A Healthy Eco-System

A group of nature loving folks gathered at our ranch Friday evening for a time of fellowship, education and exploration. The evening started with a meal featuring proteins from Grateful Graze and a special treat of freshly harvested Pheasant Back Mushrooms from our timber. After dinner Monte introduced Brian Fox Ellis from Bishop Hill, Illinois. He is a nationally known author, speaker, and historian who has a passion for teaching through impersonating pivotal local historical figures.  He walked the ranch with us and discussed the work of John James Audubon and the Audubon Society as it relates to eco-system health.  The weather presented some challenges with wind and cooler temps, but the group was eager to learn on our hike how healthy soil and managed grazing, to mimic nature, is making a huge impact on water quality, carbon sequestration, plant diversity and bird habitat. The farm was purchased by Monte and Robyn Bottens in January of 2018. It had been in CRP for 18 years which has presented both pros and cons. On one hand it hadn't been farmed or had any chemical applications during this time, on the other hand it had been taken over by golden rod and other invasive weeds, trees and shrubs.  Monte shared these two photos of the farm taken 77 years apart and below were his talking points for the evening. The LAW of Context The closer we can mimic the natural system, the less inputs that will be needed and the greater the outputs will be. 5 Soil Health Principles Minimize Soil DisturbanceKeep Soil CoveredLiving Roots at All Times Maximize DiversityIntegrate Grazing Livestock The Microbiome - Everything is Connected Soil Health  = Plant Health = Animal Health = Human Health = Eco-System Health Eco-System Health Birds are and indicator species, much like earthworms are for soil healthDIVERSITY is the key.  The more species and the more uncommon the species present, the more complex and robust the ecosystem is.Predators (Coyotes).  We farm with predators and DO NOT kill them.  Research shows that animal diversity collapses by >50% when predators are removed. WIN - WIN - WIN Delicious, nutrient dense food for our customersA great life for the animals in our careEnvironmentally friendly and soil improvingOpportunities for young families to return to agriculture. The following is a list of birds identified in our pasture in a period of 15 minutes using the Merlin app and identifying their songs and the recording can be heard in the video: American RobinBaltimore OrioleBrown-headed CowbirdCarolina WrenCommon GrackleDowny WoodpeckerEuropean StarlingHouse FinchHouse SparrowNorthern CardinalNorthern FlickerRed-bellied WoodpeckerRed-winged BlackbirdSong SparrowSwamp SparrowWhite-crowned Sparrow

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Our Protective Moother Cows

This Mother’s Day we are not only celebrating our mothers but rather all of the moms out there, including our protective MOOther cows!When it comes to animal welfare, the physical benefits of a mother and calf being together are obvious. Observing our cows, we also see the psychological well-being of both mother and babe when allowed to naturally be free-living cows, without human intervention.In the video of a mama cow giving birth to a baby calf below, watch how she pushes it out with impressive ease. The act of a cow giving birth to a calf is called partition. Partition can take anywhere from two to twelve hours depending on the individual cow. Here, at Grateful Graze, we increase vigor by specifically selecting for calving ease in our cattle and culling or selling any cows that struggle to give birth unassisted. Bone structure, pelvic size, and how strong their maternal instincts are all contribute to whether or not they are a part of the herd.Calving on Cover Crops Immediate licking and suckling not only help the maternal bond mothers and babies need, but also contribute many health benefits.Once the calf is born, the cow will lick it all over to clean it off. She will even eat her after birth because it is filled with important nutrients. One thing we have noticed specifically here at Grateful Graze is that a cow who has recently given birth to a calf will make a deep moo sound to tell the other cows that they need to help her protect her newborn. Similar to when bison roamed the Great Prairie, cows will take turns protecting their young. In this instance, her friends will come over once they hear her call and help her watch her baby so she is able to both eat and rest.It is not too hard to find a babysitter or two around here.After a half an hour to two hours, the calf will stand up and start drinking. These moments are imperative to the well-being of the calf since it needs to drink the colostrum in the cow’s milk to survive. Colostrum is the first form of milk that is produced by the mammary glands after a cow or any mammal for that matter has given birth. It is a nutrient-rich fluid with immune, growth, and tissue repair factors, which is how a newborn is able to develop some sort of immune system to protect themselves right after they are born.Back to the protection of the calf. What a mother wouldn’t do to protect her baby right? Cows don’t mess around when their calves are threatened. A mother may lower her head, charge, and headbutt the threat. Is it wrong that as a mother, I have wished I could do this to protect my kiddos?For these reasons and many more, we are so grateful for our protective MOOther cows and all of the other moms out there who do everything in their power to protect their family and friends. Personally, I can say I have never met a being as selfless, caring, and of course loving as a mother before. Happy MOOther’s Day, Everyone! 

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Why You Should Support Regenerative Agriculture

Regenerative agriculture is a term used to describe practices that try to restore the soil’s organic matter and ultimately improve soil health.

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