The nonprofit Crosshatch Center for Art & Ecology will present a farm tour from 6 to 8 p.m., July 25, at Hill Valley Farm, to learn how to increase the diversity of small-farm products and income streams. Owner/operators Ben and Brittany McMurray will share their experiences in year-round stewardship for pastured pigs and showcase synergies between crop production and livestock.

            Hill Valley Farm specializes in the entire life cycle of pasture-raised heritage pigs (farrow-to-finish) and non-GMO grains. They incorporate small-scale row crops as a part of what they produce (non-GMO field corn, barley and cover crops). An apiary (beehive) on the farm is nurtured by conservation cover planting of diverse wildflowers through the Environmental Quality Incentives program of the U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service.

            Brittany says, “Once an overgrown and neglected property, the landscape at Hill Valley Farm has been transformed into a beautiful farm with a focus on sustainability and getting back to good old country living. We focus on heritage breed, pastured pig shares. Please follow our progress!”

            Crosshatch Center for Art & Ecology, founded in 2005, explores and builds strong communities through the intersections of art, farming, ecology and economy. Co-founders/co-directors Brad and

Amanda Kik’s shared belief is that the arts and ecology are intertwined and essential to enriching community. They envision communities that are grounded in place where people connect through stories, music, art, shared work, and food, and the economy and culture are rooted in restoration of the Earth and its people.

            Brad says, “The single most effective tool we can build is a tight-knit community bound by trust; clear-eyed, courageous and humble. Such a thing cannot be planned for and will never be implemented by experts and with money. Such a thing is woven from what is at hand, slowly and with care, by the people in a place.”

Location: 6064 Stolt Rd., Charlevoix. For more information about Crosshatch Center for Art & Ecology, call 231-533-2555 or visit Crosshatch.org. For more information about Hill Valley Farm, call 231-838-6272 or visit Facebook.com/hillvalleymi.