Extensive fencing keeps the cattle from standing in the creeks and ponds, so none of their waste can pollute the waterways.

We have added nearly 3 miles of cross-fences to make smaller fields for rotational grazing. During rotational grazing, my cattle spend 3-4 days in each field before I move them to the next one. I allow at least 6-8 weeks between each grazing, so each field has plenty of time to recover and re-grow before it is grazed again. This effectively eliminates any possibility of soil erosion.

Because rotational grazing allows the cows to eat fresh grass practically all year, I only need to feed hay when it snows or when it is extremely cold. The small amount of hay I do feed is produced here on the farm, and it is stored in barns to prevent deterioration in nutritional quality.

All pastures have been renovated to contain 30-40% clovers. Clover is a nitrogen-fixing legume plant which converts nitrogen gas in the atmosphere into a form of nitrogen in the soil that plants can use directly. This is the way our ancestors raised cattle before cheap electricity and cheap fossil fuels made manufactured fertilizer affordable. None of these are cheap any more: clover is renewable; oil isn't.

Consumption of fossil fuels has been reduced by more than 75%. The centerpiece of fuel reduction is our 4WD electric ATV for nearly all farm chores. This vehicle, manufactured by Barefoot Motors (www.barefootmotors.com), costs ten times less per mile to operate than a comparable gasoline-powered ATV. The ATV is powered by rechargeable lithium iron phosphate batteries, which have 1/3 the weight, 4 times the lifespan, and none of the environmental hazards of lead acid batteries.

We have installed nearly a mile of water lines to take advantage of gravity flow watering systems from natural springs and ponds to provide fresh water for the cattle (water runs downhill for free!)

My cattle "recycle" over 90% of their nutrients back onto the ground in the form of urine and manure, so there have been major improvements in the fertility of the soil on my farm: so much so, that I will no longer need to purchase ANY commercial fertilizer. Back to ABOUT THE FARM