Beyond the BOX
Beyond Organic and Beyond Farming.
We are repairing an ecosystem and you can help! We don't just raise livestock on pasture. We don't simply abstain from using synthetic chemicals (organic farming). We are an active part of repairing the ecosystem. We practice managed intensive grazing (moving animals to fresh pasture often with long pasture recovery) to promote natural animal health, building of plant diversity and rapid building of soil to improve the land.
Humans are a keystone species, actively making choices that enhance or degrade the ecosystem around us. We are not simply farmers. We are active participants in the restoration of our local land base and the world at large.
- Build Topsoil – By rapidly moving our animals thru our pastures and then providing long periods of rest, we promote the recovery of the grasses, flowers, shrubs, and trees in our paddocks to continually and sustain-ably regenerate our soils. Building organic matter in the soil, stores carbon and increases the soil biology, leading to regeneration of the land!
- Sequester CO2 – through the decomposition of roots, shoots, and leaves; the grasses, flowers, shrubs, and trees in our paddocks are essentially removing CO2 from the atmosphere and storing it in the soil. Carbon continues to build in the soil, making our ecosystems more lush, productive, and drought-resistant.
- Purifying water, recharging aquifers and reducing flooding – Water does not percolate into bare and shallow soil. Uncontrolled water flow runs downhill causing erosion and flooding . By maintaining continuous perennial grassland, building swales, ponds and utilizing keyline design, we allow the rainwater that falls on our land to percolate into our soils and into groundwater reserves. The surface water is purified and incorporated into the local aquifer. This process reduces surface runoff, minimizes flooding and increases drought resistance.
- Enhance Biodiversity – We manage for diversity – scattered groves of fruit trees, nut trees and shrubs are scattered among grasslands that we rotationally graze. Savannas are the most diverse and productive ecosystems on the planet and ours are no exception. We provide habitat for many wildlife and endangered species such as many small mammals, deer, turkey, grassland birds, hawks, owls, eagles, insects, and native pollinators, and prairie plants.
Animals are the Key to accomplishing our vision!
We raise cattle, pigs, sheep, turkeys, and chickens that are rotated in sequences around the farm, mimicking patterns of grazing of the Native Buffalo once common in Kentucky. All of our animals are lovingly raised, humanely handled, and are hormone and antibiotic free. They have continuous access to sunshine and shade, and are managed in ways that help us restore functional ecosystems. Our cattle are 100% ecosystem fed (grass, flowers, shrubs, and trees – not just grass!). The pigs and chickens enjoy access to grasses, clover, flowers, chestnuts, hazelnuts, acorns, hickory nuts, mulberries and insects. Our pigs, chickens, and turkeys are fed moderate rations of GMO-free grains to help you avoid exposure to the excessive herbicides and pesticide exposure promoted by GMO crops.
If you live in the Central KY, Louisville or Cincinnati areas (or anywhere in between!), please consider signing up for a Farm-Share!