(This is the second story in a two-part series about Wheel-View Farm. Last week’s column focused on hundreds of years of history; this week, we look at more recent history and what’s currently happening.)

Carolyn and John Wheeler live on a stunningly scenic Shelburne hilltop; for years, Wheel-View Farm was a dairy concern, but the Wheelers shifted to raising Belted Galloway beef cattle. Their other projects have included production of apple cider, maple syrup, hay, pumpkins, and specialized dahlias, while preserving open space through sustainable practices. It seems like these local heroes — recipients of the coveted Leopold Conservation Award — were born to farm.

Yet growing up with two older brothers, Carolyn (née Gowdy) was left out of the farming equation. “I didn’t operate tractors or trucks, or help with haying,” said Wheeler. “Those were considered boy tasks, and it wasn’t questioned.”

Now in their 52nd year of marriage, Carolyn, 73, and John, 75, work together daily, with Carolyn performing tasks that would’ve given her father pause. “We do what needs to be done,” she said. “That’s all there is to it.”

Carolyn Wheeler’s pragmatic approach helps ensure the success of a vibrant farm in a place that allows for views of four states and houses a homegrown museum with ancestral artifacts. Carolyn is a go-getter, and John is no slouch, either: he starts each day before most people even think about getting out of bed. “Before chores, John runs a few miles,” said Carolyn of her husband, who has run at least a dozen marathons. “He’s still in perfect shape.”

One might guess that the Wheelers courted locally, given that they grew up about a mile apart. But the genesis of their partnership has a fun twist: “Of course we were aware of each other,” said Carolyn. “One of John’s brothers and two of his cousins were in my class. I knew John existed, but we started dating in Germany while I was studying abroad and John was in the Army.” What began as an overseas romance evolved into a bond that transplanted beautifully after the couple returned to the U.S. Today, with two grown daughters and four young grandsons, the Wheelers are going strong.

When asked if she ever imagined spending her life farming, Carolyn replied, “Not really. It wasn’t a girl thing, so it never occurred to me. I had no idea what I would do. But I loved animals and loved being outdoors.” As it turned out, neither Gowdy boy was interested in farming as a career or lifestyle. “My eldest brother became an engineer, and my other brother did a variety of jobs after farming full-time with our grandfather for one year.” After a thoughtful pause, she added: “That year cured him of wanting to farm.”

A pivotal moment occurred when Carolyn’s father suffered an injury and could no longer milk the cows. “My dad had been farming all along, but my grandfather still ran everything.” At the time, John and Carolyn were farming with John’s father on the next hill over. Following his father-in-law’s injury, however, John Wheeler took care of both farms. “After a couple of weeks, it became clear that was unsustainable,” said Carolyn. Meanwhile, John Wheeler had two younger brothers who wanted to operate the Wheeler family farm. “Given all that, ” said Carolyn, the move made sense.”

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After marrying in 1972, Carolyn and John farmed and worked night shifts — Mondays through Saturdays — at Kendall Mills in Colrain. “We did factory work for six months, and didn’t want to do it forever,” said Carolyn. Founded in 1832 as Griswold Manufacturing Company, the business was sold to Kendall Mills during the Great Depression, operating until the late 1980s. “Cotton was brought up from the South to be bleached for medical supplies like gauze pads, bandages, and cotton balls,” said Carolyn. “The company employed hundreds of people for several decades.”

The Wheelers chose to dedicate their lives to farming, but also pursued advanced degrees and worked day jobs off the farm: Carolyn taught plant science at Keene State for 12 years, and John taught accounting, business math, typewriting, and later computer skills at Mohawk Regional School for 22 years. Multi-tasking became a way of life.

The Wheelers feel fortunate to be in their special spot; due to its climate, soils, and elevation, Shelburne has long been renowned for excellent grazing conditions and superb apple orchards. The area still produces heirloom apple varieties, and the Wheelers endeavor to expand their orchard.

