We strive to use every bit of the land and what it is capable of producing as much as we can.

 

Rotational Grazing: (seasonal May-September)

          We run 9, 1/2 acre pastures that the cattle and sheep share. The cattle will eat down the grass to about 6" and the sheep will eat the grass down to about 3", once a pasture is eaten they rotate to the next letting the previous one rest until the next time it is used in the rotation. Each pasture is used for 2-3 days before it needs to be rotated. With the use of two blue healers, Ash and Quinn, we can move the animals easier (the girls are still training and definitely need to learn more). Currently, we take the animals out to the pasture every morning and bring them back to the barn at night.

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Produce Partnership:

          We are lucky enough to have a partnership with a local grocery store for their fruit and vegetable produce that can no longer be used for human consumption. The produce is often scraps from the deli and pre-made sandwiches and salads or has been pre-cut and is past the 24 hours where it can no longer be considered fresh and has to be thrown out; we also receive packages of berries with one bad berry or salad bags that are starting to brown; we get what is no longer considered "pretty" because people want the best of the best. We are able to reduce (a small amount) the food waste in the area. Like humans, animals can't have certain foods so we keep a chat about who can have what so that we don't run into issues with poisoning our animals; we also sort through and cut the produce so that we aren't giving the animals bad food and so that they can digest everything easier without choking. If this is something you're interested in doing for your own animals do the research and talk to your vet to see what is toxic for the animal that you have (if your animals are as spoiled as ours they won't eat all of what they can have - the pigs refuse to eat asparagus and the sheep refuse to eat most things except apples, strawberries, and pumpkins). The waste produce that grocery stores throw out can not be used for human consumption, please don't go to a grocery store and say you'll feed the waste to animals and use it for yourself because that is illegal and you will ruin that type of partnership for others who will use it properly.

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