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Our
Sustainable Homestead
Farm
Upper Humber Settlement is known locally as The Settlement NL and is a Small Scale Sustainable Farm.
Located in the historic Farming community of Cormack, Mark and Lauralee started their business dreams in 2012 when they purchased their 6-acre property. Working towards self-sustainability while lowering their carbon footprint they have used locally sourced lumber and repurposed materials to build their homestead which has become an asset to their newly established Bed and Breakfast FarmStay (2020).
Mark and Lauralee take pride in their hometown and share its unique farming history through cultural culinary experiences. They are also proud to be contributing to the local food security in their region and in 2020, their homestead became a registered small farm of Newfoundland and Labrador.
Mark and Lauralee have worked abroad and researched design principles to build their permaculture farm dreams. Their farm, The Settlement NL, is committed to growing food naturally without the use of pesticides and herbicides. Since establishing their homestead as a farm they have been busy implementing regenerative agriculture practices, no-dig gardening methods and utilizing other permaculture techniques including water harvesting methods to grow fresh produce for their local community. They continue to be mindful by reducing waste with mindful packaging (still learning new techniques every day) and repurposing building equipment.
No Dig Crop Beds
No Dig Gardening is Permaculture method of farming that was made famous by Charles Dowding. No dig gardening is very simple. Effectively, it's where you don't use a fork or spade to disturb or loosen the soil in any way, no digging. This method creates a great environment for micro-organisms, fungi and worms to thrive. Together, they work to feed the plant roots and enhance soil biology.
Regenerative Argiculture
Using a repurposed camper our hens have been living a nomadic lifestyle on the farm. Every 10-14 days we would pack their camper, roll up their electric solar powered fence and relocate them to a new section of the feild to forage new bugs and pasture, without wearing down the fields. The field as never looked greener as the chicks continue to amend the soil, adding manure and aerating the ground as the go. In the Fall, they get to enjoy old crop beds, eating pests and veggie leftovers.
Chemical - Free Commitment
We are committed to growing food Naturally without the use of pesticides or herbicides. It takes a lot of extra hard work but nature thanks us and so do our customers. Using row covers, companion planting, salt water, beer traps, and natural mulches such as wood chips and straw we work hard to prevent pest invasions and reduce the growth and spread of weeds
Permaculture Zoning
We have designed our small sustainable farm implementing the principles of Permaculture Zoning. Zoning a homestead, or small farm is a way in which you design and place the elements of your farm according to their needs and daily use.
Simply put, the more often you need to visit, use or work on a farm element the closer it must be to your residence, in our case, closer to the B&B. The less demanding a farm element is the further is may be from your primary zone, including foraging and wildlife ecosystems.
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