The girl who’d been left out of farm work eventually “learned to do everything.” Carolyn noted, “It was bumpy at first, because my father wasn’t used to girls helping.” During their first year at Wheel-View, Carolyn didn’t help with haying. “After that, though, I got involved in milking and haying … everything!”

Carolyn and John Wheeler have produced thousands of hay bales. “We made the shift to round bales in 2002,” she said. “No more lifting square bales.” The couple used to keep a careful eye on the weather, “but now we can mow it in one day, and let it wilt. The hay doesn’t need to be dry in order for us to bale it. It’s triple-wrapped in plastic, sealing out oxygen and allowing the hay to naturally ferment.”

The modern approach has many benefits. “We no longer worry about getting three dry days in a row,” said Carolyn. “We don’t need to store it under cover. The hay is shrink-wrapped, and as long as it doesn’t get a hole, we’re good.” A hole can allow for the introduction of oxygen, which can lead to fungi spoiling the bale. The Wheelers produce over 700 bales annually and feed upwards of 600 to their cows, and sometimes have leftovers to sell. “It’s good to have some on reserve, too, in case we have a bad year. The cows absolutely love our hay.”

When it comes to hay, cows can be choosy. “The quality of first-cutting and second-cutting hay can be very different,” explained Carolyn. “The first tends to have more stems, dry matter, and fiber, while the second cutting has more leaves and clover, and is more nutritious.” Maximally nutritious hay is especially important for younger animals. “Last year, it was so wet, the second cutting was late, so the protein was lower than the first cutting. The cows didn’t want to eat the over-mature hay containing more dead brown grass.”

Like many, the Wheelers notice increasing weather swings. “Two years ago, it was so dry, we barely got our second cutting,” said Carolyn. “The grass just didn’t grow; we had to buy hay.” Such shifts inspire the Wheelers to pursue projects designed to bring about healthier environmental conditions. And they don’t stop there; each year, they welcome school groups so youngsters can witness first-hand that family farms are not a thing of the past. While the percentage of the U.S. population living on small farms has decreased significantly in the last century, people like the Wheelers keep plugging away.

Not all farm children choose farming as a career, but the lifestyle tends to produce highly motivated humans. “While they were growing up, we told our kids that they could either do schoolwork or farm work. There were no idle hands here.” Those ethics paid off: “Our older daughter, Jill, attended Harvard and works for the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau in (Washington) D.C.,” said Carolyn.

“Our daughter Julie lives next door, has three sons, and teaches AP (advanced placement) environmental science and biology at Pioneer (Regional School). While studying plant science at UMass, Julie had the highest GPA in her class. We’re pretty proud of them both.”

Wheel-View Farm has so much going on in terms of environmental strategies and projects, I could write a book! But it’s time to wind this column down, so I encourage readers to visit the farm’s website, curated by John Wheeler: wheelviewfarm.com. There, you can learn a ton about the advantages of pasture raised animals, benefits of grass-fed beef, carbon sequestration, and much more. And an in-person visit to the farm itself is a real treat.

To schedule a visit to purchase grass-fed beef, see the homegrown museum, or take in breath-taking views, readers may contact Carolyn Wheeler at 413-625-2900 and email cwheeler@wheelviewfarm.com.

The Wheelers have taken steps to protect their farmland so that it won’t be developed. “We hope to keep going as long as we can,” said Carolyn. Grandchildren Tyler, Jesse, and Cody are of the sixth generation to live on the family farm, and their cousin Rudy enjoys coming up from D.C. to help out when he can. “Cody has been raising pastured pigs this summer with no hormones or antibiotics, and finished on a vegetarian diet of grain, apples, pumpkins and squash,” said Carolyn. “We’re pretty proud of him, too.”

Eveline MacDougall is the author of “Fiery Hope,” and comes from a long line of Québecois farmers. Readers may contact her with hot tips for future columns: eveline@amandlachorus.org.