Shawn and Beth Dougherty

Short Bio

Shawn and Beth Dougherty farm 50 acres of steep rocky land in eastern Ohio, where they raise beef and dairy cattle, pigs, sheep, and various poultry, and run a small community dairy, Two Sisters Creamery. They write and teach on the topic of small-scale intensive grass-based farming and sustainable food production. Their farming practices developed from the conviction that truly sustainable farming is not dependent on purchased, off-farm inputs, but builds its fertility and productivity through good management of sunlight, soil, precipitation, plants and animals. They are the authors of The Independent Farmstead and seven field guides on input free farming. The Doughertys also speak across the country at various Homesteading Conferences. Their home farm is in Toronto, Ohio where they offer farm workshops for those who want to learn farm skills. Along with local homesteaders they have organized the Healing Land that offers an annual Homesteading Skills Festival in Burgettstown Ohio.