We celebrate Coverdale and all that it offers the community. Through hands on programming; members, students, teachers and families, participate in seasonal programs to learn about the farm cycle of life, the origin of food, and our dependence upon soil, water, plants and animals for survival. Our teaching farm offers visitor interaction with resident livestock by hand milking a cow, collecting eggs, feeding sheep and pigs. In addition to animal husbandry, we utilize over an acre of organic vegetable gardens and a professional teaching kitchen.
Today . . .
The Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) supplies fresh local vegetables to over 200 families. The preserve is managed incorporating environmentally sensitive techniques such as late hay harvests to allow young ground nesting birds to fledge while maintaining a sound balance between the agricultural and natural communities.
As we look ahead, we are excited about what the future holds for Coverdale. We continue to develop programs integrating topics like sustainable food systems, organic agricultural practices and field to table nutrition programs. Please join us in celebrating the farm and stay tuned. Over the next 12 months, we will be growing our farm by building an observations hive, adding an eggmobile and establishing a Coverdale Farm cookbook book club. Please join us to explore Coverdale Farm Preserve and our exciting new programs.
Donations Support: Nutrition Education, Agriculture, Land Management Best Practices and Preservation Efforts.
Tomorrow . . .
As we look ahead, we are excited about what the future holds for Coverdale. We continue to develop programs integrating topics like sustainable food systems, organic agricultural practices and field to table nutrition programs. Please join us in celebrating the farm and stay tuned. Over the next 12 months, we will be growing our farm by:
Building an Observations Hive - A colony of honey bees is truly amazing to watch. An observation hive allows you to see day-to-day activities within the hive without disrupting or irritating the bees. With an observation hive you can: Study honey bee colony structure and organization, Witness the different honey bee roles and their duties within the hive, Follow the development of honey bee larvae, Watch comb building, honey production and storage.
Adding an Eggmobile - This portable henhouse will be located in the cattle or sheep pasture, and moved every 2 - 4 days by tractor. The laying hens free range from the house, eating bugs and scratching through the soil and cattle droppings to sanitize the pasture just like birds in nature. The hen's diet is rich in plant and protein, reduce the amount of grain required to produce eggs brimming with healthy fats, high in antioxidants, and hormone free. Having this mobile henhouse will allow Coverdale to demonstrate a sustainable method of raising chickens while providing an educational and consumable product for our visitors.
Establishing Coverdale Farm Cookbook Book Club - Share in a fabulous cookbook "read," share your favorite recipes and bottle of wine, then harvest ingredients from the farm and cook up a selected dish in the farm kitchen to eat together (in partnership with the Hockessin Book Shelf).
• Thursday, June 6, 6:30 - 8:30 • Thursday, September 5, 6:30 - 8:30 • Thursday, November 7, 6:30 - 8:30
Click for a Colorful Map of Coverdale!
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