Off To College
From Pasture to Professor: Our Grateful Graze Girls Go to College At Grateful Graze, we’re committed to regenerative agriculture, but we’re also committed to education. That’s why we’re sending our "Grateful Graze Girls"—our herd of heifers—back to school. The Assignment: Livestock Integration at WIU We raise pasture-raised proteins you can trust, but we are equally passionate about teaching other farmers how to transition to regenerative agriculture. One of the best ways we do this is by collaborating with institutions teaching future generations. Dr. Joel Gruver is a nationally recognized professor and researcher at Western Illinois University in Macomb, IL. His students have an extraordinary opportunity to learn about organic farming, diverse crops, and cover cropping at the Allison Farm. Each year, Dr. Gruver and his team host local farmers and researchers from around the world to showcase cutting-edge, collaborative agricultural practices. Several years ago, Monte, our founding farmer, challenged Dr. Gruver to integrate livestock into his research. Everything is ready, and the WIU Allison Farm is about to embark on the 5th principle of Soil Health: Livestock Integration. The rich soils of this farm, located just west of Roseville, IL, were formed from the interactions of diverse prairie plants and ruminants like bison. Now, we are mimicking that ancient synergy with multi-species cover crops and cattle to restore the land. College Prep: Training the Herd We have selected 15 heifers for “College Prep.” They are being trained on NoFence virtual collars, which allow us to contain them in small, focused grazing areas—mimicking the density of a bison herd. We give them an acre of space but virtually restrict 25% of it so they become accustomed to the collar signals. They are progressing well and moved on to their second "course" (training area) today. Move-In Day and Beyond On Tuesday, our team will head to the Allison Farm to get the "dorm room" ready by setting up perimeter and interior fencing. We’ve designed a flexible perimeter system that keeps the herd safe while allowing researchers to work, ensuring our "students" stay focused on their grazing curriculum. Just in case the technology hits a snag or one of the girls flunked a prep course, our physical fencing ensures they remain secure. We’ll be able to monitor the girls remotely with their collars—think "Find My Cows" instead of "Find My Friends"—to ensure they are studying hard and not wandering off at night. Thursday is move-in day. The girls will relocate to the WIU Allison Farm, and it’s straight to work: their first test is Friday, when farmers and researchers arrive to observe them doing what cows do best—turning salad into steak. Looking Ahead Dr. Gruver and Monte are developing several research observations, including tracking weight gain, cover crop preferences, and changes to the soil biome and carbon levels. We hope this project provides a clear roadmap for how corn and bean farmers can diversify their operations and bring livestock back to the land. And if they decide to pull a classic college prank in the field? We’ll be prepared. Stay tuned for letters and calls home from college. Follow our social media channels for live updates from the WIU Allison Farm. Do you have questions about regenerative grazing? Drop them in the comments below!
