Stories are the seeds of change…
Runamuk Acres is a 53-acre conservation farm located amid the mountains of Western Maine. Sam(antha) Burns with her son, BraeTek, grow much of their own food through methods of regenerative agriculture seeking to support soil microbial life and beneficial insects. We believe that by conserving these keystone species, we can cultivate a more sustainable agricultural ecosystem that thrives in harmony with the broader landscape.
After 20 years of commercial farming, I’m doing something radical: I’m learning how to truly feed my own family. Not markets. Not customers. But my own family living in the mountains of Western Maine.
This is homesteading at the deepest level—and I’m sharing the journey in real time.
Join me for weekly farm updates, regenerative agriculture insights, and the lived story of a conservation farm finding its way in a changing world.
MY STORY
Since I was 16, I’ve been growing, raising, making, or baking food—first in backyard gardens, then as a “landless farmer” hustling between borrowed fields, farmers’ markets, and apprenticeships. It was a grueling ten-year journey building enough agricultural income to justify investing in farmland. Through the USDA’s Beginning Farmer program, I finally found farm-ownership and planted my farm—and myself—in Western Maine, where mountains loom and wilderness abounds.
My work is rooted in Aldo Leopold’s land ethic and built around the teeny tinies—beneficial insects, soil microbes, the keystone organisms that make thriving ecosystems possible. Regenerative practices, observation, patience, and a deep respect for the habitat we share with wildlife inform every choice we make on these 53 acres.
After years of expanding and scaling up, I’m returning to my roots as a homesteader. Turns out, the thing I started with—feeding my own family—is the thing that matters most.
Along my farmish-journey, I made a lot of mistakes. Expensive ones. Time-consuming ones. The kind you don’t recover from overnight. But I also figured out what works, and I’m sharing it all here—so your learning curve doesn’t have to look like mine.
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WHAT READERS ARE SAYING
“Raw truth. I am also a female farmer… I can relate to the difficulties and applaud your determination.” — Traci C.
“I became a paid subscriber because I love your writing and believe in small, sustainable farming.” — Judi G.
“Thank you for the company while I shoveled the deck! Can’t wait for migration night again this year.” — Kristin W.
“I homestead in Virginia. This is my elder-journey dream. So glad I found you.” — CuriousElder
“Your writing, storytelling, photos… Conservation matters.” — Karin F. K.
“You had me at sheep.” — Mary B.
MORE ABOUT ME
- Master Gardener trained through UMaine Extension
- Somerset Beekeepers, former club president & educator – 6 years
- Johnny’s Selected Seeds, Customer Support Specialist – 5 years
- Madison Farmers’ Market, Market Manager – 6 years
- Author of The Resourceful Farmer’s Guide to Raising Sheep and How to Buy a Farm With NO Money
- School Garden Coach at Kingfield Elementary
- Virtual Garden Consultant – Click here to learn more