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The Grateful Graze Farm to Table Experience

The Grateful Graze Farm to Table Experience

Farm to Table restaurants have been popping up in cities all across the country over recent years. Typically the chef or owner have a desire to connect their customers with fresh local food. It’s rare to find a chef who actually spends time on a farm or with the animals. Until now. Meet the Grateful Graze Chef, Matthew Mulder.  Matthew started working in restaurants when he was 14 years old and was inspired while working  as a line cook at The Deck in Geneseo to pursue a culinary career. He graduated in 2003 from Scott Community College under the instruction of Chef Brad Scott. He did apprenticeships at Miss Mamies and Five in Moline and learned from two other influential Culinary Institute of America chefs during his early years. It was during his time at TPC Deere Run where he learned how to bake bread and enjoyed experimenting with all kinds of sour doughs. His most recent culinary positions were as Executive Chef at assisted living facilities. He enjoyed engaging the residents in the food preparation but after Covid with staff shortages and watching the residents being forced to stay in their rooms he decided to take a break and focus on his farm animals and do a house remodel. Matthew had been told by a mutual friend that he needed to meet Monte Bottens. One Saturday morning at our small farmers market in Cambridge Illinois Matthew had an opportunity to meet and have a lengthy discussion with Monte about how he was doing regenerative farming and using Gabe Brown’s business model. Matthew decided then and there that he wanted to come to work on our farm and learn all he could about how to raise animals in this way. It just so happened that the farm was in need of extra hands as we would be receiving our first batch of pigs soon. Matthew signed on and our journey began. It seems that every time we are in need someone comes along to fill that need and Matthew not only filled the need but he was a natural with the livestock. Another little piece of our background is that I have always told Monte there are two things I won’t let him do. One, own a dairy and two, own a restaurant. I’ve always been very supportive of everything he wants to do but I know what kind of commitment is involved in those two businesses.  Monte and I enjoy fine dining and great food. At the beginning of this journey he commented that he would love to be able to enjoy our meat prepared in a fine dining establishment. I knew what he was hinting at. One night I had a brain storm and shared with him the idea of doing Farm to Table dinners in a rented facility on an occasional basis. I thought it was a grand idea to satisfy his restaurant dream and utilize Matthew’s talent all while providing our customers with a great experience. Our first dinner was a Valentines dinner and the response was incredible. We made plans to host another dinner and then everything came to a halt when Matthew injured his back. We weren’t sure if he would be able to return to the farm or do another dinner. The healing process was slow and painful but we are thrilled to have him back at the farm caring for our livestock.  We are also excited to be hosting our next dinner this Saturday night, May 13th at 6:00 pm at the beautiful Central Schoolhouse Bed & Breakfast in Geneseo. Because it’s the day before Mother’s Day we have marketed it as a Mother’s Day event but it’s simply a Farm to Table dinner for anyone to attend and enjoy. The tickets are $75 per person and can be purchased by clicking the link below. Central Schoolhouse is managing ticket sales on their website.  Chef Matthew will be preparing a six course dinner with locally sourced ingredients and featuring many items from the Grateful Graze farm with the main course a Roasted Airliner Chicken Supreme. In between courses Monte will share with our guests insights on how we move and care for the animals, and the benefits of regenerative farming. It’s more than a meal. We want you to enjoy a really great dinner, gain firsthand knowledge about the future of farming, and leave knowing that the money you spent made a difference. Whether or not we continue to do dinners depends on your response and attendance. We want to focus on things that bring attention to regenerative farming and provide leadership utilizing our gifts and talents.  We really hope you will join us. Seating is limited and we want to fill it up so don’t delay in getting your tickets purchased before sales end at midnight on Wednesday, May 10th.  https://resnexus.com/resnexus/... See you at the table! Robyn

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A Healthy Eco-System

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

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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Grateful Graze

  • 10740 E 1500 St
    Cambridge IL 61238
  • (309) 852-3276
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