What is Regenerative Agriculture and Why it Matters

Regenerative agriculture (RA) is a term that encompasses many agriculture practices but for grass fed beef it has it's own standards. 

1. Properly managed pastures can sequester tons of carbon back into the soil. According to a book titled, "Negative Emissions Technologies and Reliable Sequestration: A Research Agenda", our pastures sequester about 7.6 tons or just over 15,000 lbs of carbon per year based on our practices.
2. It provides ecosystems to many different animals and insects that conventional management doesn't allow for. 
3. It helps keep rain water in the pastures and minimizes runoff.
4. The absence of pesticides, herbicides, and synthetic fertilizers contribute to overall soil health by promoting the smallest of bacteria and fauna in the soil. 
5. RA in our grass-fed operation reduces the use of fuel and byproducts of fuel consumption by primarily using the tractor for hay making and by not feeding grain, there was no fuels to plant seed, spray pesticides, harvest, and dry corn for feed.

So what does our farm look like in this grand view of RA?

Our practices mimic the herds of millions of Bison that used to roam the prairies for thousands of years and the by product of that is what we call Regenerative Agriculture. A phrase and practice that didn't exist in the grasslands that wild Bison roamed because that practice was the basic building blocks of the prairies of the United States.

Bison used to roam in herds of millions and as recent as 1897, one of the last great herds was estimated to be about 50 square miles large or the size of Minneapolis.

 Everything works in cause and effect. These bison herds would travel tightly together as they were always followed by predators such as wolves. Due to them being tightly grouped, they ate competitively and trampled what they didn't eat. They trampled weeds and small trees that prohibited forests but made prairies flourish. Their hooves made indentations in the soil that collected rainwater and allowed it to sit in hoof sized puddles to be absorbed into the soil rather than runoff. The manure of hundreds of generations fertilized the soil as they made their way through their grazing patterns century after century building up the soils nutrients. Fun fact, much of the Midwest's rich farmland is due directly to the bison's manure as millions would graze around the country!

Our farm does this on a small scale. Our herd is moved to a fresh section of pasture everyday mimicking their travel. The fresh pasture is big enough for them to eat in a day but not so big they leave areas under-grazed or not trampled. Due to these sizes, they instinctively eat in a competitive nature. Their hooves create the dimples that help prevent unwanted runoff and creates a bank of water as it percolates down into the soils. The manure they leave behind breaks down and feeds the pasture and soils for years to come. We also let the pasture that was grazed the day before rest for at least 29 days. Why? It allows the grasses to grow back to pre-grazing heights and it also breaks the parasite cycle. The great Bison herds were always on the move and would take months to return to the spot they were previously in. The vast majority of parasite life cycles won't make it past 28 days if they cannot find a host and die off. When the cattle return to that spot, they get tall forage fed by manure that is parasite free.

Grass Fed and Finished beef is a sustainable, healthy, environmentally friendly, and delicious choice for feeding what matters most to you, your family.

 We take our beef seriously because healthy soils make healthy forage. Healthy forages makes healthy cattle. Healthy cattle make healthy food for our family and yours. If you have any questions, reach out to pasturedbeef@gmail.com or find us on Facebook. 

 

Ryan,

Owner, Honest Pastures 

"Therefore be patient, bretheren, until the coming of the Lord. The farmer waits for the precious produce of the soil, being patient about it, until it gets the early and late rains." James 5:7-8

https://nap.nationalacademies.org/read/25259/chapter/5#97