If you’ve been following us for a time, you know that we’ve been hauling water with the tractor to the cattle herd for four years. Four years of filling a huge tank on a trailer with the garden hose for 75 minutes, then hauling it to wherever the herd is grazing and filling 5 or 6 stock tanks. Then doing it again the next day. And the next day. This is why we are SO STOKED to share that our water system is complete!
As I write this, slow and steady rain is falling from overcast skies upon our thirsty pastures. We are thrilled! Our part of Athens County is still experiencing the highest category of drought according to the US Drought Monitor. Much of Ohio has been in varying degrees of drought since late June — making this year the 16th driest on record in Athens County.
August is coming to an end and we are reflecting on this hot, gorgeous, dry, heartwarming, tiring, accomplished summer. Farming certainly has its highs and lows. Some days we are delighted by watering the cattle as the sun sets. Other days we are overwhelmed by the massive projects ahead of us. Most days we are fulfilled.
Are you like me and you get a thrill out of recommending a book to a friend? My college major was English, but I had many opportunities to explore classes in other departments. I consistently found myself taking classes like “Religion and Food” or “Food and Agriculture in 21st Century America.” These courses fascinated me because of what food told me about cultures, history, religion, societal and personal health, politics, biology, and planetary well-being.
Last year we had the great fortune to acquire a neighboring farm with Molly’s parents through a land contract with the prior owners.
We are coming upon the summer solstice and we’re thoroughly enjoying these long, light-filled days! Read on to get a slice of life here on the farm this month, as well as other updates.
We are thrilled to share that CJ has transitioned into farming full-time here at MoSo Farm! He’ll be working round-the-clock to scale up the business by expanding our beef and pork enterprises, as well as implementing big infrastructure projects in this and the coming years.
The best way to eat and shop with confidence is to know your farmer. And to know the farming practices behind your food. My guess is, that’s why you’re here! In a world full of label claims and marketing schemes, it can be pretty confusing to know what to look for at the grocery store. Should you shop for certified organic products? Or should you preference local over organic? What does it mean when a product says sustainable? Or humanely raised?
We had the opportunity last weekend to be like the Lorax and speak for the trees — specifically, the immense value that trees can have on grazing operations. We presented on how our farm implemented silvopasture (trees + livestock + forages) at the annual Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association (OEFFA) Conference.
We thought we’d take a page from the non-profit book and create our first farm annual report! After all, regenerative farms like ours create many social and environmental impacts that are worth documenting.
This morning I pulled out our business plan, which we update every winter with new goals for the short and long-term, to see how our farm has grown and changed. Here’s how we measured up to our goals last year…
What is often missing from the debate about whether to eat meat is the important role that animals play in cycling nutrients. Nature has this figured out. The nutrient cycle, simply put, is when nutrients are transferred between the soil, atmosphere, plants, and animals.
