A Healthier Ecosystem For You!
posted on
May 13, 2021
Hello my friend!
Gabe Brown and and his five principles have been a big influence and encouragement as we learn to bring you healthier food and a healthier ecosystem.
1. Minimal mechanical and chemical disturbance
In the commercial agricultural world, it takes three quarters of a gallon of oil to produce one pound of beef on top of the tremendous amounts of chemical and mechanical disturbance to the soil.
With the grazing system we use to raise your meat, soil disturbance is minimalized and chemical disturbance is eradicated, which is all effectively done to be more in line with the way God created it from the beginning.
2. Armor of the soil (keep it protected by keeping it covered)
With commercial agriculture, many fields are left uncovered for the winter making them very vulnerable to wind and water erosion.
One principle we use when grazing the livestock is to leave one-third of the grass trampled on the ground to protect the soil from erosion and helps keep the microorganisms cool moist and healthy!
3. Promote diversity
Commercial agriculture is the main place you're going to find one crop growing in one place, i.e., a field of soybeans, corn, or wheat sprayed with chemicals to keep anything else from growing alongside that crop. Or you will find only one type of livestock beinyg produced on the farm.
At The Maker’s Meadow, we love diversity! Cows, sheep, chickens, and turkeys all graze on the same land. In the same area where we raise our animals, you will also find plenty of plant diversity -- orchard grass, bluegrass, fescue, alfalfa, red clover, white clover, birdsfoot trefoil, Queen Anne's lace, milkweed, Canadian thistle, foxtail, burdock, plantain, dandelion, and lots of other wildflowers, just to name a few.
4. Leave living roots in the soil
In commercial ag, once the plant dies and is harvested, a lot of times it will be months before there's a living root in the soil again.
In regenerative agriculture, there are living roots in the soil the majority of the time. These living roots feed and support the microbiology in the soil. The microorganisms are the little guys that help make minerals available to the plants so that you can have a more mineral-rich, nutrient dense food.
5. Use animals as nature intended
So many animals are crammed into unhealthy feedlots and fed unhealthy feed.
It's always such a delight to see healthy animals creating a healthy soil and healthy soil feeding healthy animals the way God designed it.
Where you choose to spend your food dollars will determine if animals are raised on grasslands where they can enjoy their lives to the fullest and provide you with the best meat you can get your hands on.
It's not only sustainable... it's regenerative, and it's the way we serve you here at The Maker’s Meadow
